"All right. I've bought ten fifty vara lots at sheriff's sale for five thousand dollars."
Neil's eye went cold.
"I've heard of that. Your title is no good. The reason you got them so cheaply was that nobody would bid because of that."
"That's for the courts to decide. The fact remains that I've a title, even though clouded, at $500 per lot."
"Proceed."
"Well, the commissioners are now advertising a sale of these same lots at auction on the 15th."
"So I see."
"Well," said Keith softly, "it strikes me that whoever buys these lots then is due for a heap of trouble."
"How so?"
"My title from the sheriff may be clouded, but it will be contested against the title given at that sale. The purchaser will have to defend himself up to the highest court. I can promise him a good fight."