New Ulm review., 1922-01-11
Just a Squatter on
Abandoned Land
By KATE EDMONDS.
20. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)

Cephas Merritt was dead Merritt,
the rich, eccentric, philanthropic old
merchant Of Grand boulevard, whose
name had been q synonym for integ-
rity in Martinsville for. forty years.
And the big store and the bank and
the innumerable pieces OF real estate
that he had owned here and there in
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. - 49, 'l s>:i" 4& = ".
But not all of Cephas' tenants had
been poor. One Of them, Miss Sido-
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 see, it's this way, Mr.. Hail."
said the lawyer, Miss Sidonia be-
lieves that the property is hers. She's
got only 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 drawers was prettier than
ever, in Halls eyes. When he saw
her enter the old-fashiohed drawing
room a flame Of jealousy Of Blaine
burned in his heart. His greeting Of
Mary was in itself triumph. p.
"Sit down, Miss Travers," he said.
II have something to say to you. You
know, Of course, that my uncle is
dead?"
eyes," answered Mary. 'He was a
good man and an old friend Of my
aunt's. am sorry, Mr.. Hail."
77~"Well, that's more than I am, by
long Odds" Hall answered. .Don't
you know that I've fallen heir to
everything he had? Yes, and I find
FFthat 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. Hes a
good, honest toiler, no doubt, but he'll
never be anything" @
"Mr. Hail." said Mary, rising, II
cannot hear any more" .,.,tns III
'What, you won't marry me now?"
"Never!'' she cried angrily, con-
fronting him with blazing eyes, Il
hate and despise you"
"Then why don't you marry
Blaine?" sneered Hamilton Hall. And,
as she did not reply, he continued:
'sIll 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.' <s
"This house isinot my aunt's?" she
cried.
mo, Miss Mary, it's mine" Hall. an
swered. i. But if you'll throw Blaine
over sand marry me I'll settle. it on;
Miss Travers for life. Give me
kiss alnd then I TIL ll,ilr make you love me.
I-,' lr 81 t< -7 a
Vincent Blaine was at the door. Hall
turned, to see Blaine advancing upon
him with clenched fists.
Whats the matter with you?' 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
firm grasp, shook him backward and
forward till the mans head Wagged
fooltshly upon his shoulders.
''Thcre goes Travers House. mur-
INJURED Mary, as she nestled into her.
lovers arms.
what do you mean" asked Blaine,
grimly And Mary told him.