The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-07-07
Just = Squatter n
Abandoned Land
81 KATE EDMoNDs.
u western NswspaDsr union.)

49, 50 N ~ AANSA 1870 49,
The rich, eccentric. phiianthropic old
merchant Of Grand boulevard, whose
name had been a synonym for slnteg-
rity III Martinsville Tor forty years.
And the big store and the bank and
the ~innumerable pieces sot real estate
that he had owned here and there in
the state capital had fallen to his
misery, nephew, Hamilton Hall.
Hamilton spent ave days with his
lawyer, and at the end Of that period
discovered that ~one-fourth De Oephas,
tenants had been living rent tree Tor
years.
But not ali Of Cephas' tenants had
been poor. One ct them, Miss Sid0-
MIA Travers, occupied the old Travers
mansion on Hurland Heights, which
had come to her on the death Of her
father twenty years previously. When
Hall read this name he whistled; and
when the lawyer told him that she.
too, lived rent free, he whistled again.
you zee, It's this way. M. Hall.
said the lawyer, Miss SidOnia be-
lieves that the property - hers. She's
got only q tiny income o. SIX dollars
I week outside 1t. and Il she lost #
she'd be practically . beggar-she
and her niece, Mary Travers"
Mary Travers was prettier than
ever, In Halls eyes. When he saw
her enter the old-3ashioned drawing
room 4 flame of Jealousy of Blaine
burned In his heart. His greeting Of
/ Nk~v ~ - @konlA > k~a,,wn~h~ 81 G3E As
'fSit down, Miss Travers," he said.
II have something to ray to you. You
know. Of course, that my uncle =
dead1ss
yes" answered Mary. he was .
good man and an old friend Of my
aunt's. I am sorry, Mr.. Hall"
well, that's Q than I am, BY
long Odds" Hall answered Don't
you know that I've fallen heir to
everything he had1 Yes, and I ind
that I'm worth a cool eight hundred
and fifty thousand at the lowest est
mate. Now, Mary, I want you to be
sensible. Be my wife. Don't be In
fatuated by that man Blaine. Hes q
good, honest toiler. no doubt, but he'll
never De anything.
.Mr. Hail." said Mary. rising, II
cannot hear any more"
"What, you won't marry me nowf'
sNeverl' she cried angrily, con-
fronting him with blazing eyes. Il
hate and despise you.'
'aThen why don't you marry
Blaine?" sneered Hamilton Hall. And.
as she did not reply. he continued:
..Ill tell you why. You're waiting u
til your aunt dies SO as to get her
property. But 1t isn't hers--it's
mine"
This house Is not my aunt'sf' she
cried.
"No, Miss Mary, It's NINE" Hall an
swered. 'But If you'll throw Blaine
over and marry me I'll settle 1t On
Miss Travers. for life. Give mi q
kiss and then I'll make you love me.
T."
Vincent Blaine was at the door. Hall
turned, to see Blaine advancing upon
him with clenched fists.
whats the matter with your Hall
shouted.
Blaine did not strike him, for Hall.
was a much smaller man Instead, he
quietly wrenched his chair from his
grasp and, taking his shoulders In a
irm grasp, shook him backward and
forward till the mans head wagged
fOolishly upon his shoulders.
'.There goes Travers House. muir
INJURED Mary, as she nestled into her
lovers arms.
what do you mean?' asked Blaine,
grimly. And Mary told him.
Vincent, dear" she said presently.
I'VE have q hard fight before us.
! Now that we must fight shoulder to
shoulder-help me out, Vincent"
He pressed her In his arms.
"Whenf" he asked. kissing her.
aNext month she whispered back.
But long before the date set for
their marriage arrived Hamilton Hall
had begun his legal battle.
.We're at the end, Mary" said
Blaine, despairingly. The case is
scheduled for next Tuesday, and we've
no answer to make"
THAT means q death sentence to
Aunt Sidonia." answered Mary, weep
ing.
by the way, did / tell you I'VE got
4 new lawyer?" asked Blaine present
". He used to be q partner Of old
Ffngall-the man who acted for Mr.,
Merritt SO many years. He wants us
to attend q conference the day before
the trial, to be held N his Offices.
he SEEM TO have 4 card M bis sleeve.
I'll call for yon on Monday Ut nine. !"
Blaine called for Mary and took her
to the lawyers Office III d cab. There
they met Hall with his attorney, and
the Ave seated themselves around the
table. Blaine's lawyer, 4 lank New
Highlander named Robertson, made hi
proposal.
81 ind said hi. Robertson,
fulnbling Withhis papers, that Miss
Trayers has occupied the premises
~unmoIested for--er-twenty years..
fonr months. and nineteen days. You
are aware. of course. that under theE
common law, 10 amended ia this state.
that gives nor indisputable iowner
nip" sHsS
mt she thought Il wvas her house
yelled the other.
A great hlunder.n answered Mr..
Robertson. WI confess u~nreseryed-
II that 4 was MOI. She was ! sq4atY
tor-just i plain sQuatter on abane
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