ate titles that were from one reason or another defective, which
it is needless to say the majority are. For a reasonable sum this new
company undertook to perfect the title to Clark's Field and then to
insure purchasers and sellers against any inconvenient claims that might
arise in the future, defending the title against all comers or in case
of defeat assuming the losses. A very convenient institution in a
society where the laws of property are so intricate and sacred! As a
first step there was an extensive public advertisement for the missing
heir or heirs, and then in due form a "judicial sale" of the property by
order of court, after which the court pronounced the title to Clark's
Field, so long clouded, to be "quieted." And woe to any one who might
now dare to raise that restless spirit, be he Edward S. or any
descendant of his!

This legal process of purification for Clark's Field being under way,
the ingenious mind of Mr. Ashly Crane turned to the next problem, which
was to dispose of the property advantageously. Manifestly the Washington
Trust Company could not go into the real estate business on behalf of
its ward and peddle out slices of her Field. That would not be proper,
nor would it be especially profitable to the trust company. Mr. Crane,
therefore, conceived the brilliant idea of forming a "Clark's Field
Associates" corporation to buy the undeveloped tract of land from the
trust company, who as guardian could sell it in whole or in part, and
the new corporation might then proceed at its leisure to "develop" the
old Field advantageously. For the benefit of the ignorant it maybe
bluntly stated here that this was merely a device for buying Adelle's
property cheaply and selling it at a big profit,--not as crude a method
as the other that the Veteran had almost fallen a victim to, because the
Washington Trust Company was a "high-toned" institution and did not do
things crudely; but in effect the device was the same.

The Clark's Field Associates was, therefore, incorporated and made an
offer to the trust company for Clark's Field,--a fair offer in the
neighborhood of a million dollars for the fifty-acre tract of city land.
An obstacle, however, presented itself at this point, which in the end
forced the Associates to modify their plan materially. The sale had to
be approved by the probate judge, the same Judge Orcutt who had once
before befriended the unknown little girl. This time the judge examined
the s