Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-10


and looked in at the door
want me. Marse Rayburn"
"Yes, you old scamp. Get me a
match or I'll shoot the top of your
head Off"
"All right. sub; all right, Marse Ray
burn"
"You ought to know him." said Mil
Ter. with a smile as the negro hurried
into the adjoining office. His wife
cooks for Colonel Barclay. lie might
tell YOU If Miss Dolly's going tonight,
but I know she is. Frank Hillhouse
checked her name off the list, and I
heard him say she'd accepted. BY the
way. that fellow will do to watch. |
think he and the colonel are pretty
thick"
"Will you never let up on that?"
Alan asked, with flush.
81 don't know that l SHALL" laughed
Rayburn. at seems so funny to zee
you in love, or, rather to see you think
You are"
81 have never said was" said Alan
sharply.
But you show it so blamed plain"
said Miller.
Here it's. Marse Rayburn. Marse
Trabue said you could have a whole
box eff you'd put up wild sulphur ones.
Miller took the matches from the out
stretched hand and tossed cigar TO
Alan. "Say. Uncle Ned" he asked,
do you know that gentlemanF' indi-
eating Alan with a nod Of his head.
A Quizzical look dnwned in the old
Negroes eyes, and then he gave re-
sounding guffaw and shook all over.
Il reckon / know his boss, Marso
Rayburn," he Uttered.
That's a good one on you, Alan"
laughed Miller. "IIe knows your 'hoss.'
I'll lave to spring that on you when
see you two together"
AS the negro left the office Mr.. Ira
bue leaned in the doorway, holding his
battered silk hat in his hand and mop
ping his pcrspring face.
He nodded to Alan and said to Mil
Ter, DO you want to write?'
Not any more for you. thanks" said
Miller. II have the backache now
from those dispositions made out for
you yesterday"
"Oh. don't mean that" the old
lawyer assured him, but l had to
borrow yore ink just now, an, seem
you at yore desk, l thought you might
need tt
"Oh, if l do" tested Miller, II can
buy another bottle at the bookstore.
They pay me a commission on the ink
7 ,...1, L.. Lot h.,,
cheap by the case. What stumps me
is that you looked in to see If | needed
it. You are breaking the rule, Mr.
Trabue. They generally make me hunt
for my Office furniture when l need it.
They've borrowed everything l have
except my iron safe. Their ignorance
of the combination, its weight and
their confirmed laziness are all that
saved it."
When the old lawyer had gone, the
two friends sat and smoked in silence
for several minutes. Alan was study
ing Millcr's face. Something told him
: that the news of his fathers disaster
had reached him and that Miller was
going TO speak Of il, He was not mis-
: taken. for the lawyer soon preached
,. the subject.
1--WE boon intending to ride ont 70
see you almost every day this week"
he said but business has always pre-
vented my leaving town"
/ "Then YOU have heard
"Yes, Alan. I'm sorry, but it's all
over the country. \ mans bad luck
spreads as fast as good war news.
heard it the next day after your IA
ther returned from Atlanta, and saw
the whole thing i'll flash. The truth
q, is. Perkins had the cheek to try his
scheme on me. I'm the first target Of
every scoundrel who has something &c
sell. and I've learned many of their
tricks. ! didn't listen to all he had to
say but got rid of him as soon as
could. You must not blame the old
- man. AS see 1t now, it was most
. plausible scheme. and the shame of il
- is that no one can be handled for 1t
Your father will have to grin and bear
it. He really didn't pay a fabulous
. price for the land, and if he were in q
- condition to hold on to it for, say
= twenty-five years he might not lose
n fDUl no can 10 luul SOTl Ol
g thing? ! have acres and acres Of
q mountain land offered me at a mucl
q lower figure, but what little money
I've made has been made by turning
my capital rapidly. Have you seeI
J.. Dolly since it happenedf'
/. mo; not for two weeks" replied
Alan. 81 went to church with he
" Sunday before last and have not seer
p her since. | was wondering If she ha(
II heard about it,"
II "Oh, yes; she's heard it from the colo
mel 1t may surprise you, but til,
n thing has rubbed him the wrong way
# "Why. don't understand" exclaimed
r Alan. "Has he
: The old man has had about 200
D. acres OF land over near your father
f. purchases, and ii seems that he wa
70 closely watching all your fathers deal
$. and, in spite Of his judgment to tn
% contrary. Mr.. Bishops confidence il
II that sort Of real estate has made hin
W put higher valuation on his holding
over there. So you see, now that you
y fathers mistake is common talk, he /
n forced to realize big slump, and b
v wants to blame some one for it.
TX don't know but that your father o
n some one else made him an offer 70
is his land, which he refused. SO you Sc
h. 1t Is only natural for him to he dis