<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=107518.msg5246095#msg5246095">Quote from: MistressofPen on 23-09-2011, 05:13:22</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Irene dutifully wrote down the names.  Marcus Smith.  The name was familiar.  But, Marcus was a right common name.  </blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Sam spoke softly to her as his hand rested on hers.<br/><br/>“I’m glad you were able to keep something that you valued . . . but something just doesn’t seem right to me about this whole thing.  We surely aren’t going to figure it out today, but I want to get as much research done today as we can.  Then I want to celebrate our being engaged . . . and how much I want you.”<br/><br/>Sam opened the next ledger and went to the last tab.  He opened it and scanned down the page.  He grimaced at the entry.<br/><br/>“Well here it is just about when you said it was.  It’s the entry for the township’s execution of a ‘delinquent tax’ lien.  The notation is entered by order of . . . well it looks to me like a Jason Sullivan, as tax collector.  Here take a look . . . is that how you read that?  Oh and write down that date for me please.”<br/><br/>Sam handed the ledger to Irene.<br/><br/>“Do you know that man?  Did he ever talk to you or give you any papers?  I always thought these foreclosure orders had to be from the court . . . I suppose I could telegraph the Judge and ask him.  Of course this is probably before the Marshal’s time here, and certainly before Mr. Hardy as there’s another signature with the clerk’s stamp beside it.  Do you see that?  I couldn’t really make it out darlin’ . . . can you?  I hate to ask you this so bluntly honey . . . but how was it that you left the ranch?”<br/><br/>He held her hand and gently squeezed it, hoping she’d take some comfort from the gesture.<br/><br/>“Back east . . . it’s usually the county sheriff who serves the papers . . . we’re still a little young out here maybe to have that setup but there should have been some legal papers in order to take Tim’s estate’s likely only asset from you as his widow.  It seems like a very low thing to do without giving you the chance to pay the back taxes and any penalties.”<br/>