Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-29
~wnat's wrong, Mr.. Hnlyer, Can

"What's wrong, Mr.. Hnlyer? Can
help you?'
Nothing can help me II we lose on
this deal" said the old man.
"But how can you lose on 1t at the
price you paid and the present mar
ket?" Buckley questioned, now de
termined to try to get at the cause OF
the old mans trouble. The merchant
hung his head for moment, and then
he said, Come back to yore room,
George; l don't want them fellers to
come in while I'm talking. see I've
got to tell you everything"
| Wonderingly Buckley followed him
back to the cheerless room. Hillyer
sank on the edge Of the bed and sat
with his hands clasped tightly between
his knees.
1.-THE old trouble is at the bottom OF
It," he began huskily, and then he
cleared his throat and went on more
distinctly. "All along have thought,
In offerin' up prayers for pardon, that
I'd beg the Almighty fer sign wheth-
er was forgiven or not Somehow
believed he'd give 1t, but every time
was tempted to ask for It would
back out was afeared the sign
would be agin me- But after you
overcome yore temptation to drownd
yore late trouble in drink an shoulder
ed it like man thought I'd Fesk 1t
an ask the Almighty to give me jest
hint that was on the right road In
takin' you up as IA substitute fer
Lynn Hambright. But what sort Of
sign to ask fer was what bothered me.
Then 1t come to me like fash o.
lightnin' one morning when wheat was
SO low an you said SO positive that you
believed 1t nd go higher. George, I
TUX all the money I'd borrowed from
you an invested tin yore name, mind
you-at the lowest notch. an then l
put in lots O. my own later when wheat
begun to climb. The proposition was
this: I was to go entirely by what
you said In every respect, an eft It
turned out we'll was to take It that
l was on the right track. God knows
I've been mighty nigh crazy through it
all, but never DARN to say word to
you. I've been anxious to close out
several times, but I stuck to my plan
an was guided by yore judgment"
"You say you invested my-my mon
ey in it," asked George In astonish-
ment.
Eyes, that was the idea, SO you could
git the benefit il it riz. II it hadn't, OF
course I'd still owe you the money an
make it good
"But simply can't understand what
is the matter now" said Buckley.
Heaven knows you've made pile o
money out OF the transaction
''If we could sell now-yes; but, oh,
George, @sow that the market is on
a collapse; feel it. know that ia
cobs' offer to take it on thirty days is
jest trap the Almighty's set fer me
fer DARN to ask fer the sign. Jacobs
is in pinch an wants our wheat on a
credit to tide i'm over, an We'll never
git out whole I feel It! Oh, feel 1t
in my soul! God wants to git even
with mew
Buckley laid his hand on the old
mans shoulder and looked at him al
most tenderly. You are simply let
ting your Imagination run away with
you," he said. You have brooded over
this till you have lost the power Of
calm reason Mr.. Hillyer, I'm as sure
OF the ability Of Jacobs s. Co to pay
as am that stand here"
ooh, George, are you-are your
Eyes, and Ii they can't pay cash the !!
world is full Of people who viii. Why,
Mr.. Hillyer. you have no idea how alb
surd your fears seem to any one else.
Why, well simply wire the bankers to
get us a cash buyer. and 1t will be
done"
The old man fell to trembling. II
don't believe we'll git out whole he
groaned. But you kin try. Wire 'em,
George, but leave me alone back here.
For Gods sake, wire 'em!''
Just as George reached the front q