Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-10-04

now, dear; | would show you this let
ter if it could do any good, but it
could not"
She stole out, and the harassed man
flung himself into a chair and fatten-
| ing out the note read it again and
again, with the persistence of a man
completely overwhelmed and bewil-
dered.
1t ran, in hard, angular hand:
Sir beg to give you notice that
| hold your notes of hand for various
sums amounting in the whole to the
total OF five thousand eight hundred
pounds, and that, being in want of
money, | shall be obliged if you will
take up the notes at my Office on or
before the twenty-sixth instant.
also beg to inform you that the mort
cages on the Home Farm and Swivel
scote have come into my possession,
! and that | have lodged formal notice
with your solicitors. Trusting you
will not be Inconvenience, and re-
GREETING that the tightness Of the
money market compels me to trouble
you, / remain, your obedient servant,
Ezekiel Movie.
The squire sat and pondered, if his
confusion Of mind could be termed
| bordering, over the letter. He had
never heard this name of Movie be-
! fore, but at once understood that It
must be that of some money lender;
some man who had, for reasons best
known to himself, bought these debts,
and, as he had a perfect right to do,
required them to be paid.
He knew that the Home Farm and
Swivelscote were both mortgaged
above their value, and that any at
tempt to borrow the money would be
futile. They would have to be sold.
The Home Farm that had been part
and parcel of the Grange estate for
centuries, and Swivescote, which
had been granted to the Vanleys by
King Charles IL. They would have
to be sold, and with them would so
the pride and repute of the good oil
name!
Thank God, have no son to re-
proach mel! murmured the squire
with quivering lips. Thank GCd,
my child will marry a rich mani" and
he hid his face in his hands as he
bowed over the letter of Ezekiel
Movie
olivia went into the drawing-room
and found Harold Faradeane alone.
He was standing by the window, his
clear-cut face and stalwart figure
sihoutted against the red light Of the
setting sun, and he turned as her foot
steps fell upon his ear; light as her
tread was he knew it.
They had never been alone to-
gether since the night he had brought
her home from Bessie's, and at an
other time Olivia's heart would have
beaten wildly and her color would
have come at finding herself alone
with him, but tonight she was 100
| anxious about the squire to remark 1t.
His quick eye, which always seemed
| to dwell upon her face with a grave,
guardian kind of watchfulness, no
ticed that something was amiss IN
stantly.
is anything the matter?" he asked
In the low earnest voice which never
failed to find an echo in her heart.
Forgive me, but thought you looked
worried"
For a moment she hesitated and
strong impulse to tell him seized her;
but she put it from her. alas!
Did II" she said forcing a smile,
Perhaps | am anxious about the din
ner. We have a new cook, you
know"
His eyes rested upon hers-smiling
SO bravely!-for a moment then he
smiled.
81 cannot fancy you anxious about
the dinner" he said rs that all ?"
and his hand held hers, or, rather,
let hers go slowly and reluctantly.
"If there is any trouble I shall ask
you to remember our compact, and
tell me-"
She was moving away, but turned
her face towards him with n doubling
wistful expression in her lovely eyes
Even then she might have spoken and
all her future changed, but her evil
genius sent BARLEY Bradstone into
the room at that moment, and with a
bitter smile she turned, thinking:
IF tell anyone it should be--my
future husband"
He came across the room, looking
in more than his usual spirits, with q
light in his eyes which seemed like
that of coming triumph, of confident
victory, and began in talking in a
light and laughing tone.
How well you look tonight, dear
est" he murmured as he passed.