The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-06-11
cu.pTER XXI.-(Continued.)

by the ability WIFI nv 49,,
had got up his case. "' wv
take the horse?' he said at leng'h. -,
Even then he is a valuable morse, anu
worth inst now a fictitious price. Aneie
would he people who would give pretty
nearly that sum to insure his not starting
for that particular race -,
81 give YOU credit, Mr.. Rose replied
Pearman at length. I'll sign a release
of the mortgage, with this proviso. that
INV engagement with Miss Denison re-
Rains as it was
Il have told you already that that
question is totally aloof, and must De
held entirely distinct from the claim OF
heriot. It is a point upon which l am
not ~empowered to enter, and have nothing
to say"
Grenville Rose is proving himsel1 a
master of casuistry. Though not MS his
sion or interest to speak on that subject,
l think it was one he had a good deal
to say to.
Then there is nothing more to be
said,' observed Pearman, rising.
II am afraid not. 1t would be better
on both sides, 1 fancy, il we had come
to terms. We shall probably not make
quite so 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 you cheapest way
out of the scrape, and l hope Coriander
will speedily recoup you. Excuse me for
one moment, and I'll fetch the release. L
had it drawn up in the event of your tax
ing a sensible view of the transaction; -
and Grenville left the room.
"All right, my pet, So far he ex-
claimed. as he entered Denison's private
sanctuary where Maude was anxiously
waiting him. Pen and ink, quick" And
Selling one of the telegram slips, he wrote
rapidly:
'"To Mrs. Hudson, Paper Buildings,
Temple. From Grenville Rose, Xmin-
ster. Shall be home tonight; have some
thing for dinner"
"There, fold that up, and send it off
TO be lost, Maude."
"Well. l don't see much in that" re-
torted Maude. "What a gourmand you
must be, Gren"
"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 you nor it will be wanted to-
day, 1 think. Blu come back here when
you nave 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.
Grenville 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 said, is your acquittance,
signed by my uncle. If you will sign the
release, I'll hand it over to you Shall l
ring for a servant as a second witness to
your signature?"
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 not love her.
he admired her extremely, and looked for
ward to the connection with great eager
ness. But he felt quite convinced that
to nave moved any further than he had
already done would be simply to cancel it
at once. He did not wish that. 1t 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 hone at all.
Thus meditating, he drove home, and
having ordered his phaeton to wait while
he wrote a couple of letters, to save the
post, entered the house. In about half
an hour he reappeared, stepped into the
carriage, and drove to Xminster 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. TIL clerk and Pearman were
upon rather intimate relations. The late
owner of Mannersley had employed the
electric wire pretty freely. His son, also.
was wont to use it a good deal. The lat
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.
| suppose, sir? Only half-past three now.
but | expect you're going home again
first"
Just 50. 1 want to have about an
hour at the paddocks first"
Zone last look at the crack. eh. sir ?
Win, won't he, though they do a Z