Page:The Winning Touchdown.djvu/319

Rh Churchill. The president greeted them pleasantly.

"I have just had the lawyers here," he said, "and they state that the quit-claim deed which you boys found is genuine, and the very one that was missing. It brings to an end the suit against the college, and I wish to once more thank you lads. The prohibition of silence is now removed, and you are at liberty to tell your friends the good news."

"But you have not heard it all," said Tom, and he told about the visit of the excited stranger just before the game.

"I think I can explain that," went on the president, with a smile, "and also tell you where to find your chair."

"Can you?" cried the three, eagerly.

"Your visitor was a Mr. James Lawson," continued Dr. Churchill, "and he was the one who made the claim against the college, being a distant heir of Simon Hess. Without the quit-claim deed being available to us, he was the ostensible owner of our property. How he got possession of the deed he would not say, though the lawyers and I questioned him."

"Was he here?" asked Phil.

"Yes, your actions evidently frightened him, for he called a little while ago to say that he gave up all claims to the land. He stated that he thought he had a right to the deed."