Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-05-12
CHAPTER J..


.ude, while cleayland, lying well back
in a deep armchair. looked up NJ him
with inquiring eyes.
Seems to me you haven't told me
everything" said the latter.
mo-" Packenham replied, vaguely.
.Do we generally do soI'
"lou speak as ii you were in a PIE
dicamentE'
''Well-suppose ann"
"It can't be moRey-unless it's the
very unusual one OF having too
muchy'
.Moncy-be hangedw
'yThank you. no." Cleavland rejoined.
laughing. 1T isn't IA superfuous guam
tity with me"
Outside a bitter northeast wind was
sweeping the streets: inside there was
warmth and lavish luxury. Mr.. Cleav-
land eogid scarcely account for the
forcible way in which the contrast
struck him at the moment. After a
moments silence. he remarked:
II can't think what the predicament
can be, ,iniess',-ii e looked m, quickly
''unless-it's a woman he added, in
terrogatiycly.
His friend nodded and said:
"Rlgbt-it's "A woman"
"Ballet-or music hall?" Cleayland
inquired.
Neither an ~Africandcr."
"A fiery. untamed animaly'
Packenham leaned his head against
the wall and was silent for Il momenl
II came home to get rid of her, as
much as anything else" he rejoined.
impatiently. Its harder than L
thought. You must help me-"
Cleavland did not reply at once, bui,
after a pause. said:
IF it isn't too difficult. / must hear
what you have TO say. | can't answer
or promise anything until then"
II intend to tell you the truth"
Packenham answered. irritably. Its
hard to be obliged to confess that II
has made a fool of oneself"
Most of us do" Cleayland rejoined
-'once in "A way"
at happened just before | left the
Transvaal. But the plot that led up to
it began on board the ship that took
me out. There was a man returning
TO Africa amongst the passengers-a
fellow who attracted me. He was born
in Cape Colony and seemed to know
all the ropes. We got very chummy.
His father had been a mining engin-
eer, and the son had taken up the sam
profession. He was wild about some
reef that he averred was a solid rock
of gold. The chap seemed to be cock
sure about il; and l believed that he
knew his business. l wanted to go il.
for that sort of thing, and get near a
good game country, Hartrigg-that
was his name-told me that his home
was on the borders of civilization, but
that just beyond 1t you could get into
q wild part where there were lions n
elephants. not to mention an old hippo.
He was a pleasant ~chap-full of tales
of adventure, which /, like a fool. be-
lieved. and thought him honest-be-
Ing honest myself. you see. He was
going back to Africa. having come to
London 10 look after a legacy that had
been lef. him-at least. | understood so
at the timely an aunt, or grandmoth-
er, or someone. He told rae the story,
lamenting at the same time that be
was not rich enough to buy this reef.
But he hoped TO get someone to go
shares with him. either in Cape Town
or johannesburg. Although | hadn't
the old boys pile-and poor Dolly was
alive and likely TO live-I had n fair
capital to play with, and could afford
to 90 shares with Hartrigg i'm his vent
ure and yet have something left 10
subsist on until the thing began TO pay.
You never saw such Il bit Of acting as
he went through when / told him so.
He protested that he thought me some
poor beggar going out TO try to pick up
a living anyhow: ard | was such Il
softly that | believed in him. | was
fairly done, and before we got up
country the bargain was concluded,
and we went equal shares in the mine.
1t wasn't such a terrible sum, after all:
but the speculation proved to be the
biggest swindle out, although the few
thousands | threw into it wouldn't
have ruined me, in any case"
"The mine wasn't a success Cleav-
land inquired.
Success, Ii was a CHASTITY failure.
That's how the girl came to be mixed
up In IT," Packenham rejoined, angri-
ly.
Il was wondering" his friend re-
marked. 1T was vague"
"How ear l explain the situation il
you won't let me speak?' Packenham
interrupted, impatiently. "Hartrigg, Ii
appears, had nothing in the world ex-
cept this money and a couple Of thou
00nuS Mnitn uio hutIcI ndU COulTiNtu
to scrape together for Hartrigg'ss sis
ter"
HE put it all into the mine.' Cleav-
land asked.
Didn't say so?"-"And lost ity'
"There"-and the young man strobe
away from the fireplace with hasty
steps-"you var to know everything,
yet you won't give me time to tell 1t.
How In the world do you expect to I'M
derstand?"
"Drive ON" calculated Cleavland.
laughingly. I'm promise not to inter.
fere again"
1--WE went up country. and. after n
tiresOme journey, reached the loca-
ton. The house was-well. not fit for
an agricultural laborer; but we lived
in 1.-THE and i and a pack OF Kafiir
servants. He used to talk q good deal
about his sister--thc only relative he
had In the world. Her name was never
Off his lips. He said he'd bring her To
live with him as soon as things We're
straight at he mine. She was South
q soiirw ere-ar some mission or other
and Mr.. Packenham paused. II re-
member the artful way he led me on
read her letters TO me-had a lot of
x.hafaS of har-ap1 pSa1 10 uat anti.