The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1911-07-06
XVI
LOVE VERSUS IDEALS.

when Elsie, from her place at the win
dow, announced the arrival of u visitor.
"Who is it, them" asked Duncan,
whose mind was burdened with pre-
monitions of legal processes and writs
of surrender all pointing toward the
precious document left in his custody.
81 think he's coming here; it's no one
we know. Yes, he's hitching his horse.
He's big man with a smooth face"
Duncan guessed Sharpless, and pro-
ceeded to fortify his caution by greater
deliberation with his dinner. Elsie
answered the visitors knock, and pres
| emily came in with n square of card
board. Its Mr.. Sharpless," she said.
"Aye?" said Duncan. do We gang
in an sit wi him the whites I'm fin
ishin' the bit dinner"
Elsie obeyed dutifully, but she stood
in such awe of Kilgrow's arch-enemy
that the suave lawyer had extracted
no more than n half-dozen monosyl-
tables from her when her father came
to relieve her.
"Mr. James Duncan, presume" said
the visitor, affably, rising to greet the
farmer.
"The same" replied Duncan. "Sit
we doom, Master Sharpless." And in the
exchange of civilities Elsie gladly made
her escape to the kitchen.
II drove over to see you on n little
matter of business" said the lawyer,
rightly judging that he would lose
ground in any attempt to measure
circumlocutory swords with the Scotch
man. 81 come from Mr.. Thorndykc,
and he refers me to you for some in
formation in regard to John Kilgrow."
"Aye?" queried Duncan, who thought
hardest when he said the least, and
who was prepared in advance TO dis
credit the statements of the town COM
| pany's attorney even if they should APP
pear TO be self-evdent truths.
Eyes. Mr.. Thorndyke was obliged to
leave for New York this morning, and
| before he went we had conference
about the matter in which he has been
representing John Kilgrow. / hardly
need tell you that, as professional men,
we soon came to a satisfactory under
standing, and Mr.. Thorndyke was quite
willing that / should settle the claim
with his client direct. He referred me
to you for the particulars, saying that
it would be necessary to approach Kill
grow through you on account of fool
ish fear on the part of the old man
| touching some ancient difficulty with
the revenue people"
did Master Thorndylte gle We q bit
of a letter to me?" asked Duncan,
warily.
81 spoke of it, but he said it wouldn't
be necessary. He was very much hur-
ried, and there was little time to spare.
He was called home by telegraph,
understood
Duncan ruminated thoughtfully for
| some minutes, considering not so
much what he should say as how he
could say the least and learn the most.
AN what is it yell be wantin' o. me.
Master Sharpless?" he finally inquired.
Nothing more than that you will
see Kilgrow and arrange a meeting.
1 should be glad to entertain him in
Allacoochee, but if he does not wish
to come to town I can go to him, if he
will appoint time and place"
But I'm ma sure I'll see auld John
ME in the next twal'month," objected
Duncan.
"Why, understood from Mr.. Thorn
dyke that he lived here near you some
| where"
Duncan shook his head. "He has ma
house in these parts that ken"
Sharpless tilted his chair and slipped
han do int IN hip
stand your reluctance, Mr.. Duncan
he said, with a smile that had softened
! more than one recalcitrant witness.
"You will pardon my not mentioning
it sooner, but had not thought of ask
ing you to serve us in this matter with
out compensation. 1t will be thou
sand dollars in your pocket when you
bring Kilgrow to my office in Allacoo-
Chez"
Duncan's solemn face gave no intima-
ton of the strife stirred up within him
by the lawyers shameless proposal
furious struggle between cautious
| shrewdness and righteous Indignation.
For the first, and perhaps the last, time
in his life, wrath got the better of pru-
| dence, and he burst out in a storm of
broad Scotch invective that put a sharp
conclusion to the interview.
Yell bride auld Jamie Duncan, will
ye? Yell tilt yerseP back in yer chair
in mans ain hoose an pit price OH
the held o. his frien'? Lat me tell ye,
ance for a, Master Attorney, ye didna
bid high eneuch - there's ma gowd
eneuch amang the hale scram'lin o. yc
to buy ane hair o. Johnnie Keelgrow's
held, d. We ken that, ye auld smooth
faced dell? TAX yer dour face DOT o
the hoose, before I'm forgettin' I'm
man O. peace an Chreestian!'
Sharpless was shrewd enough to sec
that he had hopelessly ruined his case
with the irate Scot, and he was wise
enough to know that he would prob
ably make matters worse by attempt
ing TO explain. He got away as soon
as he could, followed 10 the threshold
by the angry farmer, who continued to
break the walls of his wrath over the
lawyers head as long as the latter was
within hearing. After Sharpless had