The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-04-01
CHAPTER XIX

CHAPTER Mn.
The early train on Thursday morning
saw Grenville Rose, accompanied by Mr..
Nightjar. solicitor. junior partner of the
firm of Hawk, Sparrowbill and Co., on
his way to Slantoyer, the nearest railway
station to Mannersley. from which il was
distant about four miles. Having arriv-
ed at the latter place, and ascertained
that Pearman was at home. Grenyille sent
in his card, and request TO see that gen
tIeman for few minutes. on business of
Importance. Now, it so happened, that
though Rose had a thorough knowledge
OF Sam PearInan the other knew nothing
whatever of him. He had never encoun-
tered him personally. except to exchange
that sentence or two after the minister
ball. { now whether even then
he had y him; but of n surety
that sec tty well faded from
his meI tally as regarded the
PERSONA. other actor therein. 1t
was as tranger that he receiy-
ed the 20 ster-
Il mus re for troubling you. Mr..
Pearman am here as the represen-
tative of Harold Denison."
You { iIc 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. |
think? viii 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 Mannersley ::
or, to speak more intelligibly. that the
owner of GIinn has right of heriot over
your manor on the death of any holder
thereof?'
"A right of leriot,' muttered Pear
man. mo, / never heard of such claim ;
and l 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. Night
lar. Such right exists, and has been al
ways exercised: generally compromised as
a ine-a course propose to adopt in
the present instance"
The solicitor laughed. and opened, first
a sonewhat musty parchment, and then
a document consisting of some two or
three sheets of foolscap. Il will be as
short as / can, Mr.. Pearman, but the
story is a little intricate to follow.
must premise that Mannersley was by no
means originally part of the Glinn proper
Nv. II seems to have been granted by the
Abbot of minister to one Hugh Wilson,
woman. for service rendered. conditional
upop his bearing arms for the abbey. aad
being ever ready TO do service under the
hammer of Sir James Denison of Glinn.
the then lay lord and champion of the
abbey. He further lay under the right
OF heriot in the fiji q place, to the monks
of minister, who were entitled to claim
three beasts upon the death of Hugh VIII
son. or any one of his descendants hold
ing Mannersley, as an acknowledgment of
the fealty they owed to the abbey: in
the second place, of one beast to the lords
of CHM, as a similar acknowledgment
to the secular representative of the abb
hey. But the monks of Minister were
swept away in the Reformation under
Henry WILL. and of course that right OF
Gann continued to exercise their claim
upon every OCCASION .or ruther ever two
hun1re years, at the expiration of which
Wilson family. Mannersley fell. by pur-
chase into their hands. where it remain
ed till sold TO Mr.. Pearman twelve years
ago. The curious thing is. this right of
heriot still exists; the owner of Glinn is
still entitled to demand whatever beast he
may choose upon the Mannersley estate
upon the death of an owner thereof, and
the successor can but submit to the claim.
i. Do you follow me, Mr.. Pearman!"
Pretty well. thenk. May ask when
was this right of heriot last enforced,
and in what shape"
''In 1884 Stephen Denison. ESQ.,, of
Glinn, received the sum of EOS i'm lieu of
the right of heriot on the death of Mat
thew Wilson. That was the last case 1t
was his heir and successor that sold it
to the Denisons-that being Stephen, be
fore mentioned
well. gentlemen" rejoined Pearman.
'.of course | am not quite prepared as
yet to acknowledge this right must
consult my solicitors first on the subject.
Still, it looks plausible enough. / am
afraid" said he, laughing money don't
go quite so far as in Matthew Wilson's
day. What, may ] ask, do you assess me
at?"
''Ten thousand pounds" replied Gren-
vile Rose, quietly taking up the parable,
had been agreed between himself ami
his coadjutor beforehand.
Ten thousand. Why. you're mad '"
But there was no laugh now in his re-
joinder. His quick intelligence gathered
at glance what a desperate position he
was in; and, moreover, that the opposite
side were pretty we'll aware Of it.
We're certainly not mad. don't think