The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-31
CHAPTER xxIL-corrrsux

ShAfIEh AAll--SONEiSUEu
He went to his club, but the first
person who came to him was MIR. Whit
tlestaff. Mr.. Whittlestaff, when he had
left the park. had determined never to
sce John Gordon again, or to see him
only during that ceremony of the mar
rage, which it might be that he would
even vet escape. All that was still in
the distant future. Dim idess rs to
some means of avoiding it fitted
through his brain. But even though
he might see Gordon on that terrible
occasion, he need not speak to him.
And it would have to be done then, and
then only. But now another idea, GER
ta;nly very vague, had found its way
into his mind, and with the object Of
carving it out. Mr.. Whittlestaff had
come to the club. ''Oh, Mr.. Whittle-
staff. how do you do again?"
I'm much the same as / was be-
fore, thank you. There hasn't hap
pened anything to improve my health
81 hope nothing may happen to in
jure it,
sit doesn't much matter. You said
something about some property you've
got in diamonds, and you said once that
you must 90 out TO look after it."
.'But I'm not going now. l shall sell
nv Share in the mines. l am going TO
see a Mr.. Tookey about it Immediate
ly."
Cant You sell them to me?"
.'The diamond shares you?"
"Why not to me? If the thing has
to be done at once. of course Won and
must trust each other. L suppose you
can tr;iSt me-"
Certainly can
''As l don't care much about it,
whether l get what buy or not, it does
not much matter for me. But, in truth,
in such an affair rs this l would trust
you. Why should not l go in your
place"
81 don't think you are the man who
ought to GO there"
II am too old? I'm not cripple, if
you mean that. l don't see why 1
shouldn't 90 to the mond-felds rs
well as young II man."
1T is not about your age, Mr.. Whit
tlestatf; butt do not Think you would
be happy there"
Happy! l do not know that my
state of bliss here is very great. If l
had bought your shares, as YOU call
them, and paid money for them, l don't
see why my happiness need stand in the
way"
"You are gentleman, Mr.. Whittle-
staff"
well: hope So"
land of that kind that You would
have Your eyes picked out of your
head before you had been there week.
Don't go. Take my word for it, that
life will be pleasanter'to you here than
there, asd that for you the venture
would be altogether dangerous. Here is
Mr. Tookey." At this point of the
conversation Mr.. Tookey entered the
hall door, and some fashion of intro
duction took place between the two
strangers. John Gordon led the way
into q private room. and the two others
followed him. Here's a gentleman
anxious to buy my shares, Tookey,'
said Gordon.
What, the whole lot of the old
Stiok-in-the-MuI? He'll have to shell
down some money IN order to do that.
II l were to be asked my opinion, l
should say that the transaction was
hardly one in the gentleman's way of
business"
81 suppose an honest man may
work at If, said Mr. Whittlc,ratf
% It's the honeStest business l know
out" said Fitzwalker Tookey; 'but it
does require gentleman to have his
eyes about him.
Haven't got my eyes?''
''Oh certainly, certainly, said
Tookey: IL pever knew a gentleman
have them brighter. And there are
eyes and eyes. Here's Mr.. Gordon did
have stroke of luck out there;-quite
wonderful! But because he tumbled
on good thing it's 40 reason others
should. And he's sold his claim
already, if he doesn't go himself
either to me or else to Poker & Hodge"
Pm afraid it is So" said John Cor
don.
= There's my darling wife, who is
going out with rue. and who means to
stand all the hardship of the hard work
amidst those scenes of constant labor
\ lady who is dying to see her babies
there. l am sure, sir, that MIR. Gordon
won't forget his promises to me and my
wife"
Ill You have the money ready"
There is Mrts Poker in hansom-
cab outside, and ready to go with YOU
to the bank at once, as the matter is
rather pressing. If you will come with
him, he will explain everything. Twill
follow in another cab. and then every
thing can be completed" John Cor
don did make an appointment to meet
Mr.. Poker in the city later on in the day.
and then was left together with Mr..
Whittlestaff at the club.
1t was soon decided that Mr.. Whittle-
staff should give up all idea of the dia-
mond-felds, and in SO doing he allowed
himself to be brought back to state of
selni-courteous conversation with his
happy rival 'Well, yes; you may
write to her, suppose. Indeed. don't
know what right / have to say that you
may or YOU mayn't. She's more yours
than mine, l suppose" Turn her
out! / don't know what makes you
take such an idea IS that in Your
head" John Gordon had not suggest
ed idat Mir. Whittlestaff would turn
Mary Lawrie out--though he had spoken
OF the steps he would have taken were
he 10 find Mary LETT without a home
''She shall have my house as her own
till she can find another. As she will
not be my wife, she shall be my daugh-
ter-till she is somebody else's wife /
told you before that you may come and
marry her. Indeed l can't help my
self. OF course YOU may go on as YOU
would with some other girl-oniy wish
it were some other girl. You can go
and stay with Montagu Blake, If you