Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-11-10
CHAPTER XXIII.

gray poet; but you always suggest
bright college years. the dearest best
of life to me- Demetrius."
I 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.
Dameron You've played upon his me-
cessities and got a 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 fiat you've
been talking about While you were
planning this you were going to his
house, where his daughter received you
with courtesy. And l suppose that, In
a way, l was responsible for you. /
rather let 1t be inferred that you were
a good fellow, and l allowed you to
mention that we had been friends in
college. though l knew all the time that
you were a blackguard. l really think
Miss Dameron might forgive you for
involving her father in disgrace. but
don't think she would ever overlook
your attentions to her cousin at time
when you were plotting to swindle a
member of the family"
You are a fool" said Balcomb. ''rm
not responsible for old man Damerop's
morals, am L? 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
Dameron family. / didn't know about
the trusteeship until took the deed
was Just as surprised as anybody when
found it out"
You are depraved beast" declared
Leighton. 1T seems a shame to dis
turb your peace of mind; but I came
here to talk business. Now, your agrl-
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 l 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
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"
"Awfully keen of you, I'm sure
said Balcomb. amiably. Il tell you,
you're a credit to the bar. Morris. You
do honor to your preceptor."
He bowed mockingly, but he was
growing a tri1e anxious and fingered
the papers on his table nervously.
THE abstract, as l was saying. con-
sisted of a good many pages. And there
was a certain page forty two where a
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 1t for
your rural syndicate that particular
page was missing, and another, bear-
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 d-eQllege- friendly spirit
I'VE been all over this thing in my
mind. I'm not the twittering little
birding you think ! am, to fix up a
fake abstract and work it off on a lot
of reubs. l didn't order that abstract
made; I didn't have a thing to do with
II. You seem to think that because
there's a beneficiary of the fifteenth |
amendment in the cordwood, I must be |
there somewhere, dressed up like a |
minstrel first part; but you're a dead |
loser. I'm prepared to prove that tha. |
abstract Of title was ordered by your |
Uncle Ezra Dameron, and that he gave |
II to me with his own hands l guess |
You'll have to admit that my reputa-
tjon in this community is about as |
good as your Uncle Ezra's Now, 1t |
wounds my pride to have you talking |
70 me as though l were the traditional |
villain of our modern melidrama, that |
Won have cornered with a merry 'Ha. |
hal base churl, at last I have tracked |
thee to thy lair!' No. darling, you
can't catch me on fly paper-not while
NV wits are In good working order. II /
YOU can see how to save Miss Damer-
on's money without getting her dear
oil, papa into the mulligatawney all
well and good; but II you're trying to
bring me within the long, lean arm or
the penal code you'll have to get bet
ter. It's your Uncle Ezra that you're
looking for"
Were going to protect the stock
holders Of your company whose money
has gone into the Roger Merriam lots"
continued Leighton. I honestly think
I could set aside the sale; but wen be
generous and straighten the title for
you"
II rather guess you will, or Uncle
Ezra wears the stripes"
Il 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
company. Now give me that option;
II isn't any good. anyhow; but I'll feel
more comfortable to have II out Of your
hands"
You're welcome to IT," replied Bal
comb. hercely. The old mans crook
"a. and the idea Of his being swindled
by me OF anybody else Is funny as
you'd see II you weren't trying to be
ais son-in-law. The old fool Is playing
The bucket shops
-Fm In a hurry. Give me the optton
md get busy about IL" 4