“And sentenced?”
“Yes; to a long prison term. But Governor Appleby pardoned him with that mean old proviso, that he never should step into Massachusetts!”
“Was your mother then the heir to the Massachusetts property?”
“No; but Mr. Appleby knew she would be. So, when she did inherit, and had to live in Massachusetts to hold the estate, Mr. Appleby thought he had dad where he wanted him.”
“Were they foes?”
“Politically, yes. Because dad did all he could to keep Mr. Appleby from being governor.”
“But didn’t succeed?”
“No; but almost. So, then, Mr. Appleby did this pardon trick to get even with father, and I think it turned out more serious than he anticipated. For mother took up the feud, and she got lawyers and all that and arranged to have the house built on the line between the states!”
“Was the estate she inherited on both sides of the line?”
“Oh, no; but it was near the southern border of Massachusetts, and she bought enough adjoining land to make the arrangement possible.”