Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1913-06-06
CLAIM NOT VALID
Rich Young Mans Scheme to
Force Girl to Marry Him
Fails.
BY n. M. EGRERT.

copyright. LIZ. oy VIC. -Chapman-D
Cephas Merritt was dead-Merritt,
the rich, eccentric. philanthropic old
merchant of Grand boulevard, whose
name had been a synonym for ipteg-
rity In Martinsville for forty years
And the big store and the bank and
the innumerable pieces of real estate
that he had owned here and there in
the state capital had fallen to his
IniserIy nephew. Hamilton Hall.
Hamilton spent five. days with his
lawyer, and at the end of that period
discovered that one-fourth of Cephas
tenants had been living rent free for
years. For much of the property was
in the poorer part of the city and
Cephas had never turned a poor ten
ant out of doors in his life
But not all of Cephas' tenants had
been poor One of them, Miss Sido-
MIA Travers, occupied the old Travers
mansion on Hurland Heights, which
had come to her on the death of her
father twenty years previously. When
Hall read this name he whistled; and
when the lawyer told him that she,
You see, it's this way, Mr.. Hall. :"
. said the lawyer, Miss Sjdonia be-
lieyes that the property is hers. She's
got only tiny income of six dollars
a week outside it, and II she lost it
she'd be practically beggar-she
and her niece, Mary Travers."
Never mind about Mary; go on"
said Hamilton Hall. wetting his lips.
Well. sir, the property isn't hers at
. all. The titles faulty. Ii belonged to
Mr.. Merritt. But he was an old friend
. of hers-they say he was once her
sutherland he'd have cut OF his right
{ hand rather than let her know she
was his tenant If that old lady lost
Travers house she'd not survive 1t
many weeks, Mr.. Hall. So all this time
she's lived in your uncle's house rent
free. and thought it hers And
know he meant to deed II to her in
his will, only he couldn't bear even to
let her know the truth. and then he
expected to survive her"
Then l have the right to it?e ex-
claimed Hamilton eagerly.
His lawyer looked him up and
down. He knew what was passing
through his mind. He knew the
story of Halls unsuccessful wooing
Of Mary Travers and his hatred for
Vincent Blaine, her fiance. When her
aunt died Mary was to marry Blaine.
Till then she would not leave her.
And the lovers had been engaged five
years.
Better leave her alone. Mr.. Hail.,
said the old lawyer In his heart
smouldered contemptuous hatred
for the man: he would gladly have
dispensed with him for client, for
he did not relish the. sort of work he
would ebe called upon to do. But ne
held his peace, knowing that, II nss2-
sssary, the could checkmate Halls
evil designs. {
What is the value, OF Traversi
house?" asked Hamilton.
Easily twelve thousand dollars, in
its present state" the lawyer an
severed. sAnd. anticipating the next
question, he continued. AT fair
rental it, should bring atthousand doh
lars"
"Then she owes me ttwenty thou
sand dollars" thought Hall. But
what he said was: My uncle must
have been mad"
Mary Travers was prettier than
ever, in Halls eyes. When he saw
her enter the old-fashioned drawing
room flame of jealousy of Blaine
burned in his heart.
"Sit down, Miss Travers." he said.
81 have something to say to you. You
know, of course, that my uncle is
dead?"
Yes" answered Mary. "ISe was
good man and an old friend OF my
aunt's. am sorry, Mr. Hail.
We'll. that's more than l an. by
long Odds" Hall answered. Don't
you know that I've fallen heir to
everything he hadf Yes. and j find
that I'm worth a cool eight hundred
and fifty thousand al the lowest esti-
mate. Now, Mary, I want you to be
sensible. BE my wife. Don't be in
fatuated by that man Blaine. He's a
good, honest toiler, nc doubt, but he'll
never be anything"
MIR. Hail. said Mary. rising. u
cannot hear any more"
What, you won't marry me now?"
Never" she cried angrily, con
fronting him with blazing eyes. 4
hate and despise you"
Then why don't you marry
Blaine?" sneered Hamilton Hall. And.
as she did not reply, he continued:
81 tell you why. You're waiting un-
til your aunt dies so as to get her
property. But II isn't hers-it's
mine. My uncle owned it all the
time, for the conveyance was faulty.
The title is fraudulent. And II you
don't marry newly. badly as I'd
like to let you stay, out she goes, and
you, Miss Mary. unless l get that
twenty thousand dollars of rent that's
In arrears"
His vulgarity OF mind had produced
a similar infrmity of speech. Now
ne stopped, half frightened; he had
never dared address Mary in such
tones before But he had produced
exactly the effect that he anticipated
Her gentle natere, unused to such Ian
guage, was terrified-almost cowed.
This house is not my aunt's?" she
cried.
mo. Miss Mary, it's mine" Hall an
swered. But II you'll throw Blaine
over and marry me I'll settle 1t on
Miss Travers for life" He advanced
closer. For once in his life his pas
sion for her carried him on his feet
Come, be sensible" he PLEADED, anu