The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-03-10

fh"sc Two. Vhrn SIrithCrs called.
"Take seat. Mr.. Morrison. This
gentlciNn Is looking over these town
ships and will have finished in few
m6mch,s."
Mcrrison's eye suddenly became un.
easy.
II AM somewhat busy this morning"
lie objected. with n shade of command
IN his voice.
III this gentleman suggested the
clerk delicatcly.
IL am sorry" put In Thorpe, with
brevi;y. "My time. too. il valuable"
Morrison looked ut him sharply.
"Aiy deal is big one" he snapped.
II can probably arrange with this gen.
tleman TO let him have his farm"
II claim precedence" replied Thorpe
calmly.
"Well." said Morrison. swift a. light,
'I'll tell you. Smithers. I'll leave my
list Of descriptions and a check with
You. Give me receipt and mark my
lands OF nfter you've finished with
this gentleman" hi..'t..I
Now. government and state lands are
the property Of the man who pays for
them. Although the clerks receipt
might not give Morrison valid claim,
nevertheless II would afford basis for
q lawsuit. Thorpe saw the trap and
interposed.
Hold on" he interrupted. II claim
precedence. You can give no receipt
for any land In these townships until
after my business is transacted.
have renson to believe that this gentle.
man and myself are both after the
same descriptions"
"Whatv' shouted Morrison, assuming
surprise.
"You will have TO wait your turn.
Mr.. Morrison" said the clerk, virtuous
before 80 many witnesses.
The business man was In q white
rage Of excitement.
II insist ON Iiy application being fled
at once!' lie cried, waving his check.
II nave the money right here to pay
for every acre of II. and II know the
law the first man to pay takes the
land"
He slapped the check down on the
rail and hit II number Of times with
tho Hat OF his hand. Thorpe turned
and faced him with a steely look In his
level eyes.
mir. Morrison" lie said. ''you are
quite right. The first man who pays
gets the land, but have won the first
chaace to pay. You will kindly step
one side until finish my business with
Mr.. Smithcis here"
II suppose you have the amount ac-
tually with you" said the clerk quite
respectfully. because II you have not
Mr.. MorrisOn's claim will take prece-
dence."
II would hardly have any business
In land Office IL 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 LOpes had sunk to zero.
After all. locking at the matter dis
passiOnately, why should he expect
Carpenter to trust him. q stranger.
with 80 large sum? II had been
uuuuNSrs VhIy Dbllo NOnuuCuCC Va
the fighting mun led him farther into
the struggle.
Thorpe's 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-
ncrlc description followed another fg-
ure representing the section Of that
particular district. So 40-i7 VS.
nl,ant section ) of the township on
range 40 north. II west. II Thorpe
wished TO purchase the whole section
that description would suffice. On the
other hand. II he wished TO buy only
one forty he described its position in
the quarter section. Thus SW-NW
I0-17-S meant the southwest forty Of
the northwest quarter of section 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 tive bliefest description possi-
bic. 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 g." he made Of II four
separate descriptions, as follows: North
west quarter OF northwest quarter;
northeast Of northwest quarter; south
west of northwest quarter. aud 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 indus.rionsly. repeating In
half voice each description as il was
transcribed.
~ length the task was finished. 1t
becume necessary to type duplicate
lists of the descriptions. While the
s0mnolent 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 the corridor. The land
locker merely stopped the drumming
If his fingers on the broad arm of the
chair Tie door few open. and Wal
lace Carpenter walked quickly to him.
Tborpe's face lighted up as he rose
A<,. III. 4 n