The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-05-28
CHAPTER XIX,

The early train on Thursday morning
saw Granville Rose, accompanied by MIR.
Nightjar, solicitor, junior partner of the
firm of Hawk, Sparrowbill and Co., on
his way to Slantover, the nearest railway
station to Mannersley, from which it was
distant about four miles. Having arriv-
ed at the latter place, and ascertained
that Pearman was at home, Grenville sent
in his card, and a request to see that gen.
tleman for a few minutes, on business of
Importance. Now, it so happened, that
though Rose had a thorough knowledge
of Sam Pearman, the other knew nothing
whatever of him. He had never encoun-
tered him personally, except to exchange
that sentence or two after the XminSter
ball. l don't know whether even then
he had identified him; but of a surety
that scene had pretty we'll faded from
his memory. especially as regarded the
personality of the other actor therein. 1t
was as an entire stranger that he receiv-
ed the young barrister.
Il must apologize for troubling you, Mr..
Pearman: but l Inn here as the represen-
tative of Mr.. Harold Denison."
You could not have come with better
credentials, Mr.. Rose. Charmed to see
both you and your friend ;" he glanced at
the cards in his hands. "Mr. Nightjar, l
think? Will you take some lunch now,
or after we have had our little palaver?"
Nothing, thanks: our time is pre-
cious, and we will detain you as briefly
as maybe. You are, Of course, aware
that there is a death fine on M~annersley /;
or, to speak more intelligibly, that the
owner of Glinn has a right of heriot over
your manor on the death of any holder
thereof?"
"A right Of heriot" muttered Pear
man. mo. l never heard of such claim :
and 1 think my father died in complete
ignorance of any such right"
Though far from suspecting what was
about to take place. Sam Pearman knew
enough of law to understand this express
sion.
"You had better read that deed. Might
jar. Sue right exists, and has been al
ways exercised; generally compromised as
q fne-a course we propose to adopt in
the present instance"
The solicitor laughed, and opened. first
q somewhat musty parchment, and then
a document consisting of some two or
three sheets of fOOlscap. II will no nc
short as l can, Mr.. Pearman. but the
story is a little intricate to follow. 7
must premise that Mannersley was nv M
means originally part of the Glinn proner-
~. 1t seems to have been granted bv Tho
Abbot of minister to one Hugh Wi,so,
yeoman. for service rendered, conditions
upon his bearing arms for the abbey ond
being ever ready to do service under ~
banner of Sir James Denison of Civ
the then lay lord and champion of tho
abbey. He further lay under tho r;ah.
of heriot in the first place, to the monLs
of minister, who were entitled 70 cI.;M
three beasts upon the death of Hugh VII
son, or any one of his descendants bold
ing Mannersley, as an acknowledgment ~
the fealty they owed to the abbey. in
the second place, of one beast to the Lord
OF Glinn. as a similar Acknowledgements,
to the secular representative of the oh,
hey. But the monks of minister woro
swept away in the Reformation undo,
Henry Will, and of course that r;obt -,
heriot disappeared. Still the masters =,
Glinn continued to exercise their clair
upon every occasion .or ruther over twr
hundred years., at the expiration of u,b;ot
time, in consequence of the decay ~ ~.
Wilson family, Mannersley fell. nv mr.
chase. into their hands, where II reme;n
ed I'LL sold to Mr.. Pearman twelve vaa..
ago. The curious thing il. th;. r;.St :,
eefaot stu exists: the owner Of CHM 4