The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-09-21
CHAPTER xvIlI.--continued.
II

but you nave. NUL III NOEuS, per
haps, but you have told me. l know
Please go on and tell me all. If you
don't" with determination, II shall
make Uncle Elisha tell me as soon as
he comes. l SHALL"
Sylvester sighed. "Well, by George"
be repeated feelingly I'm tell you
one thing, young woman, you're vast
ing your talents. You should be a
member of the bar. Any one who can
lead battle SCARED veteran Of cross
examination like myself into trap
and then spring it on him, as you have
done, is gifted by Providence. ought
not to say another word on the sub
ject," he declared emphatically. What
Captain Warren will say to me when
he finds this out is unpleasant to con-
slider. What is it you want me to tell
you"
Everything. / want you to sit down
here by me and tell me the whole story
from the beginning. Please"
He hesitated a moment longer and
then, his mind made up, returned to
his chair, crossed his legs and began.
"Here it is he said.
Caroline, about twenty years ago or
such matter your father was com
paratively poor man-poor, l mean,
compared to what he afterward be-
came. But he was clever man, an
able business man, one who saw oppUr-
tunities and grasped them. At that
time he obtained a grant in South
America for
II know" she interrupted. "The
Akrae Rubber company was formed
You told Steve and me all about that
What want to know Isl
wait. l did not tell you all about
1t. l said that another man invested
$4,000 with your father to form that
company. That man, so we now
know, was your uncle, Captain Elisha
Warren"
II guessed that. OF course it must
have been he"
1T was. The captain had saved
some money; also at that time he idol
ized his brother and believed in his
shrewdness and capability. He invest.
ed this $4,000 on Rodgers Warren's
w0rd that the investment was likely to
be a good one, that and to help the
latter In business. For a few years
the company did nothing. During that
time your father and uncle disagreed
concerning another matter. quite I'M
connected with this one-and they did
not see each other again while Rodgers
lived. In that long period the Akrae
company made millions. But Elisha
supposed 1t to be bankrupt and worth
less, because-well, to be frank, be-
cause his brother wrote him to that eff
feet.
Now we come to the will. Your IA
tber, Caroline, was not bad man at
heart. He realized how he had de-
kind to him, and he kept promising
himself to some day repay the money
he had taken. To insure that he put
that note with the other papers of the
company. If he did repay it could be
destroyed; If he did not, if he should
die, 1t would be there to prove-what
1t did prove. But always in his mind
was the thought Of you and Steve, the
children he loved. He had quarreled
with his brother, it is true. He had
cheated him, but restitution for that
cheat he had provided. But what
would become of you, left-in case he
died without making restitution-pen-
niless? He knew his brother, as l
said, knew his character, respected his
honesty and believed in his conscien-
tiousness and his big heart So he
made his viii. and in it, as you know,
he appointed Elisha your guardian.
He threw his children and their future
upon the mercy and generosity of the
brother he had wronged. That Is his
reason. as we surmise it, for making
that will"