g at all." But Murray somewhat damped his enthusiasm
by the statement that there might be bills and claims of various sorts
against the estate, which, in the end, would show it to be insolvent.
However, he agreed to take the matter up at once, and be content to
receive his fee when the final settlement was made.

Checkers spent the rest of the day in writing the long-delayed letter
to Pert, telegraphing her in the mean time that he had received her
letter, and expressing his thanks.

A few days brought to light these facts concerning Giles Edward
Campbell, deceased: He had drawn a large pension undeservedly for
years, and by pinching and saving had amassed a fortune. Under
Cleveland in '84 his pension was annulled, and about the same time he
was nearly bankrupted in a greedy and foolish speculation. Then fear
of absolute want must have seized him, for, converting the little that
was left into gold, he hoarded it in miserly fashion; loaning it at
usurious rates, and hiding it when not in use in chests and crannies in
his den. At the time of his death, which was due more to lack of
nourishment than to anything else, there was found upon his person and
in nooks and corners of his room, thirty thousand dollars in gold and
government bonds, all of which in due time became the property of
Checkers.

VIII

On a certain bright December day not many weeks after the occurrence of
the last related events, the town of Clarksville seemed to have assumed
a most unwonted bustle and confusion. People were actually hurrying in
and out of the little white Methodist church, carrying evergreen
boughs, chrysanthemums and sprays of holly and mistletoe. Wagons were
driving back and forth between town and the Barlow place, and the
Barlow house was in the hands of a Little Rock caterer and his
assistants. It was Checkers' wedding day. He and Pert were to be
married that night at six o'clock. Nothing they could think of had
been left undone to make the occasion a happy one.

Though the old man fumed and fretted at the expense, Checkers insisted
upon having things "right." "This is my first and last wedding," he
said, "and there 's going to be nothing Sioux City about it." So,
though the old man groaned in spirit, caterer, orchestra, flowers,
etc., were ordered, regardless of expense, from Little Rock, and all
the town took a surpassing interest in the event.

Checkers' return to Clarksville had been the triumphant return