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In order to keep the business and the property intact and under the perpetual control of one partnership, the granddaughter of Wyckholme was to marry the grandson of Skaggs within the year after the death of the surviving partner. Wyckholme named Sir John Allencrombie as one executor and Skaggs selected Alfred Bowen, of Boston, as the other.
We must not overlook the fact that Lady Deppingham and Robert Browne are quite willing to take everything from the islanders. Everything that Taswell Skaggs and John Wyckholme possessed in this island belongs to them under the terms of the will." They were at the top of the second flight of stairs by this time and quite a distance from the treasure chamber.
I suppose, however, that the rooms we have taken are the best?" "The choicest, my lady," said Bowles, bowing. "See here, Mr. er old chap, don't you think you can induce the servants to come back to us? By Jove, I'll make it worth your while. The place surely must need cleaning up a bit. It's some months since the old since Mr. Skaggs died."
Now and then, officers from some British man-of-war stopped off for entertainment in the château, and it was only on such occasions that Skaggs realised what a gorgeously beautiful home it was that he lived in.
He magnanimously deeded the unentailed farm to his wife, turned his securities into cash and then set forth upon a voyage of exploration. It is common history that upon one dark, still night in December he said good-bye forever to the farm and its mistress; but it is doubtful if either of them heard him. To be "jolly well even" with him, Mrs. Skaggs did a most priggish thing.
"Bowles," said he, "it's a rotten shame they didn't think to say good-bye to old man Skaggs. He's in the same grave with us." The middle of June found the Deppinghams leaving London once more, but this time not on a voyage into the mysterious South Seas.
Johnson'; and he fills his glass and I fills mine, and we rises. And I heaves that wine, glass and all, right into his damned grinnin' face. And he jumps for me, for he is very game, this Man, very game, but some on 'em grabs him, and he sez, 'Who be you? And I sez, 'Skaggs! damn you, Skaggs! Look at me!
When the glasses were filled and the pipes going, the Colonel began his story, interlarding it frequently with comments of his own. "Now, in the first place, Mr. Skaggs," he said when the tale was done, "I am lawyer enough to see for myself how weak the evidence was upon which the negro was convicted, and later events have done much to confirm me in the opinion that he was innocent."
The only excitement I get is when the ships call twice a month. I've even prayed that our beastly old volcano might erupt and do all sorts of horrible things. It might, at least, toss old Mr. Skaggs back into our midst; that would be a relief, even if he came up as a chunk of lava. But nothing happens nothing! These Persian fairies you talk about bah!
Skaggs; they were not investing blindly in the great undertaking. Mr. Levistein, the president of the combine, after a long talk with Lord Deppingham, expressed the belief that the château could be turned into a money-making hotel if properly advertised outside of the island.
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