The Detroit times., 1913-07-01
fortunes of the LandrayS
b. Vaughan Kester A'a s. q md s the r T- Judge"

! Belmont county was concerned-Mr.
Stark didn't appear with offers for
more land?"
Apparently had sold all there was
to sell" said Virginia.
Did you want TO sell the land!
Had you asked Mr.. Benson 10 find a,
purchaser"
mo, don't know how he found Mr.
Stark. or how Mr.. Stark knew ] had
the land; | never heard Mr.. Benson
say"
But he advised you to sell the
land?"
oh, yes; he said IL was producing
nothing, which was quite true; and
that 1t was of little or no value. but
that Mr.. Stark seemed TO think he
could do something with it, at least
he was willing 10 take II of my
hands
As a great favor, suppose" SAID
Wade smiling, family. Whats be-
come of Stark"
He's dead"
Then there is only Mr. Benson who
might have the facts we want TO know
Mrs. Landray. What is yuur theory
Il think at the very last just be-
fore they started west, Mr.. Tucker
must have induced my husband and
his brother to accept more land in
payment for the distillery"
And the deeds were left in Mr..
Bensons hands that was probably
the way of it, Mrs. 1-andray; so Mr..
Benson knows all that we should
know"
But must we go to Mr.. Benson"
Don't you wish me TO speak TO
him?"
II don't" said Virginia quietly
Then II would be easy enough TO
60 across 10 Belmont county and look
into the records. ! suppose you never
| saw the original deeds; they were
among the papers your husband lett
| with Mr.. Benson
II suppose so"
What do you want me to do, Mrs.
Landray?"
Can you go 10 Belmont county,"
Most assuredly, II you wish it.
Perhaps that is the best plan-there s
no lodging the records In the case,
you know"
| While Wade was entirely friendly
to Benson, he was more OF a lawyer
| bhdu u anu tue case udu tCi-
tain romantic interest for him; spec
tacular possibilities on which his mind
fed subtly, fascinated. Then there
was the lapse OF time, the curious way
In which it had all worked out, the
idea of being opposed TO Benson in
litigation that would shake the town
to its centre, the splendid publicity.
All these phases of the possible case
he saw, charmed and inspired him;
and he swore softly under his breath
as he strobe back 10 the Office.
"Pll make a case, IL there's hair
TO hang on"
But his first act in the making OF
this case was to light a disreputable
cob pipe which was reserved for times
OF great mental activity: then he lock-
ed his door. and committed the facts
Virginia had given him to writing. but
the form of this writing was letter
to Clara Norton He finished his let.
ter by asking her to preserve the for
nidable missive he had produced
for he said, Il shall never be able to
state what | see quite so clearly TO
any one else. | shall write you from
Belmont county the first thing. |
know you will hope with me that my
ltheorizing Is not all moonshine, and
that I'll come on the substance OF
fraud. for this will mean so much to
us both" and then Mr.. Wade blew a
cloud of smoke with smiling. tender
lips, and reduced to a single para.
graph the wealth of sentiment he sud
denly felt stirring within his soul.
He left town that night. and with
out seeing Stephen; for he feared
that he might let slip something OF
their discovery. or one thing he felt
quite certain: Stephen, II It came TO
taking sides, would cast his fortunes
with Benson. He could not think that
he would be so blind to his own ulti-
mate interests as TO do otherwise.
He was absent from Benson just
two days. The morning of the third
he returned, and though the hour was
early. he went at once to Virginia
Well" she asked, after they had
shaken hands. He was smiling, and
from that smile she argued Ill for Ben.
Ison.
1T looks ugly. Mrs. I.andray
knew you'd want TO know what I'd
found the minute | got back, so |
came here from the train. just stop
ping to leave my satchel at the office.
Yes"-he was slowly drawing of his
gloves MOVIES, II looks bad for
Benson. I wouldn't care TO stand
where he stands. | accomplished more
than l set out to. Stark must have
been the merest dummy IN the trans
action; the real purchaser never saw
him. AS In your own case, he had his
dealings entirely with Mr. Benson"
II should never have thought he
could have been SO faise!" cried vir.
Iginia.
You can never tell until a man
tempted, said Wade placidly
But the land" said Virginia. the
number of acres?"
The memorandum was correct in
every particular; no matter what YOU
thought at the time. you actually
tronsferred two thousand acres 10
Stark. But" he took turn about the
room, the best is vet 10 come,
found Switzerland. the man who owns
the land. Invent on TO Wheexng TO
see him, and he was perfectly willing
TO talk. He tells me he paid-ffty
Thousand dollars for the land The
various transfers touching the final
disposition of the property all fab
within the space OF less than two
weeks, and according TO Switzerland S
story, Benson must have had his offer
before he presented the fake Offer