The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1919-03-29
sy EVELYN Lee.

TWO. One was n One-btOry Oiu lEuhc
building occupied by widow named
Mrs. Roberts and her daughter. Mabel.
He offered a ridiculously low price
for the property. Mrs. Roberts re-
fused to consider 1t. Then Abner Wise
set to work with all his inherent craft
to destroy the widows business.
The other piece Of property that
Wise craved was a square area of
two hundred feet, directly in the CEN
ter Of the block and completely shut
In, with no alley or passage way lead
Ing to It. This had been purchased
by Mr.. Vance, once a resident of the
town. when 1t was supposed that the
tract would face the street.
Wise wished to secure 1t to build a
rear addition to growing department
store. He had written to the Vance
family to learn that Mr.. Vance had
died, directing no partition Of any Of
his property until his youngest son.
Alison. was of age. For that culmina-
ton the wary, willy old money grabber
was patiently waiting.
He was not aware of It, but one day,
having just attained his majority. ALI
son Vance arrived at Brighton to look
after the piece Of property in question.
He put up at hotel and essayed to
get a glimpse of the lot with no ac-
cess to the street. Finally. glancing
through the little stationery store he
had view Of the open space behind
IL He entered the place,
A sweet.faced young girl stood be-
hind the store counter and he could
not help but note her beauty and
grace. Alison purchased q pencil and
magazine.
"Would you mind allowing me to go
through the house to the rearT he
asked. II am the owner OF the prop
erty Just AUDITING the store and would
like to look at It."
"Why. certainly" replied Mabel Rob-
erts. Mamma" and she called to her
mother who came from q rear living
room repeating the request Of their
visitor.
"why. You must belong to the
vances1" spoke Mrs. Roberta
II am Alison Vance,"
"And I knew your father when he
lived here" declared Mrs. Roberts ani-
matedly and Alison was made to feel
that he was among friends. For near.
ly an hour he fingered, listening to
the widows story of her little realty
holding. and 20 near to Mabel that the
Impression Of her modest, cheerful ma.
ture attracted him increasingly.
That afternoon guest at the hotel
became engaged In conversation with
Alison. The latter CHANGED to men.
ton thnt property interests had
brought him to Brighton.
"QuIte coincidence" remarked the
other. II am agent for an amusement
syndicate who are starting a chain Of
play houses. We intend to build a
theater here and Of course 1t has to
be In the principal business square.
All the lots In the main square are
narrow and the only big one that will
do is owned by an old schemer named
Wise. He knows I've got to take 1t
and he is squeezing me for about eight
times Its value"
II have heard Of the gentleman In
question:" said Alison. "Is a large
frontage an absolute essential In your
plansf'
"Not at all. so enough land at the
rear can be secured to build an eighty
foot auditorium"
"Why. perhaps I can offer something
Of interest to you." proceeded Alison.
ri have quite big tract of from the
street, and think can arrange for a
twenty-hve-foot shallow front lot in
front"
You can't" exclaimed the syndicate
man. "Why, that would be just the
thing. It would provide pretty en-
trance. and the further the auditorium
Ii from the street the better always,
ON account Of the noise Of traflic."
At once Alison revisited Mrs. Rob-
erts and saw Mabel again. The syn
dictate man cemented bargain for
the two pieces Of property at a price
that meant q small fortune for the
widow.
"A few days later Abner Wise bit his
nails in fury and snnrled like the hu-
man hyena that he was, as he read
In the local paper Of the sale Of tho
two pieces Of property he had so COW
eted.
And q month later, when he read
the announcement Of the engagement
Of Miss Mabel Roberts and Mr.. Allison
Vance, he nearly had a At.
"A cruel. wicked plot" he growled
out. "What else. combining to cheat
ne out Of salei" And In fancied high
neral Indignation he almost wept at
the perfidy and unrighteousness Of