Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-09-08
CHAPTER XIII.
Copyright, 1904. By The Bosbs-Merrin Co

CHAPTER XIII
"Good-by, and hail my fancy"
shouted Balcomb as Leighton entered
the promoters office Excuse my
quotation from Whitman. the good
gray poet; but you always suggest
bright college years, the dearest. best
Of life TO me- Demetrius"
L don't want to suggest anything TO
you, Balcomb. I've come to talk seri-
ously about an unpleasant matter
You've been taking advantage of Mr.
Cameron. You've played upon his ne
cessities and got block of lots away
from him for nothing You've also got
an option from him on the strip OF
land out there on the creek where yon
propose putting up that fat you've
been talking about. While you were
planning this you were going to his
house, where his daughter received You
with courtesy. And I suppose that, IN
a ay, l was responsible for you.
rather let it be inferred that you were
a good fellow, and l allowed you 10
mention that we had been friends IN
college, though l knew all the time that
you were a BLACKBOARD. I really think
Miss Cameron might forgive you for
involving her father in disgrace, but
don't think she would ever overlook
your attentions to her cousin at a time
when you were plotting to swindle
member of the family
You are fool said Ba1comb. I'm
not responsible for old man Dameron,s
morals, am I? He was crazy to get
money and came to be because he
knew I had some snap and could get
cash for his lots. He lied to me about
it all along. You can't charge me with
notice of all the private history of the
Cameron family. 1 didn't know about
the trusteeship until I took the deed
was just as surprised as anybody when
found it out"
You are a depraved beast" declared
Leighton. 1T seems a shame to dis
turb your peace of mind; but l came
here to talk business. Now, your agri-
cultural friends, when you sprang this
lot purchase, asked about the title TO
the real estate. didn't they? If they
didn't they are not the farmers I take
them for"
Your confidence is not misplaced.
They did, and they quite satisfied
themselves about it,
They wanted to see an abstract of
title
They certainly did. old man. You're
a regular mind reader"
They asked for an abstract of IL
tle," continued Leighton, and you
give them one, didn't your"
Please don't mention it, as thou
lowest me. They nearly wore out the
thing studying it,"
Il have seen a copy of the original
at the abstracter's office"
lawfully keen of you, I'm sure"
said Balcomb, amiably. 81 tell you,
you're a credit to the bar, Morris. You
do honor to your preceptor."
He bowed mockingly, but he was
growing trif1e anxious and fingered
the papers on his table nervously.
The abstract, a l was saying, con-
sisted of a good many pages. And there
was a certain page forty two. where
will was set forth, in due form, when
you got the document from the alb
stract office; but when your friend
Van Cleve made his report on it for
your rural syndicate that particular
page was missing, and another, bea"
ing the same page number, but with
certain points of the Margaret Mer-
Ram will omitted, was substituted.
That is quite correct, isn't it?"
You may search me! If there's any
thing crooked about that abstract it's
not on me, you can bet your life. But
say, you're getting insulting Now, I'll
tell you something, Leighton, as long
as you've come to me in this friendly
spirit-this old college friendly spirit
I've been all over this thing in my
mind. I'm not the twittering little
birding you think I am, to fix I'D A
4
of reubs. l didn't order that abstract
made; 1 didn't have a thing to do with
It You seem to think that because
there's a beneficiary of the fifteenth
amendment in the cordwood, 1 must be
there somewhere, dressed up like a
minstrel first part; but you're a dead
loser I'm prepared to prove that tina
abstract of title was ordered by your
Uncle Ezra Cameron, and that he gave
it to me with his own hands I guess
!, pull have to admit that my reputa-
ton in this community is about Is
good as your Uncle Ezra's Now. il
wounds my pride to have you talking
to me as though l were the traditional
villain of our modern melidrama. that
YOU nave cornered with merry 'IIY.
ha! base churl, at last l have tracked
thee to thy lair!' No, darling. Won
can't catch me on fly paper-not while
my wits are in good working order If
WI can see how to save Miss Damer-
ons money without getting her dear
o. papa into the mulligatawney all
well and good; but if you're trying tn |
bring me within the long, lean arm Of |
the penal code you'll have to get bet
ter. It's your Uncle Ezra that you're
looking for"
We're going to protect the stock |
holders of your company whose money
has gone into the Roger Merriam rots - |
continued Leighton. Il honestly think |
/ could set aside the sale; but Wen he
generous and straighten the title for |
you"
Il rather guess you WILL or Uncle |
Ezra wears the stripes"
IT don't think I'd say much about |
the stripes, with that abstract in Har- |
~ Copeland's possession. You know |
Copeland is rather a persistent fellow,
and one of his rural friends is in your |
Now give me that option; |
it isn't any good, anyhow; but I'll feel |
more comfortable to have it out of your
hands"
You're welcome to it," replied Bal
comb, fiercely The old mans crook
u, SWlnQIeQ
by me or anybody else is funny. as
you'd see if you weren't trying to be
his SON law. The old fool is playing
the bucket shops"
I'm in hurry. Give me the option |
and get busy about it"
One of the typewriters came in with
a card.
Excuse me, Mr.. Balcomb, but the
gentleman said he couldn't waft"-and
Balcomb rose from the iron safe be-
fore which he was bending and snatch
ed the card.
Tell him I'm engaged. Tell him I
don't want to see him anyhow" yelled
in a voice that was perfectly
audible to the waiting caller in the
anteroom.
Here" he said to Leighton, in the
same tone of fury. heres your option.
Give me back the thousand 1 paid
"Now 7 ant Won IN pIve mo a nbooI-