Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-12-25
Continued.


combe There are not too many men
who are willing to work for you for
nothing. suppose he has come about
those mines?"
Il suppose so. | viii go and see."
Ralph DuncOmbe had been friend
of Lady Eleanor's father. The late
earl had been fond of dabbling in the
city, and had met the successful
young merchant there and found him
extremely useful. 1t had been chiefly
owing to Ralph Duncombe's advice
and counsel that the late earl had
made the fifty thousand pounds which
he had left to Lady Eleanor He had
done nothing for some years before
his death without consulting the keen
man of business, and Lady Eleanor
had followed her fathers example.
She would not have been partic-
ularly rich woman with fifty thousand
at three per cent, but Ralph Dun
combe had invested it for her in such
way that it had brought in some
times ten and fifteen. He had bought
shares and sold them again at a big
profit; had dealt with the money as il
it had been his own. and had been as
lucky with it. The greatest and lat
est piece of good fortune had only
just turned up. He had purchased
some land on the coast, calculating to
dispose of it to a building company,
but while negotiating with them had
discovered traces of "copper" and it
was on the cards that he had, by one
of those fukes which seemed to come
SO often to Ralph Duncombe, found a
large fortune for her.
''How do you do, Mr.. Duncombe?"
she said what a shame that you
should have come all the way from
the city,"
1T does not take long by the Under
ground he said, in his grave voice
as he shook hands; and have some
important news for you.'
"Yes?" she said, and she motioned
him to chair.
AS he sat down, she noticed that he
looked graver than usual, and there
was tired and rather sad expression
in his eyes.
rs it bad news?" she asked.
"Bad?" he looked at her with great
surprise.
II thought you looked graver than
ordinary, and rather disappointed"
she explained.
I'VE business men seldom look
elated. Money-making is not an ex-
hilarating pursuit, Lacy Eleanor"
Il should have thought otherwise,
she said, Gut l don't know much
about it, l only know that it is very
kind of you to take so much trouble
over my affairs"
mot at all; it comes natural to
me-" he said, with slight smile. Il
was your fathers. adviser-if l may
put it so-for so long and so intimate
ly that it seems matter or course
that l should continue to be his daugh-
ters. But about this copper, Lady
Eleanor. We were not mistaken; tbe
indications are particularly distinct.
that the land contains vast guam
tity.'
"Yes?" she said. "That is good
news. 1 suppose it will make me
very rich?"
Eyes, immensely so. The thing to
decide now is how to work it.
have a plan which 1 should like you to
consider" and he went on to explain
to her.
II leave it all to you," she said,
will think that it is very cool of me;
but l don't know what else / can do.
that is-if you will undertake this
business for me-
81 will do so, and not altogether
disinterestedly, for I shall ask your
the company.
why, yes-of course" she said at
once. 81 consider that it belongs as
to me; you found it."
Scarcely that he said. But I
shall have an interest in it. We
shall get to work at once, and / think
l may say positively that you will be,
as you put it, very rich before many
months are over"
very rich?" she murmured.
THANK YOU"
It was rather a strange way of ac-
cepting the information, but she was
thinking how little use the money
would be if a CERTAIN person refused
to share it with her.
''You will stay to 1unch?" she said.
THANK you, Lady Eleanor, not this
morning. I have to attend ward
meeting, and shall be late as it is
81 am sorry"
She gave him her hand, and as he
held it, she said, as if at sudden
thought:
cid you-did you get those bills l
asked you about?"
81 know very little about such per-