Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-07-28
CHAPTER ".

The law offices of Knight, Kittredge
q Carr were tucked away in the rear
of an old building that stood at the
apex of a triangle, The firm had been
tenants of the same rooms for many
years. There was a battered tin sign
at the entrance, but it's inscription
could be read only by persons who re-
membered it from bygone days Knight
and Kittredge had been prominent in
State politics during and Immediately
following the Civil War They were
dead now, but Carr who had left poll
tics to his partners, survived, and he
had changed nothing in the offices.
In the old days it had been the GUS
tom of the members of the firm of
Knight, Kittredge & Carr to assemble
every morning at o'clock in the IL
brary for a brief discussion of the
news of the day. or for review of
the work that lay before them. The
young men who were fortunate enough
to be tolerated in the offices had al
ways enjoyed these discussions i'm
mensely, for Governor Kittredge and
Senator knight had known men and
manners as well as the law; and Mi
chael Carr knew Plato and the Greek
and Latin poets as he knew the way
home.
These morning conferences were still
continued in Morris Leightons day,
though knight and Kittredge had long
been gone 1t might be a topic from
the days news that received attention,
or some new book-Michael Carr was
q persistent novel reader-or it might
be even bit of social gossip that was
discussed. Mr. Carr was man of de-
liberate habits, and when he set apart
this half-hour for a talk with his
young men, as he called them it made
no difference that the president of a
great railway cooled his heels in the
outer office while the Latin poets were
discussed in the library, or that other
dignified Caucasians waited while ne
gro suffrage was debated.
Ezra Dameron was waiting for him
this morning, for it was the first of
October; and on the first of every
month Ezra Dameron went to the Of
fees to discuss his personal affairs. He
was of an economical turn, and he
made it a point to combine as many
questions as possible in a single con-
sultation. His relations with the Of
fees were of long standing and dated
back to a day when Knight, Kittredge
G. Carr were a new firm and Ezra
Dameron was a young merchant whom
people respected, and whose prospects
in life were bright
While Ezra Dameron waited for Mi
chael Carr, Rodney Merriam was walk
Ing slowly from his house in Seminary
Square down High street to Jefferson,
swinging his stick, and gravely return
CT, 4 m
Quaintances. He came presently to
the offices of Knight. Kittredge & Carr
He stepped into the reception room
and found it empty The door into the |
library was closed but he could hear
Carrs voice; and he knew that the |
lawyer was holding one of those morn
ing talks with his clerks and students |
that Morris Leighton had often de-
scribed He looked about with inter
est and then crossed the hall. The |
doors of three private offices were
closed, but he turned the knob of the |
one marked in small black letters Mr..
Carr" and went in.
Ezra Dameron was still looking out |
of the window when the door was
flung open. He supposed Carr had |
come, and having been gazing out into |
the sunny court his sight did not ac-
commodate itself at once to the dim |
light of the little room.
"Ah, Mr.. Carr" he began.
Good morning. Ezra" said Rodney |
Merriam, blandly Dameron knew the |
voice before he recognized his brother
in-law, and after a seconds hesitation |
he advanced with a great air of cor
diality
why, Rodney, what brings you into
the haunts of the law? l thought you
were a man who never got into trou-
BILE. I'm waiting for Mr.. Carr. have
a standing appointment with him this.
same day every month-excepting
Sundays, of course"
so l have understood. 1 don't want
to see Mr.. Carr, however; l want to
see you"
Dameron glanced at his brother-in-
law anxiously. He had believed Mer-
RAMS appearance to be purely acct
dental, and he was not agreeably dis
appointed TO find that he had been
mistaken. He looked at the little clock
on Carr's desk, and was relieved to
find that the lawyer would undoubt-
edly appear in few minutes
I should be glad, at any other time,
Rodney, but Mr.. Carr is very particu-
lar about his appointments"
i have heard so, Ezra. What I
have to say to you will not interfere
with your engagement with Mr.. Carr
AS near as I can remember it has been
ten years since l enjoyed a conversa-
tion with you"
Better let the old times go-I-I-
am willing to let them go. Rodney"
And on that last occasion, if my
memory serve me- / believe l told you
that you were an Internal scoundreL"
You were very violent, very unjust:
but let it all go. Rodney. treasure
no unkind feelings"
1t would be a source Of real annoy
ance to me to have you think for a
moment that ! have changed my mind.
] want to have a word with you about
Zelda. She has chosen to go to live
with you"
Very loyal, very noble Of her. I'm
sure l appreciate it"
I hope you do. She doesn't under
stand what a contemplate hound you
are. and don't intend to tell her. And
you may be quite sure that her Aunt
Julia viii never tell her how you
treated her mother-how you made her
life a curse to her. I don't want you
20 think that because l have let you
alone these ten years / have forgotten