The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-14
vously. = had quito the dee that there

vously. 81 had quite the idea that there
was very little fondness-"
Not on your side-not on your side"
said Rice, quickly. Uncle Quincy may
not have anted up in this matter o. feel
in nor seen his nephew's rise. You know
how it is yourself in these things-being
a lawyer and far-ninded man--its all
on one side, ginerally! There's always
one who loves and sacrifices and all that,
and there's always one who rakes in tho
pot! That's the way o. the world, and
that's why" continued Rice, abandoning
his slightly philosophical attitude and
laying his hand tenderly and yet with
singularly significant grip on Wells arm.
I'VE say to him, Hang on 90 that will and
Uncle Quincy's memory. And we hev
to say it. For he's that tender-hearted
and keerless of money-having his own
share in this ledge-that eff that girl came
whimperin' to him, he'd let her take the
prop'-and let the hull thing slide And
then he'd remember that he had reward
ed that gal that broke the old man.
heart-and that would upset him again
in his work. And there you see, is just
where we come in! And we say, Hang
on to that will like grim death""
The lawyer looked curiously at Rice
and his companions, and then turned to
Wells, Nevertheless. must look to you
for instructions, he said, drlly.
But by this time Jackson Wells-al-
though really dubious about supplanting
the orphan-had gathered the sense of his
partners and said with frank show Of
decision, II think I'must stand by the
will"
Then I'll have 1t proved" said Twiggs.
rising I'm the meantime, if there is any
talk of contesting-"
IF there is, you might say" suggest
ed Wyngate, who felt he had not had a
fair show in the little comedy, we might
say to that old skeesisks of a wlfes
brother if he wants to nipple in, that
there are four men on the Ledge-and
four revolversi We are gin'rally far
minded, peaceful men, but when an old
mans heart is broken and his gray hairs
brought down in sorrow to the grave, so
to speak, we're bound to attend the fun
eral. Sabe?"
When Mr.. Twiggs had departed again.
accompanied by partner to guide him
past the dangerous shoals of Tomlinson s
grocery, Rice clapped his hand on Wells
shoulder IF it hadn't been for me, SON
ny, that shark would have landed you
into some compromise with that red-hair-
ed gal! l saw you weakenin'. and then
/ Clipped in. l may have piled up the
agony d llltlG Oh yOul iON0 LOT Olu
Ounce, but If you aren't an ungrateful
cub, that's how you ought to hev been
feelin', anyhow Nevertheless, the
youthful Wells, although touched by his
elder partners loyalty and convinced of
his own disinterestedness, felt a painful
sense of lost chivalrous opportunity.
.
On mature consideration 1t was finally
settled that Jackson Wells should make
his preliminary examination of his in
heritance alone, as 1t might seem incon-
sistent with the previous Indifferent at
titude of his partners If they accompan-
led him. But he was implored to yield
to no Establishments Of the enemy and to
even make his visit a secret.
He went. The familiar fiower-spiked
tree which had given its name to Buck
eye Hollow had never yielded entirely to
improvements and the incursions of min
ing enterprise, and many OF them had
even survived the disused bitches, the
SCARED fats, the discarded levels, ruined
fumes and roofless cabins of the earlier
occupation. so that when Jackson Wells
entered the wide struggling street Of
Buckeye" that summer morning was
filed with the radiance Of its blossoms
and fragrant with their incense. His first
visit there ten years ago had been a
purely perfunctory and hasty one, yet
he remembered the ostentatious hotel,
built in the flush time" of it's prosperity,
and already in a green premature de-
cay; he recalled the express office
and town hall. also passing away in
a kind OF similar green deliquescence;
the little zinc church. now overgrown
with fern and brambles, and the two or
three fine substantial houses In the out
skirts which seemed to have sucked the
vitality of the little settlement One of
these he had been told was the property
of his rich and wicked maternal uncle
the hated appropriation Of his red-headed
cousins affections. He recalled his brief
visit TO the departed testator's claim and
market garden, and his by no means fav-
orable impression OF the lonely grabbed
old man. as well as his relief that his OBJ
jectionable cousin. whom he had not seen
since he was a boy, was then absent at
the rival uncle's. He made his way across
the road to a sunny slope where the mar
ket garden OF three acres seemed 20 roll
like a river Of green rapids TO a little
run" or brook. which, even In the dry
season, showed trickling rill. But here
he was struck by a singular circumstance.
The garden rested IN a rich alluvial soil,
and under the quickening Californian sky
had developed far beyond the ability Of It's
late cultiyator 10 restrain or keep Il IN or
der Everything had grown iuxuFiOusly
ana ia monstrOuB size and profusi0n. The
garden had even trespassea itg bounds
and impinged upon the open road the de-
serted claims and the ruins 81 the past.
Stimulated BY the iifne cultivation Quin-
cy Wells had found time 10 give A. u had
ieaped ifa three acres and riOfed through
f1e hollow There were scarlet runners
crossing fhf abandoned auices. peas
climbing the court house nai. HtraWbef.
fies malfiDE fhe trail, Nhils fhe reels and
Doiiea ~ iia few homelg eastern noHera