The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-11-08
broad leather strap. wondcro,

l went, into what pleasing seen,
changed situation fell at my d.r MS
ture. ! had come evidently. hy r =
maids blunder. upon a flight ~"
entered to the danseuse an IN.
ment OF the law with some de,aini.U
writ. and was changed into n fr,onmss
herald OF surrender. had bror:t!!
against all hoping, peace. the cpJ =,
narrowing uncertainty--a signol J.,
strument Of settlement. Thr., -"
lions to the adventures for one
That hour was highly colored -,
yet the hour arriving passed, | him
beyond 1t. At three o'clock | had 80.
the trunk down in the office OF NJ.
Porter's lawyer, and explained It's %.
tents. He called her instantly by ,slo
phone. and once more st. George e,,-
field Porter came before me with hi,
retinue. the only one OF us on mi.
dramatic day a gentleman unmovs,
and yet the ono whose fortune wa,
In peril.
Again saw woman cast from ono
emotion violently to another WON.
an Of q higher order. and yet the sl,.
uation was no less one of despcr,,o
drama. Mrs. Porter had taken Tho
message TO her for some clean recoy.
cry Of the money, and came elated "a
to a victory. When she had the story
when she knew that the coaracl O,
settlement had been delivered for Il
she fell upon that instant to the very
gravehoor Of despair. BY this FOLLY Of
Randolph Mason she had lost the ma.
jor portion Of her boys inheritance
He had surrendered the paper against
his promise. he had broken his word
Immediately, he had given up for one
| million dollars their claim to the es
tate! The thing In the acuteness OF
its injuries was criminal. and We,
there was here no violence. no hitter
word, no rawlings OF hysteria. TIL. wo
man was terrifyingly. quiet. her face
fallen into painful stiffness. In tha,
hour l admired her lawyer. He made
no comment upon this veriflcaticn Of
his own advice, upon this blunder Of
Randolph Mason. upon failure fo,l,w
ing where he said It certainly would
follow. He set the trunk on end in
his office vault and took his client to
Randolph Mason.
l carried st. George Fairfield por.
ter from the carriage to Randolph Ma.
s. : house. was still his loving
fri.nd, although by my act had lost
him and his mother or this day six
million dollars. He paited me softly
on the shoulder and. by infant magic
changed me TO an Arab charger, urged
gently with the dog-whip. Then he
placed the murdeFous Howde-do as.
tride my collar with various eques,rl.
an directions. So little thing was
six million dollars against a friend.
ship. Since l was set wailing in this
world, l have not gone two hundred
feet with keener misery.
We found Randolph Mason writing
at his table. where had left him In
his presence the distressing dumbness
which had fallen on Mrs. Porter for
n moment lifted. She went forward
resolutely to his table.
"Mr. Mason" she said. "why did
you break your promise to me?"
Randolph Mason arose and, seeina
me, ignored her query.
Parks" he said, did you get that
money!"
YES" I answered, 81 did exactly
what you directed me to do. took
the contract to Suzanne Kicsky and
got the money for It."
Good" he said. Then he turned TO
the woman standing by the table.
Madame" he said, II lave kept my'
word rigidly. l said that this paper
should not pass out OF ny possession
to the loss Of your ch,id's inheritance.
l have kept that promise. You have
now In your possession the one mil.
lion OF dollars which you wished me 10
secure. and, under the laws OF New
York, you and your son will inherit
the remainder Of the estate OF Mr.
Porter at his death"
But. my dear sir" interrupted the
attorney, you have delivered an
agreement by which Mrs. Porter binds
herself not to disturb tho decree a
divorce granted in Connecticut. That
paper will be filed in bar of any pro
ceeding now taken to establish her
right to the fortune as ths true legal
wife OF Charles Porter. You seem
strangely to have overlooked the ef.
feet OF this agreement"
I have overlooked nothing" replied
Randolph Mason.
Then he took up a book from the
table, opened II at a certain page. and
handed 1t to the attorney.
There" he said, us the leading
decision in this country, holding that
where a decree Of divorce has been
wrongfully obtained. subsequent
agreement among the parties that II
shall not be disturbed 10 an illegal
contract, void, as against public pol.
ICY"