"A right interesting office, sir!" he said. "I have never been in here
before. All those papers, now, they are about lands, are they not? The
titles and deeds, and such things?"
"Yes," said Sharp. "They are supposed to contain all the title papers."
"This one, now," said the boy, taking up Bexar Scrip No. 2692, "what
land does this represent the title of? Ah, I see 'Six hundred and forty
acres in B---- country? Absalom Harris, original grantee.' Please tell
me, I am so ignorant of these things, how can you tell a good survey
from a bad one. I am told that there are a great many illegal and
fraudulent surveys in this office. I suppose this one is all right?"
"No," said Sharp. "The certificate is missing. It is invalid."
"That paper I just saw you place in that file, I suppose is something
else--field notes, or a transfer probably?"
"Yes," said Sharp, hurriedly, "corrected field notes. Excuse me, I am a
little pressed for time."
The boy was watching him with bright, alert eyes.
It would never do to leave the certificate in the file; but he could not
take it out with that inquisitive boy watching him.
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