The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-16
TAKERS
 PLACE
By JOSEPH C. LINCOLN

back room of the barber shop and con- f1ded to them that it was anybody's fight and that he was worried.
 "It's past bein' a joke" he said. ssIt's mighty serious. We've got to hustle, we have. Heman trusted me in this job, and if fall down it'll be 5ats for me and for you fellers too. wish he was home to run things him. self, but he's got business down south there-some property he owns or some thin'-and says he can't leave. But mind how-tust get lem, that's all.'
 Captain Cy was thoroughly enjoying himself. The struggle suited him to perfection. He did not, however, for get Bos'n- He took the child into his confidence and told her of the daily gain or loss in votes as if she were his own age She understood 8 little of RIl this and tried hard to understand the rest, preaching between. times to Georg1anna how 'the bad men are trying to beat Uncle Cyrus cause he is gooder than they, but they can't, cause everybody loves him so." Geor- gianna had some doubts, but she kept them to herself.
 Among the things in Bosn's t'box'' was a long envelope, sealed with wax and with a lawyers name printed in one corner. The captain opened it, at Emily's suggestion, and was aston ished to find that the inclosure was 8 will, dated some years back. in which Mrs Mary Thomas, the child's mother, left to her daughter all her personal property and also the land in Orham. Mass, which had been wil1ed to her I,xz 4foa with the will in which Mrs. Thomas stated that no one save herself had known of this land, not even her hus- band She had not told him because she feared that, like everything else. it would be sold and the money vast ed in dissipation. ''He suspected some thing of the sort" she added, "but he did not find out the secret, although he''- She had evidently scratched out what followed, but Captain Cy mentally filled in the blank with de tails of abuse and cruelty. eff any thing happens to- me- concluded the widow, c"I want the land sold and the money used for Emf1y's maintenance as long as it lasts. ''
 The captain went over to Orham and looked up the land. It was a strip along the shore, almost worthless and unstable at present. The taxes had been regularly paid each year by Mary Thomas, who sent money orders from Concord. The self denial repre- sented by these orders was not little.
 Never mind. Bos'n.'' said Captain Cy when he returned from the Orham trip. "Your. ancestral estates ain't much now but a sand flea menagerie. However; if thds section ever does get to be the big summer resort folks are prophesyfng for 1t you may sell out to some millionaire and you and nell go to Europe. Meantime we'll try to keep ahoat, if the Harniss bank don't spring a leak.''
 On the day following this conversa- tion he took flying trip to ostable. the county seat, returning the same evening and saying nothing to any one about his reasons for going nor what he had done while there.
 Bos'n's birthday was the 18th of No vember- The captain, in. spite of the warmth of his struggle for committee honors, determined to have a small celebration ton! the afternoon and even ing of that day.
 The supper was a brilliant success So was the cake, brought in with can dIes ablaze, by the grinning Georgian na Toward the end of the meal, when the hilarity at the long table was at it's height, an unexpected guest made his appearance. There was a knock at the dining room door. and Georgianna, opening 1t, was petrihed to behold standing upon the step no less a per sonage than the Hon. Heman Atkins, supposed by most of us to be then somewhere in that wide stretch of ter ritory vaguely termed t'the south.''
 Good evening, all,'' said the illus trious ones removing his silk hat and stepping into the room. What a charming scene. I trust I do not in trude.'
 But Captain Cy rose to the occasion grandly.
 Intruder" he repeated. "Not mite of it! Mighty glad to see you, -Heman. Here, give us your hat. Pull up to the table When did you get back? l? Thought you was infthe orange groves somewheres."
 "AhemI I was. Yes, I was in that neighborhood ssBut it is hard to stay away from dear old Bayport-home ties, you know, home ties. I came down on the morning train, but l stopped over at Harniss on business and drove across. Ahem! Yes. The housekeeper informed me that my daughter was heres and, seeing the lights and hearing the laughter, could not resist making this impromptu call. Pm sure as an old friend and neighbor, Cyrus, you will pardon me. Alicia darling, come and kiss papa"
 Darling Alicia accepted the invita- ton with a rustic of silk and an ec- static squeal of delight During this affecting scene Asaph whispered to Bailey that he "cal'lated'' Heman had a hurry up distress signal from simp- son. to which sage observation MT. Bangs replied with a vigorous nod, showing that Captain Cy's example had had it's effect in that they no longer stood in such awe of their rep resentative at Washington.
 CHAPTER X