The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-12-17
straight to the Free-for-All, where we
wore rs usral. congreeated.

We had hardly said how-de-do when
out came the bad news.
whats Lem Roder doing in Chica-
COZ" asked Jim.
"Chicago!" we cried.
"Yes;.l saw him there the day left
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Doe Sloane
"Leafs in Phoenix"
81 saw him in Chicago, and spoke to
Him. He jumped as if he had bce2
shot. and ran for his life. That night,
when / took the train for the west, l
saw him on the rear platform Of the
train for the east. which was just pull
ing out"
Theresvas silence for minute.
Doub+s, hopes, fears-all played hide
-ard-seek.
Tom Gable was the first to find his
voice.
"By-by," he said.
"What's the matter?" asked Truslow.
"Our seating fund.-" replied Gable;
eve won't seat this year."
Then in a few words Tom told him
all about it.
An angry murmur went around.
There was lynchipg in the air that
night. 1t didn't help improve the at
mosphere very much, either.
"Humph!" said Doe Sloane, "what'll
Mrs. Lem say-and Bustcr?"
Then q. strange thing happened.
We were standing at the bar Our
drinks had been poured cut, but in the
excitement we had forgotten tlern.
We took our glasses in cur hands aaa
looked down into them, and then sud
denly, right down in the bottcu.s 6
the glasses, in the whisky and '.ate-,
the pictures of two golden heads
peeped out full and fair, with Inc SUE
beams shining down Oh them so that
the little halos danced all around. 4
strange place for two gplden-haired, in
nocent little heads to be, wasn't it?
We took our drinks.
"Weil," said Jim Truslow, "they
mustn't know, anyhow"
In the east the crowd would have
said amen. We didn't say it, but we
meant it.
we 1elt better already.
whats $4,000, anyhow" said Tom
Gable.
We were almost all right again.
"They know me-" said Truslow. CPL
| go over and promise them the money
and tell 'em how it is. They've been
in hard luck themselves, and will sec
| US OUT
Why, we we're all happy again
Prosecute Lem? Not much! Break
that little heart? Not bit of i'll
1t was decided that Jim should start
the next day. AS to Mrs. Lem, we were
to wait day or so to see what was e
be done.
A few days later word came from. the
effete east that Lem was in New York
a kind friend wrote to Tom Gable and
said that, by-the-way. Lem Was at til
Aston house. Tom wrote back at one
to the friend and told him to keep a..
eye on Lem.
No word came direct from the man
who had made the strike, however, and
as one or two of the women had hea13
all about LENS defalcation we didn'r
know at what time some sympathizine
female might go to Mrs. Lem ard tell
her all about it. So it was decided to act
at once.
Tom Gable wrote to his friend in tbs
east to meet Mrs. Lem at the Grand
Central and take her to her husband
| and then he and Doe Sloane called OF
her.
"Have you heard from Lem?" they
asked
NO." replied she; ''have you?"
EYES," said Tom; she's gone to New
York. He has settled our business fol
us, and he got into faro-game in
Phoenix and made few thousands"
Indeed" remarked Mrs. Len; cts
funny he didn't write to me about it."
We'll" said Tom, 'you see he writes
that he's too busy. He sent me soc
for you, and you are to pack up and
| go to him at once"
Mrs. Lem took the money.
He wants you to leave here to-mor-
row. Doc and will see. you to the rail
road, and you'll be met at the Crane
Central by Jim Carroll. You remem
Der him, of course. Lem is too busy
He's making loads of money!
Mrs. Lem and Buster left us the mex
day. twas sad day for all of us. VIZ
eheered them as they rode off with tn,
last $2oO left in town.
Wbop fbaxy ~
Doc Sloane handed Mrs. Lem letter
| for her husband.
Give that to Lem when you see him,
said he. 'sGood-by, ma am, and Buster
take care of your mamma, and if you're
good you'll be man before she isl
! Mrs. Lem Rugged Buster, and Buste,
cried for the last time in the territor,
of Arizona.
| The train started, and when Mrs
Lem handed over the letter to her hrS
band he read:
Dear Lem: Never mind what YOU did
You take care of Mrs Lem and Buster AM
love them with all your heart for all of you
IRE; Tor If it hadn't been for them yeslrlif
wouldn't have been worth fourbits' syortl
OF rope. Yours, TOM gable,
Undertaken for the town of Boulder
and for you, too, if we ever hear cf you
treating Mrs. Lem and Buster any wors
than we have treated them
! WELL" said Tom that night, as w,
stood penniless and sorrowfully treat
ing each other on credit at the Free-for
All, that's over and I'm not weepin.
lstears of sorrow"
4 The sound of hoofs could be heard
and a moment later Jim Trusloy
dashed in.
4 ITS all right, boys he cried. CIV,
promised Heaven, the earth, and TIL