The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-04-15
CHAPTER xx1.-fContinued.,


man, and he could not help being struck
By the ability with which his opponent
had got up his case. Suppose L let you
take the horsef' he Sid at length.
Even then he is a valuable horse, and
worth just now a fictitious price. There
would be people who would give pretty
nearly that sum to insure his not starting
for that particular race"
Il give you credit, Mr. Rose" replied
Pearman at length I'll sign a release
of the mortgage, with this proviso, that
my engagement with Miss Denison re-
rains as it was"
j have told you already that that
question is totally aloof, and must be
held entirely distinct from the claim of
heriot. 1t is a point upon which L am
not empowered to enter, and have nothing
to say
Granville Rose is proving himself
master of casuistry. Though not his mis-
<ion or interest to speak that subject.
l think it was one he had a good deal
to say to.
'-l'hen there is nothing more to be
said," observed Pearman, rising.
II am afraid not. 1t would be better
on both sides. 1 fancy, if we had come
to terms. We shall probably not make
quite much-that we must take our
chance of. You will certainly lose a
good deal more
You're right, I'll do it,
Depend upon it, it's your cheapest way
out of the scrape, and | hope Cor;ander
will speedily recoup you. Excuse me for
one moment, and I'll fetch the release. |
had it drawn up in the event of your tax
ing q sensible view of the transaction;
and Granville left the room
'All right, my pet, 50 far" he ex-
claimed. as he entered Denison's private
sanctuary where Maude was anxiQusly
waiting him. Pen and ink. quick ."'And
seizing one of the telegram slips, he wrote
rapidly:
'To Mrs Hudson. Paper Buildings,
Teriplc. From Grenville Rose. Xmin-
s;er. Shall be home tonight; have some
th'ne for dinner"
There, fold that up. and send it of
directly to the telegram Office. No tine
to be lost, Maude."
''Well, / don't see much in that" re-
torted Maude. 'What a gTufmand you
must be, Grenr'
Never mind. Where's that deed:-ah,
here I'll explain it all to you after
wards"
"And my note;" she said shyly, holding
it Up.
Neither yon nor it will be wanted to-
day, think. But come back here when
you have seen James off,"
Perhaps you'd rather / should never
send it," she inquired, half timidly, half
coquettishly.
''Maude, be serious now. please. You
NAV tease me as much as you like after
wards
She saird nothing. but fitted from the
room on her errand.
Granville Rose. armed with the deed
of a release of the mortgage. and a SINH
lar acquittance of the heriOt claim, all
drawn up in due legal form. quickly re-
turned to Pearman.
Here" he ssid, is your aequittance,
signed by my uncle. If you will sign the
release, III hand it over to you. Shall |
ring for a servant as a secosd witness to
your signatureE
Pearman nodded assent, and upon the
appearance of the butler, scrawled his
name across the parchment, to which the
witnesses signed their attestation. He
then placed the acquittance in his pocket,
took up his hat, and departed. without
further demand for an interview with
Maude.
Not that the heriot business had for
one second put it out of his mind. No;
to do him justice, he looked upon the prob
able rupture of his engagement as a very
serious item in the losses the discovery
of that mouldy old parchment had en-
tailed upon him. If he did rot love her,
he admired her extremely, and looked for
ward to the connection with great eager
ness. But he felt quite convinced that
to have moved any further than he had
already done would be simply to cancel it
at once. He did not wish that. It was
but a slender hold, he knew. Still, an
other shuttle OF the pack might change all
the hands once more. That slight link
was better than none at all
Thus medtating. he drove home, and
having ordered his phaeton to wait while
he wrote a couple of letters, to save the
most. entered the house. In about half
an hour he reappeared, stepped into the
carriage, and drove to Minister Sta
ton. His wishing TO write those letters
at Mannersley had caused him to make a
considerable detour TO the station from
Glinn Harold Denison's place lying.
though off the direct road. somewhere
about half way between Mannersley and
the railway. On arrival there he went
into the telegraph office. and dispatched a
message. The clerk and Pearman We're
upon rather intimate relations. The late
owner of Mannersley had employed the
electric wire pretty freely. His son, also,
-
ter, moreover, constantly sent the clerk
game in the season-very often told him
he had invested a sovereign for him on
one of his horses that he thought was
likely to win. 1t may be conceived that
the conductor of the telegraph at Xmin-
ster held Mr. Sam Pearman- in high es-
TEEN.
you'll be going up by the six train,
1 suppose, sir? Only half-past three now,
but expect you're going home again
first"
Just SO. 1 wait to have about an
hour at the paddocks first"
Zone last look at the crack, eh. sir I?
Win, won't he, though they do take
strange liberties with him in the betting?'
Hes very well end II make some of
them open the.- eyes and shut their
mouths before m..ny days are over"
well, you'll have company up, sir
Mr.. Granville Rose, from Glinn; he's
a-going by that train. Know him, Mr..
Pearman, 1 suppose"
Yes, l do know him." said Pearman,
a. he thought over their recent interview
BEG pardon, sir; didn't know you
didn't like him; he's usually reckoned a
nice gentleman"
How do you know he's going to
town."
Because he sent a message to say So"
What, a telegram? How long ago."