Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-05-26
Just a Squatter on
Abandoned Land
By KATE EDMoNDs.
@. 1921, western Newspaper Unlonl

the state capital had fallen to his
miserly nephew, Hamilton Hall.
Hamilton spent five days with his
lawyer, and at the end of that period
discovered that one-fOurth Of Cephas'
tenants had been living rent free for
years.
But not all of Cephas' tenants had
been poor. One of them. Miss SidO-
mia Travers, occupied the old Travers
mansion on HurIand 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 see, it's this way, Mr.. Hail."
said the lawyer, "Miss Sidonia be-
lieves that the property is hers. She's
got only a tiny income of six dollars
week outside it, and if she lost it
she'd be practically a beggar-she
and her niece. Mary Travers."
Mary Travers was prettier than
ever, in Halls eyes. When he saw
her enter the old-fashiOned drawing
room fame Of jealousy of Blaine
burned in his heart. His greeting of
Mary was in itself a triumph.
"Sit down, Miss Travers," he said.
Il have something to say to you. You
know, of course, that my uncle is
dead?"
"Yes," answered Mary. "He was a
good man and an old friend of my
aunt's. l am sorry, Mr.. Hail."
"Well, that's more than am, by
long Odds" Hall answered. Don't
you know that I've fallen heir to
everything he had? Yes, and l find
that I'm worth a cool eight hundred
and fifty thousand at the lowest esti-
mate. Now, Mary, want you to be
sensible. Be my wife. Don't be in
fatuated by that man Blaine, He's a
good, honest toiler, no doubt, but he'll
never be anything"
"Mr Hail." said Mary, rising, II
cannot hear any more"
''What, you won't marry me now3"
Never" she cried angrily, con-
fronting him with blazing eyes. II
hate and despise you"
"Then why don't you marry
BlaineT sneered Hamilton Hall. And
as she did not reply, he continued:
"Tn tell you why. You're waiting un-
til your aunt dies so as to get her
property. But it isn't hers-it's
mine"
''This house is not my aunt's2" she
, cried.
mo, Miss Mary, it's mine" Hall an
swered. "But If you'll throw Blaine
over and marry me I'll settle 1t on
Miss Travers for life. Give me g
kiss and then I'll make you love me
I, r"
Vincent Blaine was at the door. Hal
. turned, to see Blaine advancing upon
him with clenched fists.
whats the matter with youT' Hall
shouted.
I 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
3 firm grasp, shook him backward and
forward till the mans head wagged
D lOO4lS4lAJ upOn AlS ShOuANOA0s
$ "There goes Travers House," mur
$ INJURED Mary, as she nestled into hel
: lovers arms.
a "What do you meant" asked Blaine
grimly. And Mary told him.
d Vincent, DEAR" she said presently
s 1--WE have a hard fight before us
i. Now that we must fight shoulder t.
n shoulder-help me out, Vincent"
b He pressed her in his arms
Y "WhenT' he asked, kissing her.
i Next month";" she whispered back
S But long before the date set fOl
: their marriage arrived Hamilton Hal
r had begun his legal battle.
: "We're at the end, Mary" sai(
| Blaine, despairingly. 1.-THE case il
/ scheduled for next Tuesday, and we'v,
, no answer to make"
J. "That means a death sentence t
e Aunt @SidOnia," answered Mary, weep
Ing.
by the way, did tell you I've go
/ new lawyer?" asked Blaine present
e ly. "He used to be a partner of oil
e Fingall-the man who acted for Mr.
e Merritt so many years. He wants u
h to attend a conference the day befOr
r. the trial, to be held in his offices
l. He seems to have card up his sleeve
/. I'll call for you on Monday at nine.
Blaine called'for Mary and took he
2 to the lawyers Office in a cab. Their
1, they met Hall with his attorney, an,
e the five seated themselves around tn
It table. Blaine's lawyer, a lank Ney
; Englander named Robertson, made hi
proposal.
/ "I find," said Mr. Robertson
g fumbling with his papers, that Mis-
e Travers has occupied the premise
n unmolested . for-er-twenty year;
S four months, and nineteen days. YO
n are aware, of course, that under tn
n common law, as amended in this state
e that gives her indisputable owner
r ship"