The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-03-26
CHAPTER ".

1ect though he did not at all disguise
to himself the difficulties that stood IL
the way of it's accomplishment. Ii ne
had not had the advantage OF such an
education as Sam had had, yet he nae
made a large fortune by trading on the
weaknesses of his fellow-men. Those
who achieve this, though it may be little
to their credit, become more Thoroughly
acquainted with the springs of the. human
mind than all the metaphysicians ana PM
losophers who have ever written or dream
ed about it. The son might be an astute
man enough at his vocation OF the turn
but he was a child, compared to his fatn'
er, when computing to what extent DC
could persuade bind, or break men tc
his own will. The son thought the advan'
tages of such an alliance must be sc
transparent in worldly point OF vie"
to Harold Denison that he would be
willing coadjutOr in the scheme, from the
moment it was proposed to him; the faith
er at once foresaw the old family pride
that would be up in arms against him
the instant he mOoted the idea.
But he said to himself, Il have had
much to dc with Harold Denison, and
should know him thoroughly. lie is selfish
at heart to the core. In all those trou-
blous days of his, when L was settling
his affairs, | never knew him dwell upon
what the results might be to his. wife
and daughter. 1t was ever what he had
to give up. He'll scout this proposal
with indignation when l first mention 1t
to him; but he'll come round to 1t IN
time. AS for the girls that's Sans
affair but when Denison has once made
up his mind to her marrying him, he's as
likely man as | know to turn on the
domestic screw heavily. I've seen that
oracle worked more than once, and it's
generally pretty efficacious. They run
away with somebody else afterwards, oc-
casionally, but that's the fault OF the
husbands not keeping them within
bounds Yes I'll ride over and see Den
ison to- morrow. 1t won't be a very pleas
ant job, | doubt; but | am used TO that"
The owner of Glinn felt that slight
nervous perturbation that invariably at
tends the call of large creditor. The
noise of the carriage wheels had merely
produced feeling of languid curiosity ;
but the announcement that MIR. PParman
wanted to see him made the {squire's
pulse quicken, and it was with an anx-
iety he was unable to disguise that he
welcomed him in his own peculiar slow
tones.
-c"!Sit- Down, Pearman. Take that arm
chair, and make yourself comfortable. l
hope to heaven you haven't come to make
me the reversed"
Not at all, Mr.. Denison. My visit is
not business One though l have some
thing l should like just to talk to you
a little about presently. Shocking wealth
er we're having. Bad for the farmers
very, isn't it?"
You may say that Nothing we have
to sell seems to be worth anything. All
farm produce is a drug in the market
How's Coriander going on? 1t looks like
your gathering a terrible harvest in April
at Newmarket, anyhow. The horse is
doing well, l SUPPOSED"
Yes, | believe so. You know, Mr.
Denison, I'm getting too old myself to
see after such things. l leave all that to
Sam; but he tells me the horse will run
we'll for the 'Guineas,' bar accidents"
Run we'll = Bar accidents y Why,
bar accidents, he must win," cried the
ever sanguine Denison Il never bet
now, as you know but in the old days
should have had thousand on him.
"Ah, WE'LL" said the old lawyer, there's
where it is. You always would believe
in certainties in racing. l never myself
got further than believing a horse would
run WELL"
YES" laughed the squire: "and in
consequence you made fortune while
! lost one. I'm afraid. too, it would be
the same thing all over again if 1 could
begin once more"
Pearman shot a keen look at him from
under his grizzled broks. and thought
most assuredly that it would be So and
how very much it would facilitate his
present design if the squire was a little
involved in that way at present He of
course knew the main part of Harold
Denison's entanglements, but even he
though his principal man of business. did
not know how bad things really were. 1t
would have given him more confidence
to unfold the object of his embassy had
he been possessed of such knowledge.
well, Pearman," continued the squire
II am afraid l have no money left to nut
upon Coriander. Those old DAYS are
gone. Yes" said Denison, bitterly; "half-
pence are of more account to me now
than sovereigns were then. But what is
1t you want to talk to me about? Moth.
ing to my advantage, I'll be bound"
I'm afraid not; not but that it might
be. But I've never been able, Mr.. Deni
son. to induce you to listen to ANYTHING
to your own advantage"
"'Gad, sir, l can call to mind very
few of your propositions that tended thai
way. A few hundreds to be saved here
and there, at the cost of total abandon
ment of my social position-cases ir
which the saving was incommensurate
with the sacrifice"
You judge me hardly, Mr.. Denison
On the occasions to which you aIlude
pardon me if l say that it was on over
strained delicacy on your part which pre-
vented matters being brought to a more
satisfactory conclusion. 1t is the wa,
with you ALL" muttered the old LAWYER
musingly. you forget these scruple.
when they might be of use to you. ant
hamper us, who have to put your affair.
straight, with them afterwards
Denison OF Glinn, sir, is not to b,
included in the Same 90 toror, a.. -.