Page:North Dakota Reports (vol. 48).pdf/694

 that under date of July 26, 1917, plaintiff entered into a certain writing with your defendant Charles H. Houska, whereby among other things the plaintiff granted to your defendant Houska exclusive option or right to sell said described premises for the sum of $5,800, the plaintiff further agreeing to furnish good title to said land described; that thereafter and during the month of July, 1917, .your defendant sold said described premises to his codefendant, A. L. Martin, which sale was communicated to and ratified by the plaintiff, said Martin, going immediately into possession, and that thereafter there was paid to and accepted by the plaintiff the sum of $1,200 on account of the purchase price of said premises, and that thereafter defendant Charles H. Houska tendered to the plaintiff the sum of $4,378.85, being the balance due on account of said agreed purchase, less certain items of disbursement by your defendant Houska, which were agreed to by the plaintiff and her agents.”

The answer further, in substance, alleges that Martin is entitled to a warranty deed to the premises from plaintiff, and that all delays in closing the sale were not the fault of defendants, and were acquiesced in by plaintiff. That the delay was occasioned by awaiting the determination of a test case involving the question of the North Dakota Alien Inheritance Tax then pending in the Supreme Court of the state of North Dakota, which was finally determined in the Supreme Court of the United States of America in the case of Howard Moody v. Otto A. Hagen et al. See Skarderud v. Tax Commission of North Dakota, 245 UL. S. 633, 38 Sup. Ct. 133, 62 L. ed. 522.

The material facts necessary to be stated are as follows: Ole Nasset was at the time of his death in 1915 the owner of the S. % of section Io and the 8. W. % of section 11, all in the township and range first above mentioned. He left surviving him as heirs at law Karoline Nasset, the plaintiff, Hansine Nass, and Bertine K. Udtian. Proceedings were had in the county court of Rolette county with reference to the administration of the estate, and Hansine Nass was duly appointed and qualified as administratrix; Charles H. Houska acting as her attorney in the administration of the estate.

On the 23d day of November, 1917, a written agreement was entered into between the heirs relative to the distribution of the real estate, under which the plaintiff was to receive the S. W. 4 of section 10, above mentioned. Prior to the time the estate was closed Karoline Nasset entered into the following agreement in writing: