The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-12-18

A few tentative ventures resulted in
profits so large that the company grew
nightly enthusiastic over the novel
manner of working. In each instance
Harris was consulted and made his
confidential statement as to the legali-
ty of the thing proposed. After a few
perfectly legal breach Of promise suits,
due to Aggie's winsome innocence of
demeanor, had been settled advan-
%tageously out of court Mary devised a
scheme of greater elaborateness, with
the legal cumen of the lawyer to in
dorse 1t in the matter Of safety. 1t
was planned as the swindling of a
swtndler, which, in fact, had now. be-
come the secret principle In Mary's
morality.
A gentleman possessed Of some
means, none too s%crupulous himself,
but with high financial aspirations, ad-
vertised for a partner to invest capital
in a business sure to bring large re-
turns. This advertisement caught the
eye Of Mary Turner, and she answered
1t. An Introductory correspondence
encouraged her to hope for the victory
in a game of cunning against cunning.
She consulted with Harris and espe-
cially sought from him detailed infor-
nation as to partnership law. His
statements gave her such confidence
that presently she entered into a part
nership with the advertiser. BY the
terms of their agreement each depos
tied 100000 to the partnership account
This sum Of 100000 was ostensibly
to be devoted to the purchase Of a
tract Of land, which should afterward
be divided into lots and resold to the
public at enormous profit. AS a mat
ter Of fact, the advertiser planned to
make a spurious purchase of the tract
In question by means Of forged deeds
granted by an accomplish, thus max
ing through fraud a neat profit Of $780,
600.
No sooner was the 100000 on deposit
in the bank than Mary Turner drew
out the whole amount, as she had a
perfect right to do legally. When the
advertiser learned Of this he was, nat
orally enough, full to overlooking with
Ihlh DuI I al L i
Harris he swallowed his wrath as best
he might. He found he could not go
into court with clean hands, which Is
a prime stipulation of the law, though
often honored in the breach. So he
let himself be mulcted In raging ST.
lence.
The event established Mary as the
nrhttar IL hor ~-r, a4Aa..o Oh -o-a
decided that a certain General Hast
ings would make an excellent sacrifice
on the altar of ~justice-and to her own
financial profit. The old man was a
notorious roue, Of most unsavory rep
utation as a destroyer Of innocence.
1t was probable that he would easily
fall a victim to the ingenious charms
Of Aggie. AS for that precocious dam
sci, she would run no least risk Of de-
tructiOn by the satyr.
General Hastings met Aggie in the
most casual way. He was captivated
by her freshness and beauty, her de-
mureness. her ignorance of all things
vicious. Straightway he set snares.
He showered every gallant attention
on the naive, bread and butter miss
and succeeded gratifyingly soon In
winning her heart-to all appearance.
But he gained nothing more. for the
coy creature abruptly developed most
effective powers Of resistance to every
Establishment that went beyond strict
est propriety. His ardor cooled sud
denly when Harris served a summons
in a suit for $4,000 damages for
breach of promise.
Even. while this affair was still in
the course of execution Mary found her
self engaged In a direction that offered
at least the hope Of attaining her great
desire-revenge against Edward Gil
der. This opportunity came in the
person of his son. Dick. After much
contriving. she got an introduction to
that young man. Forthwith she show
ed herself so deliciously womanly. so
intelligent. SO daintily feminine. 80
singularly beautiful that the young
man was enamored almost at once
The fact thrilled Mary to the depths
Of her heart, for in this son of the man
whom she hated she saw the instru-
ment Of vengeance for which she had
SO longed. Yet this n thing was SO
vital to her that she said nothing of
her purposes. not ever to Aggie.
though that observant person may
have possessed suspicious more or less
near the truth.
II was some such suspicion that lay
behind her speech as. in negligee, she