Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-08-31
CHAPTER VII.

IN URTNG the next four or nv
days Guilford Duncan wa!
kept busy with various smal
emplOyments, some or tnen
out Of doors and some Of them In tne
Office. During this time Captain Hal
lam did not again engage him In con
yersati0n, but Duncan knew that tht
man Of business was closely observing
his work. He was not slow to discover
that he was giving satisfaction. he
saw that with each day the work as
signed him was of kind that required
a higher intelligence than that OK the
day before.
Every evening the cashier paid MIN
his days wages, thus reminding him
that he was not salaried employee OF
the house, but q man working 1of
wages from day to day.
Out Of his first wages he had pur-
chased change of very cheap under
wear, towel and a cake OF soap.
Every morning about daylight he went
to a secluded spot on the levee for a
scrub and a swim. Then he washed
out his towel and placed it, with his
other small belongings, in q storage
place he had discovered In a great
lumber pile.
One morning when he entered tho
office Captain Hallam gave him sew.
eral business letters to answer from
memoranda scrubbed upon them by
clerks or others. He gave him also a
memorandum in his own handwriting,
saying: u,
"Cut that down If you can and make
q telegram Of it. I'll be back In half On
hour or SO. Have it ready for me-"
The case was this: A huge steam
boat lay at the levee loaded almost to
the waters edge with grain, which Cap.
tain Hallam was more than anxious to
bury to New Orleans to meet q sud.
den temporary and very marked ed.
vance in that market That morning
the boat had been "tied up" as the
rhrase went-that Is to say, she had
been legally attached for debt ut tho
suit Of firm In St Louis Until the
O .tachment should be removed the
boat must lie at Cairo In charge Of
sherlff's officer. Captain Hallam wish
ed to secure her immediate release,
and to that end he purpOsed sending
the telegram.
When he returned to the office Dun
can handed him for inspection and sig
nature the letters he had written.
Here is the telegram Also" he said,
"but If you will pardon the imperti
nence l think you had better not send |
1t, at least in the form you have given
it."
Whats the matter" quickly snap
ped Hallam.
1T binds you to more than think
you intend"
go on! Explain
"Why, cannot help seeing that II
you send this dispatch you will make
yourself legally responsible, not only
for the claim for which the boat Is now
attached, but also for every claim
against her that may exist anywhere.
There may be none such, or there
may be many. In any case, do not
think you intend to assume them ALL"
go on! The boat must be got
away. What do you advise"
THAT you 90 on her bond for this
claim, which seems to me so clearly
illegal that think you can never be
held upon the bOnd--and"-
Remind me when this Is over that
you are to come to my house tonight
for consultation on that point. Now
90 on"
"Well, by going OH her bond for this
claim instead of asking the creditors to
release the boat on your promise as
made in the telegram you can secure
Ter immediate release, making your
'elf liable, at worst. for no more than
he 5000 claimed"
But IL do that, what is to prevent
mother tie-up at Memphis and anOth-