The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-08-03


your entire farm? AS It is, the road
viii cut 1t up badly"
The man pushed his hat back and
scratched his head. Guess / know
that. But who'd want to buy the hull
thing except such another blame fool
as 1 was when / bought7"
There was a suppressed excitement
In Tennyson's manner which aroused
Claudia's curiosity. He took the reins
from her hands and turned the mare
about carefully. "I'l be back here In
three hours or less to talk business to
YOU" he said briefly.
"How mean of the law to go through
mans pigpenp cried Claudia. "Can
1t go anywhereT
Tennyson gave a preoccupied laugh.
Eyes, under the laws Of this state
all kinds Of property-with one excep-
tiOn-can be condemned"
Condemned" puzzled Claudia. "What
does that meanT
Tennyson explained, watching with
delight the wise little wrinkle that APP
peared between the blue eyes and
knowing that twenty-fOur hours would
efface all recollection Of the rights of
eminent domain.
But for once he was mistaken. The
responsibilities of life were weighing
heavily on Claudia, and certain reso-
lutions to understand more of economy
and of law were becoming fixed. She
had forgotten to ask Tennyson what
one kind of property was exempt from
condemnation, but there was her IA
ther.
"Now, papa, want to know some
thing" she began that evening.
II never got to the table yet but
what you bothered me with your fool
| questions" grumbled Peter Ten Eyck.
Claudia, oblivious Of the acidity in
his tone, prefaced her question with
Papa, what kind Of property can't the
law go throughT
"The devilw calculated Peter. "What
are you talking aboutY
She proceeded to elucidate. "Now
| just suppose transit company or
something wanted to go through a
| mans pigpen'- Peter stared hard.
| "Well, you know they can. But there's
one kind Of land they can't What is
| itr
You're enough to turn a lawyers
hair white" said her father after a
pause. Probably you mean ceme-
terry" Then he gave her shrewd look
and said nothing more until they had
finished dinner, when he asked abrupt
ly, "Whom were you driving with this
morning?"
Claudia raised her brows inquiring-
ly. Tapping her cheek thoughtfully
with forefnger, she responded un-
blushingly: Let me see. Was his hair
black or brown?
"Oh, yesv' with an effort Of the MEM
DRY. "Then 1t was Ten-Mr. Benham."
$50 suspected-that nafarious little
popinJay Of lawyer without any prac-
tice who is trying to marry money
mo. he isn't. papa" responded Clau-
dia serenely, "for he refuses to marry
me-that Is, right awayw
That very evening Tennyson called.
He was in high spirits. Behold mel!
he said, with a mock heroic bow. "At
last am ON the high road to fame and
fortune. am real estate owner.
Really, Tenny," excitedly. Enough
to build our house onT' :
Tennyson threw his head back and
broke into a peal Of boyish laughter.
There's a house on 1t already and
pigpen too. I own the land formerly
owned by the man. with the gun"
Claudia's eyes grew large and round.
you've bought that horrid, desolate
looking place! What for? Don't tell
me, dear. that you wouldn't like to live
therev'
"Tennyw she expostulated, but Ten
nyson evaded all further questions
about his purchase. "Wait until I've
struck 1t rich on my real estate, dear,
and I'll tell you all about it,"
With that he supposed his fiancee
was content, but she was not. After
his departure she repaired promptly to
the source of wisdom.
Papa, what is there down in the
Mount Hope valley to bring money?
Just supposing you had bought the
land Of that man with the pigpen
down there, what should you expect
to get out of lit"
The clerk and stenographer ex-
changed glances. Peters brows con-
tracted as he snorted, 1.-THE knowl-
edge that was fool probably" And
Claudia, sadder, but no wiser, retired.
Perhaps much learning with no out
let for 1t was making Tennyson in
sane, she reflected, and her theory was
strengthened on the next occasion Of
their meeting, which was on Lacka-
wanna avenue.
Tennyson's face was aglow with ex-
element. His spirits, so often at zero,
were near the boiling point. He was
ready to discuss their future, the prob
abilities Of boarding Ten Eyck soon in
his library and Of the renting Of a
suitable home. So far Claudia's the
DRY was discredited. But presently
they passed a basement laundry out Of
which a Hungarian shuff1ed, making
signs to Tennyson.
"Will you walk on slowly, Claudia?
I won't be here but a moment" said
the latter hurriedly, and Claudia did
as he requested.
In a moment he had rejoined her, his