Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-01-12
CHAPTER /.
nv American Millions.

a H. IN AlA 'N~@~ EN'
etter. saving Simply. THE gentleman's
l-wcitinc SIR" and / read II twice.
without understanding II In the very
east.
Couyd II he a hoax? To satisfy my
self sat up In bed, rubbed my as
and eth half-sleepy eye and
read a. again. 1t ran as follows:
GRAY e QUIELAN. SOLICITORS.
ioI Linco.n's Inn, July IL, lS9-.
Dear s.r-It is our pleasing duty to
.nform YOU, at the request OF our New
agents, Messrs. Smiddy & Damn
Of 81 Chambers street, New YORK CITY,
that they have now definitely and CON
established your claim as the
sole surviving relative II general
n~eir-at-Iaw Of their late esteemed
Mr.. Aretas McFaught OF Church
Place and Filth avenue, New YORK.
AS trr amount Of your inheritance Is
very considerable and is estimated APP
proximateIy at between Sl4, 900, 600 and
coo 600, say three millions of ster-
ing money, we have thought 1t right
TO spprise you OF your good fortune
without delay. our Mr.. Richard GUM
IAN viii hand you this letter in person
and win be pleased to take your IN
structioEs. We ere, sir. your obedi-
servants, Gray & Quinlan.
Captain William Aretas Wood, d.. 5.
O., u Charges street, Piccadilly.'
Here, Sayory. who brought this?
DO you say he il waiting? III see him
in half a minute And sluiclnB my
head in cold water, / put on a faVorlte
old dressing gown and passed lnsO the
next room, followed by Roy, my pre-
cious golden collie, who began at once
to sniff suspiciously at my Visitors
,egs.
| found there n prim, little, ~old-young
gentleman, who scanned me curiouslY
through his gold-rimmcd pince nez.
Although, no doubt, greatly surprised
for re did no, quite expect to see an
archmillionaire in an old ulster with a
ragged collar of catskin, with damp,
unkempt locks and unshorn chin at
that time Of day-he addressed me
with much formality and respect.
81 must apologize for this intrusion,
Captain Wood-you ere Captain
Wood"
Undoubtedly"
Il am Mr.. Quinlan, very much at
your service. Pardon me-is this your
dog? Is he quite to be trusted?'
Perfectly, II you don't speak to him,
Lie down Roy. fear | am very late
"a bail last night. DO you eve 20 to
balls, Mr.. Quinlan?"
Not often, Captain Wood, but II ]
have Genre too early / can call later
On"
by no means. l am dying to hear
more. But, first OF all, this letter. It's
all bona tide, | suppose"
Without question. 1t is from our
firm. There can be no possible mistake.
We have made II our business to verify
all the faCts-indeed, this is not the
first We have heard Of the affair-but
We did not think 1t right to speak to
you too soon. This morning, however,
the mail has brought "A full aCknowl-
edgement Of your claims, so we came
or at nee to see you"
How did you find mo out, pray?"
I'VE have had our eye on you for
come time past, Captain Wood" said
the little lawyer smiiingly. while we
were inqubing UNDERSTANDINGS
were anxious to do the best for you
I'm sur I'm infinitely obliged to
o But stlll | can't believe II quite
| should like to be convinced OF the
reality of my good luck. You see, ]
haven't thoroughly taken ii n"
Read this letter from our New York
agents, Captain Wood. 1t gives more
details, and he handed me a typewrlt-
ten communication on two quartz
sheets Of tissue paper; also n number
Of cuttings from the New York press
The early part Of the letter referred
to the search and discovery OF the heir
at-law myselD and stated frankly
that there could be no sort Of doubt
that my case was clear and that they
would be pleased, when called upon, to
put me I'm full possession of my estate.
From that they passed OF to a brief
enumeration OF the assets, which com
prised real estate In town lots, lands.
houses, stocks, shares, we'll placed in
vestments OF all kinds, part ownership
of u lucrative road" or railway; the
controlling power In shipping COM
panies, coal companies, cable com
panies and mining companies in al
parts Of the United States.
1T will be seen that the estate is OF
some magnitude" wrote Messrs. Smid-
dy & Damn, and we earnestly hope
that Captain William a.. Wood will
take al early opportunity of coming
over to look into things for himself. We
shall then be ready TO give a full ac
count Of our stewardship and to eX-
plain any details.
"Meauwhile, to meet any small i'm
mediate needs, we have thought it ad-
Nisab!c to remit a first bill Of exchange
for $~5O,COO-say e1O,217 lis Cd, at cur,
rent ratcs-negotiab bic at sight and
duly charged by us to the estate"
The last part OF the letter Is con,
Vincing enough" | said with a littlt
laugh, as | returned 1t to Mr.. Quinlan
Away suppoSing that 1t is real mon
ey and will not turn out to be withereC
leaves"
How would you like it paid Captain
Wood? Into your bankers"
IF YOU please. Messrs. Sykes &
Sarsield, the army agents, OF Pal
Mall"
1T shall be done az once. l will cal
there, If you will permit me, on m!
way back to Lincoln's III. Is their
anything more? AS TO your affairs
generally. If you have no other law
yers, We are supposed to be good mei
OF business, and perhaps-of course w,
advance no Claims-you may Conside
that we have served you we'll alread.
and may intrust us further with you
confidence
My dear sir, / fully and freely admi
your claims. | should be most un
grateful If ! did not. Pray Conside
yourselves installed as my confidential
legal advisers from this time forth.
Thank you sincerely. Captain Woo
i can only express a hope that as on
acquaintance grows you will have n
reason to regret this decision. l vii
nOw-unless you have any furthe
COMMUNICATIVE you a very goot
morning."
With a stiff. studied bow he benz be
fore me and was gone. He left me
perry to many emotions-surprise, be
wi,derment still predominating. bu
adj -. ~ y1Aa .,,nn III, n.yaltA
ment.
Il was indeed q change, a revolution
n my affairs. Hitherto, like most me
OF my cloth, / had been CONSTANT,
hard up; Of late all but In "Quee
street" for l had yielded only to
readily to the destinations of London
After many years of service abroad
this spell at home, in the heart an,
center of life, was enough to turn an
ones head. ! was now on the head
quarters staff, with IN appointment !
the intelligence department, and
found people were very kind; shoals Q
invita- ions came in, and / accepted ev