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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 1890)
WEST SHORK. '.M man who undertook the business to be able to keep his mouth phut, and again to insinuate that there wan money enough in the business for both lawyer and cli ent. When they arrived in the private parlor, Mr. Burrows was in the spirit to make a grasp for another chance in life, or, in his own phraseology, stock in his proHtxTts was nearer par. The client was a lady. There was no introduction. The three sat about a table and while Arthur rehearsed the conversation from the time he had entered Bur rows' ollice, the legal gentleman deferentially kept his eyes away from the lady's face. The two or three quick glances he had stolen at her, however, showed him a well developed woman elegantly dressed, with a fare that would have Ix-en handsome even without its artificial coloring. The predominant thought in Bur rows' mind was concerning the retainer and the jiossi bility of an immediate payment. " I have certain documents which it will Ik neces sary for you to examine Wforc anything further need Ik? done," the lady commenced. " My agent says you have spoken of a retainer." ' Mr. Brigham will testify that this is a very busy jteriod with me" "Then you are acquainted with Mr. Brigham?" interrupted the lady, in some surprise. " I had the pleasure of a slight acquaintance with Mr. Brigham years ago," Burrows hurriedly explained. He was greatly discomfitted by the coldness in her voice. A whisjicrcd conversation took place lietween the client and her agent, during which the legal gentle man was in an extremely trying state of susjcnse. When the lady next looked on him Burrows contin ued, in hope of offsetting any damage he might have done by claiming the acquaintance " I deferred a matter of great iniortance to accom pany your agent here. I have a complicated case which will require my attention in Kssex for several days. I should not have listened to him at all, but he mentioned Ksscx, and I thought vour bind ties might W something that I could attend to in conjunction with my other matter. If I am mistaken and the business would require much time in another direc tion, I must itivcly decline to accept any confi dence." Mr. Burrows had Ix-gun this seh anxiouidy. Hi reference to Kssex was a roup ilt tint on which he based considerable hoj His conclusion wa in a very de cided tone, one that would admit of no argument, for he hail obwrved the look of satisfaction which passed from the lady to her agent, and he resolved to risk all in one throw of the line. " My retainer," he continued, "i govrrned by the duties involved. In case of attachment or looking up deeds, I should require only a small advance. For matters of greater importance in case your busine concern money in great amount, I should have to call for a retainer of fifty dollars." From various glance and motion exdiangcd W twern hi listeners, Mr. Burrow correctly minis! that luck was running in hi faror. Hi very atmnii b listened for her next word. " The rase con em a great amount of inonrr," she said, pushing toward him the d-rumrnt and with them J he retainer. It wa all Burrow' head tuuM do t pre vent his legs from running out of the parlor and to the nearest restaurant. He was verv faint when he took up the first pajrr, but a he examined he grew actually diny, from a different cause, however, for it wa the document of which he had heard from childhood, a copv of the will of Kphraim Marshfield. Burrows became so alorWd in the reading that his client grew impatient. " Have you any uiiestion to ask? "she said. " What relation do you War to any jx-rson herein named?" inquired Burrows. " I am the daughter of Bichard Croswick. My father !cing dead and there Wing no claimant from the Marshfield family, I am the heiress of the Marsh field projM-rty." " Your father's death and your own identity you can prove?" Mr. Burrow was Incoming excited. "Certainly!" " Miss Crosswicks!" exclaimed Burrows, "you are singularly fortunate in stumbling on me, so to sak, when you were looking for an attorney to settle this affair. I have known of this will from boyhood. am intimately acquainted with jn-ople who are nearly connected with the nu t concerning the case, Wsides Wing on terms of intimacy with those who have it in their Miwer to settle the estate. I can answer for you jstsitively that you will have the estate in your w -sioti in less than one month, a all Kssex know of the old in nn Marshfield' death," counting the evi dence on hi fingers. "All Kssex know of the sink ing ship and jx-rishing of th family. All Kssex knows of the condition of this will. You can prove your father' death and your idctity. Madamor, I iM-g your pardon Miss, I guarantee your caw." " But supjtose a natural heir to the properly to W alive?" suggested the woman, rather nervously, " rreMsterou! ImtMihe! You alarm yourself unnecessarily, madam! Burrow exclaimed, bowing gallantly. " But in case a claimant should comr up, the identity must W proven. It I our busine to e that the real heir or heires. should he or sW W alive, shall not prove hi or her identity, We must down everybody, madam, right or wrong! We must down 'em! By thi will the projx-rty U your, my lienl'" Mr. Burrow had wrought him If to such a pitch of enthusiasm that he had forgotten h wa hungry. " That' Just it!" Ii.terrd Brigham. "The lady owns the estate and everything that dispute her right must W removed from Wr iath!" "Certainly! certainly! rrj-ated Burrow. "By one mean or another. I think I understand you fully." " I have thi t-ackage," said the lady " If my right W disputed and you think the caw looking h favor able than at prewnt, you are to oj-n (hi iwkag. If you mct with no ojjitioii, you are to return thi package to me a it l, unowned. If you prove faith ful to me and i-nt th pM-Mr, I will give you one. fifth of the estate. I'll not d- tain you any 1ngrf ; w understand rarh other! You ran dir t any ltiijrtanl information to Alice IJl Ithunt, at thi hotel. I will rerrire it." Burrow, a h left tU parlor, wa not one whit let r iritcj than th lady irs-f A half hour later U in treating himself lt an excellent iupr. A th