The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-07-11
SUDDEN CLIMAX
BY WALTER J. DELANEY.
1918. Western Newspaper Unie


You could have knocked Alton
Locke down with a feather when he
was unexpectedly informed that he was
q rich man. The law firm of Peale X
Gregory had sent him letter asking
him to call at their Office on matter
Of Importance and urgency, and the
first words of the senior partner OF the
firm fairly stunned Locke.
"We have sent for you to inform you
that you are the sole heir to the estate
Of your relative, Ira Dowell," he pro-
nounced.
"Whyl" involuntarils exclaimed
Locke-T did not know that my IA
ther's cousin was dead"
"A month SINCE" enlightened the
other. "He has left you all he had
his old home at Grassmere, about eight
thousand dollars in cash and quarry
enterprise, which represents his prin-
cipal investment"
"You-you amaze mep stammered
forth Locke.
1t had struck Locke all of heap.
Never in his widest dreams had he
even fancied such a windfall as this.
Ira Dowel he lad seen exactly twice
In his lifetime.
"Mr Dowell was n strange man." fell
upon his ears I'm the dreary tones of
tho LAWYER ale was pestered to death
with mendicant or sycophantic rela-
tivos waiting for him 70 die. Their
pettv meannesses dispusted him. He
liked the way Won buckled down to
safe habits and bo,d work and his es-
tate is yours. There is Grassmere, and
Won will baye annie ready funds. As
tn the ouarrv nropertv. that is in litipa-
tion. A claimant who was n former
mariner of Mr. Dowel, has tied II I'M
with nm Injunction. Tbere is M doubt-
bowever that we will heat him ont for
we have money and no has none"
II was a strange exner,ence that NJ
the following week for Alton Locke
He oave n farewell dinner of sumntu-
ous nronortions tn his fellow clerks Mt
the store string of them later Wis
ited him ot b,s hote, Whom Locke
startad from tho citv ba corried In bis
nocket a memoranda of ma many as n
dozen so.colled loans n.got,otad nv h,s
imnecun,ous friends
II was worse at 0rossmere. Locke
found n N be n beautiful n,oca and
MANNED how no a uentleman farmer
life would be enviable. Then there,
swarmed down upon him a horde of
hungry distant relatives Most of tbem
bod never hoard of him before hut all
nrofessed tho dae,est regard for him
They ote at his tobIe some from n dis
tonce took nm their abode with him
widow fortv.fftb cous,n wbeed,ad
him ont of Ave hundred dollars One
Cousin Fel,x n boorv.beaded old fraud
ond id,er nersuoded Locke to huv ont
a lIttle business in the town for him
proceeded 70 MORTGAGE II nromnt,v and
sold ont his eouity before he actually
beeon business
Locke was So borossed nv his new-
found relatives that be decided be
would leave Grassmere IN CHARGE of
the caretoker ana NOT settle down nor
uo,on,,, ,n,,I ho IA ,ae.,.aI,- =
fected his plons for the future In his
secret heart he dreamed of n mistress
for the palatioI old mansion This was
how IL wus: At Ripton. whore be had
uorLaa koforo oo,no .. .ha .,.,, ~.
had become casually aconainted with
an old man named Robert Warren
One evening calling unon him he
found his daughter. Nina. at home She
was TO spend weeks vacation from n
seminary. Mr.. Warren had n pitifullv
small income. but be managed to keen.
his daughter at school, She and Locke,
became congenlal frrtnds. Then the
start of romance ended for her back
at her lessons and foo Locke at his new
post of duty in the city.
Te Ripton he proceeded now, but not:
to call upon Mr. Warren. Many n time
the old man had referred 10 n Wild
claim he held in litigation, and had
mourned the lack of thousand dollars