For forty years Scattergood and Mandy
lived together as man and wife, and at the end both could look back
through the intimate years and say of the other that he had chosen well
his mate.
It may be thought that this bit of romance is dropped in here by legend
and history merely to amuse, or as a side light on the character of
Scattergood Baines. This is not so. We are forced by the facts to regard
the matter as an integral part of the business transaction related in
this narrative. Not a minor part, not an important part, but perhaps the
deciding factor....
John Bones, lawyer, age twenty-six, was a recent acquisition to
Coldriver village. Scattergood had watched the young man's comings and
goings, and had listened to his conversation. Early in November he went
to his bank and drew from deposit two hundred and fifty dollars.... Then
he went to call on Bones.
"Mr. Bones," he said, "folks says old Clayt Mosier's a client of
your'n."
"He's given me some business, Mr. Baines."
"Uh-huh!... Somethin' to do with title to a piece of timber over
Higgins's Bridge way, wa'n't it?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Baines, but I guess you'll have to ask Mr.
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