The Caldwell tribune., 1905-11-18
CHAPTER XIV

When the harvest was over and the
grain was ingathered, and the work of
the year completed George began to
make his arrangements. He had receiv-
ed the formal notice and a six months
grace in which to find the money. There
was no longer any doubt possible that
he must leave Sidcote. He had now
made it all out in his own mind. There
would be enough money from the harvest
to pay the half-years interest; the land
would be foreclosed. And the sale of his
farm implements, furniture and every
thing would leave him with a few hun
dred to begin the world again. He would
90 to Tasmania, where man might buy
small farm and live upon the fruit of
his own labor.
LET u.s." said Mary, "make one last
appeal to my uncle. We will go togeth-
er, George. Perhaps he may relent even
at the last"
They made that appeal at an unfor-
tunate time. To begin with, it was in the
morning, when David was still with his
uncle; and in the second place, it was
a morning when David had been abusing
his position. The redemption value of
the coupons, in fact, was at a preposter-
ous figure, and the poor old man, torn by
the desire to get back his property and
Dy rage at the terrible ransom imposed
upon it, was rapidly arriving at the con-
dltion i'll which his nephew loved to see
nlm, when he lost his self-command, and
IN turns groveled, wept, protested, i'm
plored, cursed and tried to bribe his
nephew.
When they opened the door they found
the Old man trembling and shaking with
the passions of impotence and rage His
tace, llvid and distorted, with haggard
eyes, was turned upward in an agony of
ehtreaty, to- meet David's. There was
no passion In that fact, nor any emotion
Except a calm and sober satisfaction,
winch might even have been holy graft
.ude' for David's heavy face was hard
70 read. He stood over his uncle's chair.
nominating him, with bundle of papers
III MS hand, regardless alike of prayers
or imprecations,
.,,, '" ait minute, George" he said.
we nave just finished our business, and
most pleasant half hour we have spent,
~ oe sure Now, uncle, steady, l say, or
'ou viii have a fit-nOw, is it a deal, or
SHHn L put this little packet into the fire
Quick! Take it or leave it. That's my
figure"
IN take it-oh! I'll take itr'
OaVld laid the paper on the table in
''antiy and made note in a pockctbood.
Plty'" he said, that you would not
come to terms sooner. You'd have spared
SnVurSelt a great deal of trouble and time
out there, you always would have your
Say, %ay, and you enjoy beating a man down,
% oon your His uncle did not look ex-
aetiV as if he had enjoyed the last at
tempt. Now, I've done, George"
= Although he had finished his business,
WWaNa did not retire, but took a seat
narSs Mo seat-in the window, prepared to
itseen' and with the appearance of one
'Dterested .Ited in what was coming.
Mhat do you want, George" Mr..
-1elghan asked, impatiently. "Why do
yyTu yy come here while l am busy, Mary?
~ M not so strong as 1 was, and David
ia sue me angry. Wait a moment. Das
w NV said something that angered me.
wait moment. He doesn't mean to an
times"
n de covered his face with his hands.
PRESENTLY the trembling left him and he
recovered.
Now" he said, with a show of brisk
T' cesS' am better again. What is it,
~eorseE If it is business, have you
eo4 ooule to propose anything? You have
M M your legal notice, believe? Yes.
u you know the conditions Of the