La Junta tribune., 1906-12-29
A Great Gun
D. GRETCHEN CRAHDOM
Copyright. las. by Homer spr2eue

.'Oh. yes. Billy has il again. and
nodding across at her SON But you
won't wonder at IT when you bear the
new sweetheart's name-Sarah-Su Susan
Miss h-Susan Gunn-"
Billy turned all colors. Connor. bis
chum. laughed explosively and said as
soon as he could speak: BILLY. l call
that positively immoral, You had bet.
ter be counting twins. How ever will
you fix ity You may propose to Susan
and be rejected or accepted by Sally.
You may even be married wrong.
Think. too. OF being always a mere
gunper's matte
shut upr Billy interjected. his face
scarlet. but grinning In spite of him
self. wait till you've seen her at
least Mother makes fun of her names
because she can't find fault with her
any way else. And Sue isn't To blame.
She didn'; name herself or choose the
family she had to be born in"
NO. but you do choose the family
you marry into" Mrs. Wheat cooed.
She was less than twenty years older
than Billy and still a very pretty and
very lively woman.
Connors thought her stunning So
did his Uncle Tim. Harking back sud
denly in his mind to something a year
old. he whistled aloud and asked alb
ruptly: Say. Nanny Wheat. is 1t the
same way with Timf Did you turn
him down because you wouldn't be
Mrs. O'TooIef'
1t was mammy's turn to blush. The
blush made her younger and prettier
than ever. 'who says I had the
chance to be Mrs. O'Toole?' she began.
but stopped as both the youngsters
growled derision and unbelief.
Tim was the worst ever" Connors
said decidedly: couldn't eat or sleep;
used to hang out OF the windows all
prom week just to stare no the street
toward where you were staying; In
the greatest fidret. too. to get his place
fixed up new. And then. after he'd
walked about with you one teeny half
hour. he quit-cut out everything ex-
| ccpt my allowance and scooted across
the pond with just half steamer kit.
Don't say you don't know why. man
my! II won't do any eood-not with
us two. We k1w. He wented-be-
cause you scented him. Poor old Tim!
You have q heap on your conscience.
nanny. How could you do itr'
Don't you understand. Larry. dearf'
nanny said. still blushing. 1T was
all Oh your account I couldn't hear TO
supplant you" Her eyes laughed. but
Larry Connoes saw under the laughter.
III that Was your game you went
blind" he said. Don't you see, Tim is
70 near the years Of indiscretiOn-they
begin at forty -five-he'li sure fall vic
tim somehow somewhere. You ought
to have taken him. nanny. Then. In
deed. my future would have been re-
cure"
him latelyr' nanny asked. her eyes
suddenly dOwncast.
Larry shook his head. He was tear
ing around toward the midnight sun
thought maybe the icebergs would re
mind him OF you" he said. But that
was six months back-long enough for
him to he buried or married"
lie always talked of Ireland
nanny began. signing family.
But he didn't care for II unless you
were there - see II with him." Larry
! interrupted. II think I'll cable him to
come back right away. Maybe he will
be ready to sacrifice himself for your
whim-carry on the adora bic Gum and
70 save Billy"
Il had rather-almost-sh had Billy"
nanny said inconsequently. Tim
Is n dear, but-'Hon. Mrs. Timothy
I.ss q all
think OF IL. Why wasn't he born
something elseT'
"Smith. Jones. Brown or Robinson"
Larry commented.
Mrs. whent got up and walked quick
iy away.
Billy went 10 the window. Larry.
staring after the vanishing lady. was
amazed to see her head droop and her
bosom swell. Clearly she was on the
point Of sobblng. He followed her soft
" and said as she flung herself on a
couch: Tell me. NANNY! You're play
ing a game. What is itr'
How did you guessT' nanny said,
speaking very low. with her finger on
her lip. you mustn't ever let Billy
guess it," she said. "He doesn't know
about our money. II came to me from
my uncle. the dearest. straitlacet
soul. He thought second marriages in.
1 ful-spiritual bigamy. he c,lle1 then
so I kept my fortune. which VIII bc
Biily's fortune. on condition of remain
ing always n widow. Now you see
/ why I had to send Tim away"
AS II he cared for your money.
/ And he'd never let Billy lose" Larry
said exultantly. But he bent his head
revercntly to kiss mammy's hand as
he added: But. oh. you are a brick:
You made up all this about the name
TO blind that blessed boy?-