Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-09-01
CHAPTER XI.-(Continued.) }

"Oh, mortgages aren't at all serious
not necessarily fatal-if you don't
take cold or expose yourself before its
over"
How does one contract a mort
gage" said Zelda.
I capght mine at college," said Oh
sive, we blew our substance on edu-
cation just found it out recently
Mother has been carrying the burden
of it all by herself. The subject isa't
pleasant. Let us talk of something
else"
!. Where do you keep your mortgagee"
asked Zelda, half-seriously. How does
tone get at the beast?p .t
Ours seems to be in bank just at
present" answered Olive, evasively.
That sounds formidable But it's
too bad that you have to move. Har-
rison street is the most charming
street in town. I can't think of you as
living anywhere else except nthis
pretty house"
You'll have to, for me move almost
at once, as they say in stories"
Zelda's father continued to pay a
sum every month to her credit at the
bank and money matters were rarely
- @@~'SA AiASAAbAOACu DGlWGeI LU6tIl. OIlS
did not understand how anxious he was
to avoid any clash with Rodney Mer-
riam over the management of her
property; and she did not appreciate
the smallness OF the sum he gave her
compared with the full amount her
property should have earned. Zelda
was spoken of in Mariona as an heir
ess' and it was the general belief that
she would have not only the property
left her by her mother. but the large
estate which Ezra Dameron had been
accommodating through many years.
There, too, were Mrs. Forrest and Rod
ney Merriam, who were childless; both
We're rich by local standards.
When, one afternoon a week later,
she decided to speak to her father
about Olives perplexity, she went to
his office in the Dameron Block and
made no effort to conceal the fact that
she had come on business. Her father
was poring over his accounts as she
stood suddenly on the threshold of the
private room.
why, Zee, what brings you here?"
he exclaimed.
Il came on an errand," said Zelda Il
don't think your housekeeping is we'll
done" she added, glancing about the
room.
1T serves me very WE'LL" said the
old man. Business is only to be con-
sidered as business"
Il have just heard that Olive Mer-
riam and her mother are in trouble
that is money trouble"
He looked at her quickly, and search
ed her with his sharp eyes. The Mer-
riams had been trading on Zelda's |
friendship, he decided, and he smiled |
to himself as he settled back in mis- |
chair determined to thwart any quix-
otic plan that Zelda might broad in |
their behalf
Il imagine that they have very lit
tle-very little" he said
Il know nothing of their affairs; but |
1 have just learned that they expect |
to move, and when l asked Olive VIII, |
she said they owed debt they couldn't |
pay. Do you happen to know what |
this debt is?" she asked.
Yes; 1 hold the mortgage. It's in |
the bank for collection"
"She didn't tell me that you held it. |
She said a bank had it. The money |
was borrowed to pay olives way
through school The debt is to you"
ITO me as trustee" he corrected.
rs it, then, something of mine, faith
err"
your surmise is quite correct.
hold, as trustee for you, several notes,
given by Mrs. Merriam They're now
in default and in the bank for collec-
ton"
I'm sorry I didn't know that ear
lier. father l wish you had told me.
I have been seeing a good deal of my
Cousin Olive. / like her immensely; l
have been to her house Familiarity, and
she has been to see me pretty often,
when she could get away from her
work. l didn't know, of course that
was even remotely their creditor. The
situation isn't exactly comfortable.
now that know it."
I'm sorry that the matter should
have risen; but there is no reason why
they should transfer their burdens to
your shoulders, Zee"
Il hope you understand that they
have never mentioned this subject or
limited that they owed you or me. l
only know that they feel they must
leave the house. I fancy they are be-
ing pushed by the bank-to pay the
money"
THE bank has. Of course. no alter
native in the matter It's their busi-
ness to collect"
But II the owner of the note doesn't
want to push the people who made the
debt"
1T is very bad business to carry
overdue paper. New notes have to lie
given in such cases"
It was clear to Zelda that her father
had no sympathy with her liking for
the Merriams or her wish to help them
in their difficulty. She was sure that
she could manage in some way to stop
the pressure that was being brought TO
bear on them, and she hoped to do It
her father without going to
her uncle. who would. she knew. give
her any money she might ask after ne
had made a row about it. But it pleas
ed her to carry the matter through
with her father.
What is the amount, father?"
Two thousand dollars-with inter-
est; with accumulated interest"
Zelda smiled in relief. She could
two thousand dollars.
And how much Is the house worth?"
about five thousand possibly. But
there is no market for such property
just at present The trend Of real es-
tate is all in another direction"
.