Rising in the world

by T. S. Arthur

"Yes, every day, and is gone an hour."

"Very well. At eleven o'clock to-morrow do you ask him to go out with you and get something to drink. He will go. Manage to keep him at the tavern until after twelve o'clock, and then he will go home for his dinner instead of going back to your house. That, you see, will give you two hours. Previous to this, you must arrange with a friend to come with a furniture wagon or two, while you are treating the watchman, and remove some of your most valuable things to where Dunbar will never find them. This can be done every day, until little remains behind of any value. Of course you will take care to diminish the show of goods as little as possible, so as to give the watchman an excuse for not seeing what is going on."

"You don't mean to say that he will understand the game we are playing?" said Malcolm.

"Certainly I do. A sheriff's watchman is no fool, whatever he may seem to be. Of course you will put a five or a ten dollar bill into his hand before you retire with your family, and leave him in full possession, saying to him that it is but a just remuneration for the consideration he has had in making his presence so little offensive to yourself and family, when it might have been far otherwise."

"And you really think all this can be done?" said Malcolm, scarcely crediting the lawyer's affirmation.

"Certainly it can, if you choose to carry it through."

"Choose!" ejaculated Malcolm. "I think I will choose. The cursed villain! I would go through fire and water to circumvent him. He knew he was about losing my case, and his fee into the bargain, and he thought he would get something out of me for his trouble."

"You do just as I recommend, and you can save nearly all your goods and furniture."

"I will follow your advice to the letter," replied Malcolm, as he shook the lawyer's hand, and hurriedly left his office.

"Another trick of the profession," he said, to himself as he walked homeward. "Nothing like misfortune to make a man acquainted with the subtleties of law, and the rascalities practised in its execution."