The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1902-06-21
CHAPTER III.


while those near and dear to them
are well and happy, the pin pricks Of
having to go without many things
their neighbors have are not so keenly
felt while to a man each is a morti-
fcation
Harold Dynevor was a good son, and
brave man; but poverty tried him
sorely, and there was a constant
chafing at the injustice of circum-
stances which made his life harder
than it might have been, but which
those who knew his story thought
only natural.
Harold was gentleman farmer. He
worked quite as hard as many farm
ers who did not own the prefix; but
he was the last male representative of
good old county family, who had
been known in Sussex for many gen.
erations. He was popular wherever he
went, his mother was devoted to him,
his pretty sister, Kitty, looked up to
him with fervent admiration; but
Harold Dynevor could not be called
happy man. He had inherited a
grievance, and the recollection of it
married his content.
you're tired out, Harold" said
Kitty gently. I'm sure you work as
hard as any of your own men. Sit
down in your armchair and I'll go
and hurry tea
'All right, dear" he said gratefully
1T may Go me good, for I've a split
ting headache.'
Mrs. DynCvOr waited till her daugh-
ter was out of hearing, then she asked
anXiously:
is there anything wrong, Harold?
You were going in to Marion; did you
see Mr.. Proctor?'
Il saw him, mother, and got re-
ceipt in full. There's bad news.
meant to keep it from you, but I can
see I've betrayed there's something
wrong, SO I'd better tell you the
truth, for fear you think it worse
than it is"
You don't mean that the mortgage
wants to foreclose, Harold?"
Poor lady! that was the bugbear Of
her life. Uplands, the land which her
son farmed, was her very own. It
had been her wedding portion, and the
home of her married life When bad
seasons came, and expenses multi
piled, with her full consent her hus-
band raised a mortgage on the farm.
They had thought lightly Of it then
"a few good harvests would soon en-
able them to pay off the debt; but it
had never been paid off in all those
years. 1t hung like an incubus about
them, and Mrs. Dynevor's one dread
was that some day the mortgage
would foreclose, and, if they could not
find the $4,000 due to him, they
would have to leave their beloved
home.
. mo, mother" said Harold quietly,
tits not so bad as that; but you will
like the news as little as I do. It
seems Mr.. King has been settling his
affairs, and he has transferred the
mortgage on the Uplands to some one
else. Proctor told me the interest
was still to be paid to him, so we
shall have no personal dealings with
our new creditor"
Then | don't see that it Matters
said Mrs. Dynevor. Your dear father
always said Mr.. King was very hon
est man. Do you mean that you have
heard bad account of the new mort
gagee?'
He is a man we both have cause to
fear and dislike, mother-Eustace Lin
dom"
Mrs. Dynevor had grown white even
to her lips-nothing could have ter.
riied her more; but she was a brave
woman, and she knew, besides, where
help and strength were to be found,
One silent prayer to heaven, and she
answered calmly:
There is only one thing for it, Har-
old-we must raise the $4,000 and pay
off the mortgage. To be at that mans
mercy is more than can hear!'
Il don't see how we're to do IT,
said Harold, gloomily. There's nc
money In the bank, and we must spend
good sum on the farm this year, for
everything wants renewing The blow
couldn't have come at worse time. u
Il wonder what his object is?" said
Mrs. Dynevor quickly. "He has never
once been near this place since he left
1t with your poor Aunt Nina Just after
their wedding. Not year after he7
death he let the Manor to General Cra-
ven for fourteen years, and, except
pocketing the money from the estate
he has taken not the least interest in
the property since"
Proctor says he has married again
and thinks he means to settle at the
Manor. The generals lease expires
year, and he has refused to renew it.
If he means to live here, of course
he would want to get rid of US first, I:
said Mrs. Dynevor quietly, "for men
never like the near presence of those
they have wronged."
Now, according to the strict letter OF
the law, Eustace Lindon could not
have been said to have wronged the
Dynevors, yet every one for miles
around Dynevor Manor regarded him
rs their despoiler.
1t was sad little story, 80 well