Show TRANSFER OF LAND by WALTER JOSEPH DELANEY square as an a die and honest a as a quaker was tho the reputation that jarvis mercer had won in lindgrove after sixty days business bu Biness establishment in the real estate and mortgage line I 1 no and good as gold was the ardent and sincere a addendum of his ofil office secretary nellie ward but she said it to herself as she glanced timidly at her employer and blushed self consciously ly her fler true womanly heart was full of gratitude towards the shy reticent M man an who had started her in life she needed work sadly when she applied for a position a grade better than clerking in the village dry goods store nellie had an aged aunt to support and when mr mercer offered her nearly double her former salary she bhe felt as though rare opulence had bad bo be some her portion mr mercer had bad shown her unusual indulgence he had been patient in teaching her how to operate the typo typewriter lie he had set her easy and pleasant tasks from tho the first he had II placed aced entire confidence in her and this pleased her greatly in fact at eno the end of the first month she attended to bank and other business when h hd absent iler her employer arose and camo came over to where she was waa busy at her desk she felt her pulses quicken and was angry at herself for the emotion 1 I am going geini away for two weeks miss ward ho he said in his bis quiet gentle gentie way her telltale tell tale heart informed her th that at nhe isho would miss him aha dropped her iron rom 1 I those kindly eyes of hla his you will find and all necessary memoranda here he continued placing a t package before nellie sho noticed that the bankbook bank book was eluded ded containing some checks of a large amount adding to this the large cash balances usually carr carried ed and the fact abst she bhe had bad authority to tj its a raw deal sharp spoke one of the men sign checks during the absence of her employer a sudden wave of emotion over edme nellie oh sir she spoke impetuously how greatly you trust moil and how greatly you appreciate it miss ward he returned with a quick smile you have developed into a splendid little business woman I 1 dont know how I 1 could get along that la is you have been so BO useful and willing he turned away shyly like a great schoolboy making a blunder the mutual embarrassment his bis tacit recognition of her harmonious position only seemed to increase her growing regard by the way he went on after a moment or two of consultation of some papers hero here la Is something particular ti it la Is a power of 0 attorney authorizing thor izing you to act for me in the matter of a real estate transfer I 1 have had bad a very good offer for the upland forty acres nellie knew the tract well it was one of two pieces of property left to him by his uncles estate when he came to lindgrove there was the lowland forty acres near by a worthless stretch of swamp property T these hese people and mr mercer extended a card will be in they say in aday a day or two and pay two thousand dollars cash for a deed you will execute it please and take the money marvin sharp brokers was the legend the bit of pasteboard bore and now goodby good by I 1 miss ward C continued sir mr mercer her hand and holding it 1 I leave everything in your charge knowing you will attend to the business better belter than I 1 possibly could it will be your turn for a two weeks vacation when I 1 return why mr mercer I 1 have scarcely been here two months and need a little recreation like al all of us brightly reminded jarvis then his expressive face dropped solemnly lie he stared at his little helper in surprise A tear drop had taller faller his hand band ilia hla clasp tightened his breath came quickly then he be turned away and abruptly left the room 1 I love him nellie told herself rt it Is folly for ho he could never wink think of at a simple untutored girl lika me but I 1 love himl him I 1 who would not she challenged as sho she thought of tb the had done secretly bin since fc lindgrove llo ho aoa not tar far from it but hip hi blochl Bloc imala ll okli were many P and nd ote one cone eto H goodness where lie w had ba ilk widow from foreclosure hm had akeji ly IY won nellies heart it was waa two mornings late IM nellie entered the front fro stoss suite unobserved the bol hi opened up was busy in adoth an B and had not noticed her nor ha men seated in tho outer ai she was about to appal apprize 1 6 then her presence pre senco when P remark remar k otan attention lon sharply its a raw deal of the men m the kind that pays payi i marvin Marv ln and nellie instantly 4 v that the speakers were tha eel eai clie rits of her employer yes but it if its found 0 out that letter you know it wont be it it Is wg we vt our turn we ve see bet here at tho the rationale of the t thing thi tah back sleepy mercer has a tract uncovered riches under it il w wt cover it so does the vulcan a company they write him Offer hil ml ton ten thousand dollars for tue the w intercept that letter and it in reaches its destination we ca carat and get an option ott anthe thel erty the tidewater iron orash us richly for it our busin making a commission see beret here 1 there was a rustling of paper th TW a sample of some of the under that forty acres in a flash nellie comprehended comprehend it plot in motion what should sv mercer was five hundred miles i she had bad only surmise to go oni on t office boy coming in announced to hu jl the visitors they stated their t t ness nellie had her orders oil time for advice I 1 then self reliant tie business woman that she win va prepared the deed the men asked executed it and received tho the twel ikhil liebers lieBs rs mariln 0 ahry lin ati 1 marched ott off jubilantly to record deed nellie nearly collapsed 1 tl y she tried to realize the bold dot dell thing she had bad done A the men had left what looked s alamp a luan of t clay elihw them it iti 1 tho the specimen they had bad talked a tic from one of the prof essi 8 college nellie learned t that it KJ talked a rare substance k known n at g t solite employed in blast blasting fu fume to fuse metal 4 then nellie waited expecting w an t every day having sem their deed the schemers were ts tate their loi leisure sure one day mr mercer mercen feared by the way miss ward he sano antl after a warm abarm friendly greeting 11 it 9 tice alce in the weekly paper a brande the swamp tract yes sir replied nellie her cirei br coming quick 1 I sold it to thosa ants marvin shall sharp 0 dut they were to havo have the api upi acres A they think they have got cheit explained nellie they are 00 1 adlers tor for they intercepted a letterel let letter teril it fering you a large amo amount un t 0 oh h X mercer I 1 I 1 have tried to protect YU yoa hope I 1 have not done wrong asi bursting into tears nellie told all you tire are going to blame met mela ca sobbed as she looked up to find fina to eyes fixed upon her 1 I am lost in admiration cried U J via mercer 1 I need a guard guardian lanu i you have proved miss ward belh nel could it be possible that you would v capt such a responsibility perot bently nent ly 1 I lovo love you so I 1 love you so wj WU all nellie could whisper sheltered li those strong protecting arms copyright 1918 by W 0 Chap chapman irim |