The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-12-20

pleasure over this whole affair; II was
incumbent upon him not only to re-
establish himself with Mrs. Owen,
but to do it in a way to satisfy Mrs.
Bassett.
'You needn't worry about that law
suit, Morton; there amt going to be
any lawsuit"
She gave this time to soak in as
she would have expressed it, and then
concluded:
Its all off; persuaded Edward to
drop the suit The case will be dis
missed in the morning
Dismissed? How dismissed. Aunt
Sally?"
Just dismissed; that's all there is of
it. went to see Fitch, too, and gave
him a piece of my mind. He wrote
me a letter 1 found here saying that
in my absence he'd taken the liberty
of entering an appearance for me.
along with you, in the case. I told
him I'd attend to my own lawsuits.
and that he could just scratch his
appearance off the docket"
The presumption of her lawyer
seemed to obscure all other issues for
LA46 LlOLlElLL- llOLLOlt DdSSGlL NcS dill
noyed to be kept waiting for an ex-
PLANTATION that was clearly due him
as her cO-defendant; ne controlled his
irritation with difficulty. Her i'm
prudence IN having approached his
enemy filed him with forebodings;
there was no telling what compro-
misses she might have negotiated with
Edward G.. Thatcher.
Il suppose you shamed him out OF
it?" he suggested.
"Shamed him? I scared him out
Of it, He owns a lot Of property in
this town that's rented for unlawful
purposes, and I told him I'd prosecute
him; that. and a few other things. He
offered to buy me out at a good price,
but he didn't get very far with that.
It was a good figure. though" she
added reiectively.
His spirits rose at this proof OF her
loyalty and he fastened to manifest
his appreciation. His wife's fears
would be dispelled by this evidence Of
her aunt's good viii toward the fam
/ lily.
u rather imagined that he'd he
glad to quit if he saw an easy way out
and guess you gave it to him. Now
about your stock, Aunt Sally. I don't
want you to be brought into my
troubles with Thatcher any further. l
appreciate your help so far, and I'm
able now TO pay for your shares. I
don't doubt that Ed offered you
generous price to get a controlling
interest. I'll write a check for any
sum you name. and youu have my
gratitude besides"
He drew out his check book and
laid IL on the table, with a feeling that
money, which according to tradition is
a taIkative commodity, might now
conclude the conversation. Mrs. owen
saw the observation-disclosures at it over
her glasses, apparently without emo
ton.
I'm not going to sell those shares.
Morton; not to YOU or anybody else
But as a matter Of maintaining my
own dignity"
Your own dignity is something I
want TO speak to you about. Morton.
I've been watching you ever since YOU
married Halle, and wondering Just
where you'd bump. You and Edward
Thatcher have been pretty thick and
you've had a lot Of fun out Of poll
tics. This row you've got into with
him was bound to como. know Ed
ward better-just a little better than
I know you. He's not a beautiful
character. but he's not as bad as they
make out. But you've given him
hard rub the wrong way and he's go
ing to get even with you. Hes
mighty bitter-bitterer than it's
healthy for one man 20 be against
another. If Il hadn't been for this
newspaper fuss I shouldn't ever have
said word to you about II: but 7 ad-
wise you to straighten things up with
Edward. You'd better do II for your
own good-for Halle and the children.
You've insulted him and held him UP
TO the whole State of Indiana as a
fool. You needn't think he doesn't
know Just where you gripped that con-
ventiOn tight, and just where you let
him have It TO play with. He's got
more money than you have, and he's
going to spend It to give you some of
your own medicine or worse, if he can.
He's Ike a mule that lays for the Mig
ger that put burrs under his collar.
You're that particular niger Just
now. You've made a mistake, Nor
ton"
But Aunt Sally didn't"
About that newspaper, Morton"
she continued, ignoring him. i've
decided that III just hang on to my
stock. You've built I'D the Courier
better than I expected and that last
statement showed it to be doing fine.
| don't know any place right now
where I can do as well with the
money. You see I've got about all
the farms I can handle at my age.
and it viii be some fun to have a
hand in running a newspaper. I
want you to tell 'em down at the
i Courier office-what's his name? Al
Will? Well, you tell him I want this
/ Stop. Lock, Listen business stoned.
IL you can't think of anything smart
er to do than that, you'd better quit.
You had no business to turn a news
paper against a man who owns half
Of IL without giving him a chance to
! get off the track. You whistled, Nor
| ton, after you had pitched him and his
side-bar buggy into the death and
killed his horse
But who had put him on the track?
hadn't! He'd been running over
the State for two years. to nv
knowledge, trying to undermine me. I
was only giving him in broad day
L