Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-08-07
time: why, my wlres mother was d

enterprise. I'm interested down there.
Own lot Of land along the canal. Oh,
no; wouldn't sell jot of it, not for any
price. I'm up here on otter business
Looking after the heirs to the Riddle
estate. I'm one Of the administrators.
Old Adolphus Riddle never left will.
Goes to next Of kin. Hard to find any
of 'em, the old man had been estranged
from all his folks so long. Yes, died
down in Panama. Oh, matter of q
million or so. Not much as wealth is
counted these days."
This is what Mr.. Perkins conided to
Squire Smith, who boarded at the no.
tel and whom he met at the supper
table.
II expect properly is pretty valuable
down there" remarked the squire
when Perkins paused for breath.
Eyes, it is, but not what it will fig
ure at when the canal is completed.
Why, my dear sir, expect to improve
my land so that it will be worth five
times as much as it is now--nay, ten
times as much"
"Not booming it, are you:' demand
ed the squire keenly.
"Me a promoter" demanded Per.
kins testify. Excuse me, Squire
Smith, if l change the subject abrupt.
~, but I'd rather not discuss the land
question in Panama. I'm looking for
the Riddle heirs"
my Cousins husbands first wife
was Eliza Riddle" remarked the squire
cautiously.
"1'll make note Of that" said Per
kins promptly, and he did in very
bus1nesslfke manner. writing down all
the statistics concerning the late Eliza
Riddle and breaking the news to the
disappointed squire that the relation,
ship was too remote for him to ever
hope to profit by it.
Its darned queer how things turn
out" fretted the squire after Perkins
had explained this to him. "Why. dc
you know, Mr.. Perkins, l came near
marrying that Riddle gal myself. If
had done so, why, expect I'd be
coming in for pile Of money now"
"All you could carry away was Mr.
Perkins cheering response. "Moral is
marry for love, but be sure to love
where money is plentiful. Good old bit
of advice, eh? Now. to look up the
other Riddles in Three Corners. My
duty to try to solve 'em. Ell? Good
joke" Mr.. Perkins from Panama in.
dulged in hearty laugh.
For week or ten days Three Cor
ners was smitten by fever of unrest
Morning, noon and night her citizens
delved in family Bibles and searched
the contents Of ancient trunks in cob
webbed garrets searching for some
documentary proof Of their kinship tc
one Adolphus Riddle.
There were many Riddles in Three
Corners, and those who were not Rid
dies had married into that family, and
so the entire community was interested
in the millions left by the late Adol
plus who had died in Panama
There was much speculation, excite
ment and an outcropping Of jealousy
and bitter feeling over the possible
outcome of the Investigation of Mr.
Perkins of Panama
When Mr.. Perkins announced his i'm
pending departure and that he would
communicate with the claimants tc
the estate and advise them just where
they stood in the matter there was a
visible reluctance on the part of the
citizens to part with him.
To them he looked like a great
chance to get rich. He seemed to ex-
ude ready money, and great possibili.
ties Of wealth would fade away with
his departure. Some of those who
were not Riddles and by no manner OF
calculation could hope to claim an in
terest in the great estate yearned to
benefit by their acquaintance with the
little gray man, Mr.. Perkins from Pan
ANA.
These were the ones, headed by
Squire Smith, who urged-nay. pleaded
With-Perkins to be allowed to pur-
NAdoC OAAJ q oAAo1A pO1 tAOA Va LIS pAOp-
erty down in Panama. Reluctantly he
consented, and he protested as he
made out the necessary deeds Of trans
fer that he considered himself phi
lanthropist to permit them to form a
small company and buy up some of
those valuable "canal front lots"
AS his train dragged out of Three
Corners Mr.. Perkins looked forward
eagerly to the moment when he should
reach the junction and board the ex-
press-for New York? Oh. no! For
Boston, where he could take steamer
for Europe very easily and quite COM
fortably, for the "canal front lots"
had brought good price, and Mr.. Per-
kins had an easy conscience.
OF course the Three Cornerites real
lied after long while that they had
been cleverly swindled. Those who
had forced their money upon Perkins
in exchange for lots which did not
exist could say nothing. The Riddles
who had claimed to be kin of Adolphus
Riddle promptly repudiated all rela-
t1onship to that deceased gentleman
when it was discovered that the only
Riddle Of that name had died in an
almshouse in New York state.