Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-08-04

/ square listened in silence, and at the
end asked:
Well. what are We going to dc
| about it?"
That's the rub-there's not much
/ OF anything that you can do. The trust
is wide-open thing. He isn't requlr-
ed to report to anybody and he gives
no bond; but he must get the courts
/ approval before he sells anythings and
| then he must reinvest the moneS in
other realty. 1t is significant that he
! mas been selling al desperate prices
! toward the end OF his trusteeship. He
must be hard up
Merriam had never spoken OF his
prother-in-law to Leighton except In
terms of respect. and he hesitated
now
My sisters idea In making that
WILL he began, quietly, was to deal
! generously with blackguard 1t was
her pride. She had made a mistake
He paused and the blood rushed to
ms face. He was checking his wra I'll
with difficulty.
He had ruined her life. We were
all opposed TO her marrying Ezra
cameron; but she was not q child
put grown woman. She left her prop
erty to Zelda through him; and she
wouldn't admit to the rest of US. even
at the end, that she did not trust him
She doubtless thought his avarice
| would protect her child"
| As near as | can make out all the
property that Mr.. Cameron will he
able to turn over to his daughter will
De the farm out here and the old home
stead and the creek property He sold
I 10 no
ago. He has sold the original holdings
and he has not bought any other real
property with the money, as the will
| provided. There is, you know, no pen
| atty for a performance of the Oh
legations Of the trust His needs have
undoubtedly grown quite recently for
h" has been doing business with Bal.
CONDITIONING away the propertv
! Maybe he's insane!"
Don't be fool; he's sane enough
he's thief. that's ALT" declared Pod
ney. irascibly.
IF Miss Cameron wished to take
advantage of her rights she might ba VIC
| this last sale set aside. l will undar-
take to do that"
And a nice lot OF publicity wet ea,
/ out Of 1t, too. No, sir, we wont dc
that sort of business. Ny family bax
| lived in this town a good many vears.
and some of US have been fools. and
some of US have failed; but Zelda ba
the right key. She's pitched 1t pret,v
high; but we'll keep it at the SAM
! note, if we can. How much did he
| get for those lots?"
Twenty thousand dollars: h,,t M
doubt my friend Balcomb kept hand
some commission. I'll rather entov
settling with him"
He's one of the Jewels produced bv
our college, isn't hep"
HE was the bright particular star
| of my class. He was we'll fitted by ma
! ture to be clerk in a rural general
| store, or more likely, a barker for a
| circus side show or the advance agent
| for a hair tonic. His e6uca ton ruined
| him. He has the smooth facility OF
| the superficial mind-even showed
some literary gift, and wrote the best
essays in the class"
Il know the type. A short horse
soon curried."
There's the option On that piece OF
| ground out on the creek. It might pos
sibly be binding on Miss Cameron after
| the trusteeship has been closed Bal
combs pretty smooth, and If the old
man Is in straits, you can't ,en what
he'll do"
Let him blow 1t all In, Morris.
| shall be disappointed Is there's a cent
/ left He can have the money / want
the girl
.Balcomb Is undoubtedly swindlins
| his associates in the land company:
| they are quite likely to squeal. Bal
comb wouldn't hesitate about throwing
the blame for any irregularity on Dam
eron."
Let him do it. What do we care
! for Dameron."
But l thought you wanted to avoid
a scandal, for Miss Dameron's sake
| for all your sakes. l want to do the
best thing and the right thing You
are not anxious for publicity"
Most certainly not"
We've got to approach Miss Damer-
on, and tell her the whole matter. II
| is not a pleasant thing to dn, but II
we get her heIp-if that should seem
| the best way"
They were deeply engrossed and did
not hear the bell or the servant open
ing the front door.
Uncle Rodney"
/ Both men sprang to their feet. Eel
| da stood in the library door
Glad to see you, Zee" said her un-
Gle, quietly.
She looked from one to the other and
nodded to Morris.
You don't look so awfulIy glad, ]
/ must say. If I've come in upon a con-
! spiracy I'll take myself off. The gloom
| here is SO thick you could grow mush-
rooms in it."
I'm glad you happened in. Zee
| There's something 1 wish to speak 10
you about We may as we'll discuss IT
now; and If It's agreeable to you,
! should like Mr.. Leighton to stay. It's
legal matter that we may wan. him
! to advise us about"
You have a serious air / have you
| haven't been breaking any laws, you
| two. Certainly, Mr.. Leighton may
stay
sit down, Morris" said Merriam, de-
! liberately.
Zelda had taken a chair In the corna or
away from the smoldering fire. and
| Marian found the chair that he liked
least, with an uniformed idea that such
! self-inmolation fitted him better for
an unpleasant task. He did not begin
| Immediately. and while he collected his
/ thoughts Zelda watched him with
amusement.
If YOU knew how funny you look,
| Uncle Rodney. I'm sure you'd laugh.
And you seem a LITTLE ultra serious,
/ too, Mr.. Leighton. Please, uncle, don I
! scold mel"
Yes. Yes, to be sure" said Mer-
/ Ram, absent nindedly, and Leighton
and Zelda exchanged a smile. 81 want
/ to speak to you about your property.
/ There are some things conn ected with
| your affairs that you must know"
But father attends to everything
/ you'll certainly waste your talents on
/ me- Do let US talk Of something cheer
| full"
You know that your property, wha
! your mother had and wished to give TO
you, was left in trust Your father is
| the trustee
Yes, l know that"
Your fathers powers have been alb
solute. He Is not required to to give