The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-01-24
CLAIM NOT VALID
Rich Young Mans Scheme to
Force Girl to Marry Him
Fails.
az Il. N. EoRERT.

merchant OF Grand boulevard whose
name had been synonym for integ-
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
misery nephew. Hamilton Hall.
Hamilton spent i've 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 q 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,
too, lived rent free, he whistled again.
You see, it's this way, Mr. Hall"
said the lawyer, Miss Sidonia be-
ieyes that the property IL hers. She's
got only tiny income of six dollars
q week outside it, and If she lost it
she'd be practically q 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. It belonged to
Mr.. Merritt. But he was an old friend
of hers--they say he was once her
AStitor and 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 it
many weeks, Mr.. Hall. So all this time
she's lived In your uncle's house rent
free. and thought it hers. And I
know he meant to deed 1t 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 ! have the right to it," 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 i've
years.
Better leave her alone, Mr.. Hall. Z
said the old lawyer. In his heart
smouldered contemptuous hatred
for tNe man; he would gladly have
dispensed with him for a client, for
he ibid not relish the sort Of work he
would be called upon to do. But he
held his peace, knowing that. II nee
essary, he could checkmate Halls
evil designs.
what is the value OF Travers
house?" asked Hamilton.
Easily twelve thousand dollars, in
its present state" the lawyer an
swered. And, anticipating the next
question, he continued. "At q fair
rental it should bring thousand dol
lars.
Then she owes me twenty 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 a fame 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 ID
dead?''
YES" answered Mary. HE was q
good man and an old friend Of my
Rnnt's. am sorry. Mr.. Hall"
Well. that's more than / am, by
long Odds" Hall answered. Don't
you know that rye fallen heir to
everything he had? Yes. and find
that I'm worth q cool eight hundred
and fifty thousand at the lowest esti.
mate. Now. Mary, want you to be
sensible. Be my wife. Don't be In
fatuated by that man Blaine. He's a
good, honest toiler, no doubt. but he'll
never be anything"
INT. Hail." said Mary, rising. Il
cannot hear any more"
What. you won't marry me now?"
Never!" she cried angrily. con-
fronting him with blazing eyes. II
hate and despise you"
Then why don't you marry
Blaine?" sneered Hamilton Han. And,
as she did not reply. he continued:
Il tell you why. You're waiting un.
til your aunt dies so as to get her
property. But 1t isn't hers-it's
mine MY uncle owned It all the
time. for the conveyance was faulty.
The title is fraudulent. And If you
don't marry newly. badly as I'd
like to let you stay. out she goes. and
you, Miss Mary, unless / get that
twenty thousand dollars Of rent that's
in arrears"
His vulgarity Of mind had produced
= similar infirmity OF speech. Now