第100章

"As a judge of character, Captain Bangs," he observed, "my respected cousin should rank high."Captain Obed's first act after E.Holliday's departure was to rush over, seize the young man's hand with one of his own, and thump him enthusiastically upon the back with the other.

"I said it!" he crowed."I knew it! I knew you was all right and square as a brick all the time, John Kendrick! NOW let me meet some of those folks that have been talkin' against you! You never did a better day's work in your life.HE'S down on you, but every decent man in Ostable County'll be for you through thick and thin after this.Hooray for our side! John, shake hands with me again."They shook, heartily.The captain was so excited and jubilant that he was incoherent.At last, however, he managed to recover sufficiently to ask a question.

"But how did you do it," he demanded."How did you get on the track of it? You must have had some suspicions."John smiled.His friend's joy evidently pleased him, but he, himself, was rather sober and not in the least triumphant.

"I did have a suspicion, Captain," he said."In fact, I had been told that I had a claim to a piece of land somewhere along the shore here in East Wellmouth.My father told me years ago, when he was in his last sickness.He said that he owned a strip of land here, but that it was probably worth little or nothing.When Icame here I intended looking into the matter, but I did not do so.

Where the original deed may be, I don't know even now.It may be among some of my father's papers, which are stored in New York.

But the record of the transfers I found in Ostable; and that is sufficient.My claim may not be quite as impregnable as I gave my late client to understand, but it will be hard to upset.I am the only possible claimant and I have transferred my claim to Mrs.

Barnes.The land belongs to her now; she can't be dispossessed.""But--but, John, why didn't you say so sooner? What made you let everyone think--what they did think?"Before John could reply there came an interruption.The door opened and Thankful Barnes entered.She paid no attention to Captain Obed, but, walking straight to the desk, laid upon it the long envelope which Winnie S.had brought to her house that morning.

"Will you tell me," she asked, sharply, "what that means?"John rose."Yes," he said, "I will tell you, Mrs.Barnes.It is a rather long story.Sit down, please."Thankful sank into the chair he indicated.He took up the envelope.

"I will tell you, Mrs.Barnes," he said, "why I sent you this deed.

Don't go, Captain Bangs, you know already and I should like to have you stay.Here is the story, Mrs.Barnes."He told it briefly, without superfluous words, but so clearly that there could be no possibility of a misunderstanding.When he began Thankful's attitude was cold and unbelieving.When he finished she was white and trembling.

"Mrs.Barnes," he said, in conclusion, "I'm a peculiar fellow, I'm afraid.I have rather--well, suppose we call them impractical ideas concerning the ethics of my profession, duty to a client, and that sort of thing.I have always been particular in taking a case, but when I have taken it I have tried to carry it through.

I--as you know, I hesitated before accepting my cousin's retaining fee and the implied obligation.However, I did accept."He might have given his reasons for accepting but he did not.He went on.

"When this matter of your property came up," he said, "I at first had no idea that the thing was serious.You owned the property, as I supposed, and that was sufficient.I had told my cousin that and meant to tell you.I meant to tell you a portion of what I have just told the captain here, but I--well, I didn't.Mr.Daniels'

remarks irritated me and I--well, he put the case as a test of legal skill between himself and me, and--and I have my share of pride, I suppose.So I determined to beat him if I could.It was wrong, as I see it now, and I beg your pardon."Thankful put a hand to her forehead.

"But you did--beat him, didn't you?" she stammered."You found Ididn't own the land."

"Yes.I found I owned it myself, legally.If I had found it belonged to anyone else, I--well, I scarcely know what I should have done.You see," with a half smile, "I'm trying to be perfectly frank.Finding that I was the owner made it easy."She did not understand."It made it easy," she repeated slowly.

"But you gave it to ME!"