Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-11
The Argus Daily Short Story
A Circumvented Lawyer.-By Ella B. Tucke
Copyrighted. 1909 by Associated Literary Press

ooh, dear" said Ella Kane fmpa-
tiently, Il wish the postman would
come! I'm worried"
What about?' asked her mother.
I'm afraid we're not going to get
the loan"
There was a whistle far down the
street. Ella pricked up her ears. AS
il came nearer she grew more and
more excited. When Mrs. Kane heard
the postman at the next house she
went to the door to open it before he
should ring. The postman came up
the steps and handed in n letter.
Its from Archie. mother" and Ella
snatched the letter before it reached
her mothers hand from the postman.
Now we'll see what he has to say
about the loan. But, of course. it'll be
all right" and she dropped upon a
window seat and opened the envelope
with happy eyes.
"Of course" agreed Mrs. Kane.
"Archie is like your own brother"
"N-no, not quite" demurred Ella.
Then her face sank lower over the en-
velope, coloripg furiouSly. Mrs. Kane
looked at her sympathetically. 49,. ~
a few moments. then the color fed
suddenly and the happy eyes grew
dark
"Oh. mother" she gasped. Archie
Mr.. Booth. 1 mean But read the let
ter"
What is the matter. dear"' anxious
". HAS Archie
''Mr. Booth is a mercenary wretch
vehemently. But read the letter.
Mrs. Kane unfolded the letter with
trembling fingers. Whatever it is.
Ella she ventured, you mustn't
/ judge archie too hastily. He is a
! good boy. and you have known him a
| long time" Then she read: Dear
Ella-Can't let you have the money.
! 1t would be a mistake. And there 5
another thing Be sure to demand pa
pers to show every transaction you
| have with that tricky lawyer know
his reputation and the value Of proof
with such a man. You write that you
| owe him $1,000 and that unless it is
/ paid within one month he will fore
close the mortgage on your home.
don't quite understand. You say you
have only received $1,000 and that he
was to let you have the rest when you
needed 1t to meet the note your father
Endorsed. If he hasn't paid it yet why
should he forecIose on the full amount?
There must be sharp practice some
where. Will be down just as soon as
can get away from here and fix the
matter up
81 don't see anything in that to wor-
ry about said Mrs. Kane perplexedly.
ARCHIE is coming down and will make
it all right. He's such a resourceful
/ boyr'
Ella threw out her hand YEARLY.
"Oh. it isn't that. MOTHER she said.
''Mr. Booth will be down and make
things all right. OF course. He's in
tensely business, and he understand
perfectly well that we were silly
enough to take Lawyer Pills word In
stead of his paper and so have lost the
81 800. Mr.. Booth will come all right.
probably on the day of the sale. pay
of the mortgage and then hand you
the release. with a bow. He knows the
place is good for the money"
"Ella!
"Oh. don't quite mean that. of
course. Mr.. Booth doesn't care SO
much for the money. but he's man
and must do things in mans way,
with himself as the central figure"
What is 1t you want. Ella?" asked
her mother. beginning to lose patience.
you're to marry Archie, and you've
professed to love him more than all
the world. and you concede he'll come
and pay of this mortgage. and we
both know he can't have saved up
very much in just the two years he's
been from college and his mining stud
ies, even If he is an expert and getting
famous. 1t seems to me he's acting
nobly. What is the matter?'
why didn't he send me a check
when / asked for IT and offered securi-
typ flashed ella suddenly. II know
he has the money. for he'd just written
about receiving $1,000 as fee for ex-
pert work in one of the big mines. and
he knew that desired nothing so
much In the world just then as to pay
that horrid Pill and order him to never
set foot on our land or on our side of
! the road again. Ugh. When 1 went