Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-07-22
BRIDGING a
CHASM
By STANLEY WARNER

y ~ SIANLEY WAKNEk i
y6eooooeeooooooooeooooooeS
(Copyright. 1879. Western Nswspapsr Union)
"Silas Manton has sent me word
that he would like to have talk with
you about that wood lot you have
squabbled about for the last five
years." !.
Thus Alex brown, local attorney. to
his client, Hugh Briston. The latter
gruff, beard bristling, wrathy of voice
and manner was not at all responsive
to the suggestion.
"Does. eh?" he snorted. 'Then he
Is either weakening on his grandstand
or has something up his sleeve. In
either case won't run after him. Let
him come to me IL he has any propo-
sition to make"
"Manton is quite as stubborn as
yourself" explained the attorney,
"Here you have litigated. never speak.
ing to one another, since you had your
first quarrel. You've got to give in
some, Briston. It's for your own in.
terests."
81 WON'T" asseverated his client
stanchly. II wouldn't step on his
ground for fortune. He has penned
me In so couldn't get out my chop
ping. He has spoiled two good sales"
"Well, Manton wants to tender
proposition to adjust matters annie
ably"
"Then he can come and see me,
won't go and see him, that is sure"
Lawyer Brown looked nonplused.
His mission BODIED failure. He did not
wish to lose a liberal fee, and besides
that he wished to see two old-time
cronies and later enemies get back to
first principles like rational human
beings.
Again, he had been approached only
the day previous by the manly, stal.
i wart son Of Hugh Briston. The law
\ yer had always liked the bright che ry
lad, Sidney, who had come to early
! manhood with everybody his friend
| and well wisher. and especially Eunice
Manton.
well take It for granted that we
like one another, Mr.. Brown" Sidney
had said in his clear, open way, "and
you may do me great favor. un.
derstand that there Is some chance OF
father and Mr.. Manton getting to.
gether on the subject Of their law.
suits. 1t means a lot to me If they
do, and to Eunice ALSO" added Sidney,
slight flush coming to his cheeks
"You needn't say anything, Sidney
replied Brown. "How you have kept
your attentions to pretty Eunice from
the knowledge Of her father and your
own shall not inquire, but shall now
do double duty in trying to heal the
breach between two fire eaters"
And now, recalling his promise tt
Sidney, the lawyer observed to thu
father: "Well. suppose you Wont
object Manton half way?"
"Mhat do you mean by half way
growled Briston suspiciously. :"
J. wouldn't cross his threshold for for
tune, and I'm sure he hates every sticl
and stone about my placeS
''Oh. well, may be able to thinl
out some method by which you tw'
stubborn old men may meet, withou
either Of you feeling that you hav
lowered your dignity, or given In"
| It was two days later when Lawye
! Brown called upon Hugh Bristor
"well," he semarked briskly, 1--WE sci
tied it. Manton is agreeable to tn
halfway proposition"
"Huh! accommodating amt he?
shifted Briston derisively.
'"Thera's the old foot bridge cross
ing the river that winds In at the rea
Of your respective holdings. He'll b
there Mt nine o'clock tomorrow morr
ing. Now then, be sensible and hi
!. man. Your principal source of am
iety Is the wood-lot thoroughfare. H
Is the new road. Give In If he does
shake hands, be friends and bury tn
e Ratchet"
e "He'll make the first advances" mel
aced Briston. IF he don't, your
e wasting our time"
r The old bridge spanned cree
grown into river volume during rece1
spring rains, and on account of.a ne
- structure nearer the main traverse
{ road and especially since the feud b
tween Manton and Briston, 1t had fal
l. en- into disuse At precisely mir
e o'clock the next morning Silas Manic
n advanced from his own land and car
. lessly lounged against the railing
the center Of the decayed structur
Briston approached from his side. 4
he stepped upon the planking tt
weakened timbers creaked. Bo
9 were heavy men. With crash IL
d whole rotten structure gave wa
ID Amid swapping timbers the two bull
enemies went down into mid streal
II can't swim" tyelled Manton the
oughly frightened as the eddying Gu
rent began to bear him down streal
mo more can l." announced Bristo
II guess we're a-goner. Here. gr
y the end Of the plank I'm holding ont
N HI there, oh Sidney! Get us Out"
sr For Sidney suddenly emerged in
view from near shore thicket wit
70 out his father even suspecting that
a had purposely stationed himself the
=, To watch the bridge negotiations.