Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-29

surprise.
You will have to wait your turn,
Mr.. Morrison" said the clerk, virtuous
before so many witnesses.
| The business man was in a white
rage of excitement.
81 insist on my application being filed
at once" he cried, waving his check.
81 have the money right here to pay
for every acre of it, and If know the
law the first man to pay takes the
land"
He slapped the cheek down on the
rail and hit it number of times with
the fat of his hand. Thorpe turned
and faced him with steely look in his
level eyes.
''Mr Morrison" he said, "you are
quite right. The first man who pays
gets the land, but I have won the first
chance to pay. You will kindly step
one side until finish my business with
Mr.. Smithers here"
Il suppose you have the amount ac-
tually with you," said the clerk quite
respectfully, because if you have not
Mr.. Morrison's claim will take prece-
dence."
Il would hardly have any business
in a land Office if did not know that"
replied Thorpe, and began his dicta-
ton of the description as calmly as
though his inside pocket contained the
required amount in bank bills.
Thorpe's hopes had sunk to zero.
oil
passionately, why should he expect
Carpenter to trust him, stranger,
with so large a sum? 1t had been
madness. Only the blind confidence Of
the fighting man led him farther into
the struggle.
Thorpes descriptions were contained
in the battered little notebook he had
carried with him in the woods. For
each piece of land first there came the
township described by latitude and
east and west range. After this ge-
neric description followed another fig
ure representing the section Of that
particular district. So 49-17 VS.
meant section s Of the township on
range 40 north, II west If Thorpe
wished to purchase the whole section
that description would suffice. On the
other hand, if he wished to buy only
one forty he described it's position in.
the quarter section Thus SW-NW
49-1T-S meant the southwest forty of
the northwest quarter of section 8 in
the township already described.
The clerk marked across each square
Of his map as Thorpe read them the
date and the purchasers name.
In his notebook Thorpe had of course
entered the briefest description posi-
BILE. Now, indicating to the clerk, he
conceived the idea Of specifying each
subdivision. This gained some time.
Instead of saying simple, Northwest
corner of section 81 he made of it four
separate descriptions, as follows: North
west quarter Of northwest quarter;
northeast of northwest quarter; south
west of northwest quarter, and south
east of northwest quarter.
He was not SO foolish as to read the
descriptions in succession, but so scat
tered them that the clerk, putting down
the figures mechanically, had no idea
of the amount of unnecessary work he
was doing. The minute hands of the
clock dragged around. Thorpe droned
down the long column. The clerk
scratched industriously, repeating in
half voice each description as it was
Transcribed.
At length the task was finished. 1t
became necessary to type duplicate
lists of the descriptions. While the
somnolent youth finished his task
Thorpe listened for the messenger boy
on the stairs.
A faint slam was heard outside the
rickety old building. Hasty steps
sounded along tie corridor The land
locker merely stopped the drumming
of his fingers Oil the broad arm of the
chair. The dool flew open. and Wal
lace Carpenter walked quickly to him.
Thorpe's face lighted UP as he rose
to greet his partner. The boy had not
forgotten their compact after all.
''Then it's all right?" queried the lat
ter breathlessly.
"Sure" answered Thorpe heartily.
SCOT 'em in good shape"
At the same time he was drawing the
youth beyond the stgilant watchfulness
of Mr.. Morrison.
you're just in time" he said in an
undertone. "Neyer had so close a
squeak. suppose you have cash or a
certified check. That's all they'll take
here
what do you mean?" asked Carpen-
ter blankly.
'Haven'c you that money!" returned
Thorpe quick as hawk.
"F'or heavens sake, isn't it here ~
cried Wallace in CONSERVATION. 81
wired Duncan, my banker, here last
night and received reply from him.
He answered that he'd see to it.
Haven't you seen him?"
'No," repeated Thorpe in his turn.
what can we do?"
Can you get your check certified
here near at hand!"
Eyes"
"Well, go do it. And get a move on
you. You have precisely until that boy
there finishes ticking that machine-not
second longer
HCo1't Won pat tbop, r. r,;+ /, e.-