Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 1.djvu/53

 PAYING THE MORTGAGE.

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��other home. You shall not stay here unless every dollar which is my clue is paid at the proper time."

The sound of wheels arrested his at- tention and interrupted his angry words. He had only time to dispose of the casket and reach the door before Mr. Eldridge came in sight ; while from another direc- tion came Aunt Jane, walking hurriedly. He made all possible haste, but could not avoid a meeting with both.

" You are the very person I wished to see," said the clergyman. " I have some business to transact with you, and, as it concerns Miss Dunlap, we may as well arrange it in her presence. I am author- ized to pay the claim you hold upon her estate, and so lift the mortgage. I have the money with me."

" Who has authorized you to do this? "

"A friend of Mrs. Bradshaw. One who owed her a debt of gratitude, and chooses to make payment for the benefit of her heir."

"Who is the friend?"

" The friend chooses to remain un- known."

Aunt Jane nodded her head approving- ly and listened in silence until reference was made to the taxes.

" Peter Greenleaf, I know all about that, and I'll jest settle them taxes my- self. Then Elsie can pay me when she gits ready. You see there's provision made all 'round. Elsie, jest come out here and see what's goin' on, and if you've got anything to say, say it,"

At this summons from Aunt Jane, Elsie Dunlap appeared, able only to express her gratitude and delight iu a voice brok- en with sobs.

Disappointed, mortified and angry, the rich man drove away, conscious that he was an object of contempt to at least two of the group he left standing at the cot- tage door. Convinced that nothing could be done to prevent the settlement he gladly would have avoided, he resolved to yield the point without further debate. But who could have advanced the means for doing this? He thought of one and another, rejecting each and all. It could not be Aunt Jane, and he thought him- self nearly as certain in regard to every person in town.

��When he reached home he threw the casket into a drawer which closed with a spring lock, and wished he might never see it again. Then he prepared for busi- ness, sure that Mr. Eldridge would not long delay, and -desiring to make the in- terview as short as possible. This accom- plished, he had ample time to brood over his thwarted plans, and scheme for re- venge. The minister would find that he had made a powerful enemy.

But in making this one enemy he found that he had also made many friends, and that the self-denial upon which he had counted would be of short duration. Elsie and Regis Dunlap could repay a small part of their indebtedness, and Aunt Jane volunteered to wait indefinitely for what was her due.

" There ain't no danger of my losin' it, and I don't want it to use ; and, you see, I guess the minister needs every dollar that belongs to him, and he ought to have it. I shouldn't wonder, too. if he got a real donation 'fore long. Folks are talk- in' about it. No matter if His done to spite Peter Greenleaf, it'll help along jest the same. We'd better have it purty soon after Thanksgiving, and every one carry somethin'. Cam says that's the way, and he's a good sensible youngster. He's goin' to aim a good deal this win- ter, though I never see nobody so bound up with a book as he is. He can see through things quicker'n most folks. I've told him niore'n once he ought to be a lawyer, and mebbe he could upset the title to them two thousand acres folks say don't belong to Peter any more than they do to me. Your granma'am thought it might be done."

" I wish it might, but it will take some- body smarter than Cam Bassettto do it."

" I don't know about that, and I guess you don't. You jest wait and see."

People were seeing strange things without long waiting. It really seemed that the single revolt against their avari- cious townsman had inspired them with courage and boldness to speak of him as he deserved; while the economy prac- ticed by two who had been regarded as children was a stimulus to retrenchment and thrift in other households encum- b ered with debt.

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