d the old house over. But he DID buy it
and he paid cash for it. I know he did, because--"

"All right. I know he bought it and all the particulars of the purchase
perhaps better than you do. A good deal of my time of late has been
given to investigating the history of that second strip of land.
Captain Abner Barnes, Mrs. Barnes' uncle, bought the land upon which
he contemplated moving, and later, did move the house, of Isaiah Holt,
Darius Holt's father, then living. Mr. Holt bought of a man named David
Snow, who, in turn, bought of--"

Holliday Kendrick interrupted. "Snow bought of me," he growled. "Worse
luck! I was a fool to sell, or so I think now; but it was years ago; I
had no idea at that time of coming here to live; and shore land was of
no value then, anyhow. The strip came to me as a part of my father's
estate. I thought myself lucky to get anything for it. But what's all
this ancient history got to do with it now? And what do you mean by
sending me this letter and that check?"

"I'll explain. I am trying to explain. The peculiar point comes in just
here. You, Mr. Kendrick, never owned that land."

E. Holliday bounced in his chair.

"Didn't own it!" he roared. "What nonsense are you talking? The land
belonged to my father, Samuel Kendrick, and I inherited it from him."

"No, you didn't."

"I tell you I did. He left everything he had to me."

"Yes, so he did. But he didn't own that land. He owned it at one time,
probably he owned it when he made his will, but he didn't own it at the
time of his death. Your father, Mr. Kendrick, was in financial straits
at various times during his residence here in Orham and he borrowed a
good deal of money. The most of these were loans, pure and simple, but
one at least wasn't. At one time--needing money badly, I presume--he
sold this strip of land. The purchaser thought it was worth nothing,
no doubt, and never mentioned owning it--at least, until just before
he died. He simply had the deed recorded and forgot it. Everyone
else forgot it, too. But the heirs, or the heir, of that purchaser, I
discovered, was the legal owner of that land."

Captain Obed uttered an exclamation.

"Why, John Kendrick!" he shouted. "Do you mean--"

"Hush, Captain! Mr. Kendrick," addressing the red-faced and furious
gentleman at his left, "have I made myself clear so far? Do you follow
me?"

"Follow you? I don't believe it! I--I--don't believe it! Who was he? Who
did my father sell tha