The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-05-24
LOVES
MESSENGER
By VICTOR REDcLIFFE

Wnen alien I)uryea left the train at
Rossville his first move was toward
little one-story building hearing the
sign "Peter Warne, Real Estate"
I've come here on flying trip" he
announced. land If you are able to sell
SEINE property for me I'm ready"
THAT is my line of business" an.
swered Warne. shrewdly studying this
straightforward client. If the latter
had been more experienced In the
ways Of the world he would have con.
strued that false. sinister face.
"Here is the layout" proceeded Dur
yea hriskly. my uncle died a few
menths age and was one Of the bene.
aciaries under his will. He left me
fhs Addison tract. Do you know it?-
Like a book" declared Warne, "It
lies along the river where they have
the water rights. and good many
plants are likely to 70 up in tiae."
That is my name" aprrized the
ether. rendering q card. 81 understand
from the executors that the property
10 worth perhaps thirty Thousand dol.
lara am willing to take something
feeg # ! can dispose Of 1t quickly and
for ready cash, for I am offered an
opportunity to get into O promising
business partnership II can invest
twenty Thousand dollars.
A crafty expression crossed Warne'a
face az he rapidly analysed the situa.
ton: A Young and impulsive client. a
stranger. and likely to be easily Inn
posed upon.
"See here" he suggested. Suppose
You let me drive you over md take
a look at the property. I'm afraid you
will be disappointed.
Duryea was indeed Disseminated
when the rattling old buggy driven by
Warne reached a broad deep river.
There's your land" spoke the lat.
ter. pointing ouf desolatp stretch,
low and swampy. Beyond in both di.
rectiOns were high lands hut this spe-
cial expanse made a depl0rable slump
In the landscape.
"You talk of thirty thousand dol.
lars" spoke Warne. "Well. in" twenty
years and after a fortune snent In
drainage you might get ten-never
more"
All the spice and ambition suddenly
deserted Allen Duryea. His high hopes
were crushed. He stood ruefully view.
ing the uninviting spot.
at looks just as you say" he admit
ted glOomily. II reckon will have to
begin business life on a more modest
scale than I had blocked ont. You've
got my address. See what you can get
for the property. BY the way, there
Is no train, cityward for several hours.
understands
"That's correct" nodded Warne.
"YOu could make It by walking two
miles east and striking a trolley" and
he drove of. while Duryea thought.
fully proceeded on foot. He had gone
about mile when. passing a small
cabin. he paused to view an old man
In tears. directing pitiful appeal to
another who was reading to him an
ofticial-looking document.
"Tm sorry to distrain. Mr.. Marsh"
spoke the latter. shut law is law. You
owe fifty dollars and there's judg.
ment against yeu. II you can't pay II
shall have to levy on your rig"
"You take the bread out Of our
mouths If you dol" sObbed Gabriel
Marsh. and Just there Duryea stepped
up to the official.
"Tve Q little surplus cash." he setd,
"and this old mans honest face is good
enough for me. Write out q release.
will pay the BILL"
"Oh. wait till my daughter comes"
pleaded Marsh. when he had recovered
from the first access OF gratitude and
joy. "She Is Mabel, and I want to
have her see and thank the stranger
who has rescued us from ruin. Oh,
sirl you have an old mans fervent
blessing. There Is Mabel nowl" and
the speaker ran down the road to meet
young girl. Duryea sought vainly to
escape the overwhelming gratefulness
Of father and daughter. For the lat
ter modest. reAned. sincere, he formed
an immediate admiration, drawn closer
as he heard the story of their strug.
giles 20 keep the wolf from the door.
He did not readily forget Mabel
when he returned to the city. More
than once he felt drawn to 20 again
to Rossville. and was glad Of an ex.
cuse when one day he received letter
from Warne. stating that he had found
purchaser Of the river tract for four
thousand dollars. Duryea was getting
ready to 60 to Rossville when Mabel
Marsh entered his office.
Il have GENE On a strange mission,
Mr.. Duryea." spoke the young girl.
I'VE learned Of youy eFrand 70 Ross
Vile after you had gone. and father
overheard Q conversation between
Wame and his clerk which showed
that they had q plan on foot to swindle
You. Warno never showed you the land
you really own, which father says lie
worth great deal Of money Instead.
he had plot to get your property
from you for Song and sell It for
an immense sum-"
II have come to close our deal for
II = n