The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-02-07

Nv Trcn wen SlTuck Gil, IL ICluN.im
9 PROMISES to be'a gusher."
The strip Of paper shook in Neyen'
hand. This luck had come to the Lal
rabecs! He was ruined. Oh. if he ha
: only put his money into the Warrel
, well and theirs into the Harms! Bu
Neven was outwardly calm as he drew
l a blank message toward him and to-.
the boy to wait.
Bushby, leaning on the table. glanced
Familiarity over his shoulder at the di
rectiOn of the message.
"'Mrs. Sarah LARA bec.'" he repeat
ed. :Why. sure enough! 1t was II
the Harms. well you invested hcl
money: And she's lost it? What &
pity. -
4 'Neven started. Why should it moi
be so? The we'll drillers had not in
eorporatcd Yet. No stock certificates
had been issued. The receipts for the
twd. SUMS Of money mentioned his
name, alone, james Nevcn, Attorney"
No. human being but himself knew pos.
itiveiy whether it was the Larrabees'
mondt or his own that he had put into
that dry hole.
He held the pen suspended for mo-
ment. facing the temptation of his life.
Then he dipped the pen in the ink
Eushby still looked on. -a-,.4,s .-.
Invested six hundred in Harms
well.' lie wrote. DRY. Heartily sorry.
Hope to do better with remaining four
! hundrCd.'
$50 1t was. the Larrabccs' money that
you put into the Karns:" asked Bush
by. cycling him kecnly.
yes"
"You bought a quarter share in the
Warren well. too:'
Yes: Cost mo a thousand. That
was little venture of my own. The
well promises to be gusier."
you don't say So Bushby seized
his hat and rushed to tell the news.
In the very same moment Neven be-
gan to prepare for trip. to New York.
He did not care for the congratulate
tons of his townsmen He did rot
want to hear them express their SYM
pathy for Mrs. Larrabee Besides. he
wished to look up safe investments for
the large sums of money he would
soon begin to receive
1t was late one rainy evening when
Neven arrived again at home and en-
tered the little parlor OF the hotel in /
which he boarded. He had heard 10th |
ing from the place since he lort-Jabez !,
Wright had unaccountably failed to re-
ply TO request for informa tion-but !
Neven felt that mo news is good |
news" and lie could easily put on
bold front. for he had now begun to
think Of his theft as merely a bit of
sharp lopctice."
He looked around with disgust at the
tawdry fine-y of the room. Well. it
would not be his home long. He was
going to New York to live. With his
income
Hello. old fellow cried hearty
voice behind him.
why, ferris. is this your Ncvca
said. as lie turned to meet the ranc,,er.
how did you prosper liz your errand?"
There was lofty condescens.on in his
tone. but the other did not perceive it,
with Jennie? She's up stairs. She's
Mrs. Hugh FERRIS. Haven't wasted
my time. have To-
Neven gave his hand with n feeble
fort ut cordially. Il am sure wish
'ou well. FERRIS" lie said. you arc
lble to support wife. and needn't ,
are. whether, she has anything OF her ,
wn Or not"
Anything Of her own! Why. nv .
ear boy. what more could she want:
Ter mother has given her half of her =
ltcrest in the Harms well, and"
"karns: saspcd Neven. 1T was =
~ hole
I'm the upper sand, yes. Eut they t
ored deeper since you left and struck c
IL. The well is yielding fifteen hun. u
rcd barrels day. Why, Jennie is an O
eiress." W
Fifteen hundred barrels day.! G.
even stool staring at tho ruddy, good 6
face. which suddenly too, Il
look Of pity. what brute n
H." the rancher cried. Il forgot that IL
lille investing their money so wisely !. Il
Oil made such terrible mistake tc
,out your own"
"A mistake? Ny own? What do II
III mcan?' shouted Neven fiercciy. b,
The Warren well - surely you've n,
ard? 1t was only 4 pocket. It ran D,
It in 4 week. h.
Neyen tried to speak. but he could =
~ humble unintclligiblc words. Then on
clapDed his hat on his head and NJ
shed from the house. The first man la
met confirmed the story. oy
Folks thought. it queer you were so bo
arp for the widow and 50 stupid for TO
urself' Neven,"f his towrsman said. sh
ut Jabcz Wright says you bought i'm
Harms for yourself and the Warren sal
the widow. and then shifted things TIL
your own advantage when the first. IN
VS. came. and as long as that's so. tai
'fybody's glad that you fooled your me
Wen, IL things had come out lust wi
you thought they would, don't len
ow as you'd have had much com. the
out of your iil-gottcn gains. lie