The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-04-12

|
counts with the government, babe
goodbye to red tapped officialdom and
two days afterward he walked in his
old office in Chicago and quietly said:
Hello, jeff" to his astonished col
ored servant.
| Good Gawd, kunnel, whah yo' KUN
| frum? Use shore glad to see yuh"
| Cheney took the proffered black
hand; he too was glad to see jeff,
faithful old jeff.
Lonergan and Guthrie were over
joyed to see their chief again. Seated
in Cheney's old office the three men
had long visit.
| Now, boys, told you when l went
| to Washington my active work in
| this company was at an end. You fell
lows can run it and I'll just hang
around"
| I've got a mental photograph of
you hanging around" smiled Loner-
| gan. You never were much of a
hanger Jack
| That's true, Ed, but I'm going to
play while now l think I'll go
abroad"
| Abroad? Lord, Jack, it hasn't been
a year since you returned from around
the world" said Guthrie. What do
| you want to go again for?"
| well, it's different now. That trip
| Twas on government business and eX-
| pecting to be picked up as a spy
| every minute. did not see much of
Europe. This time I'm going for
| pleasure
Expect to go to Russian" asked
Lonergan with a laugh
mo, that's not on my list, although
! my friend Yarmoleff was insistent in
| his invitation for me to come again"
| Sure thing" calculated Guthrie.
And old Trepoff would insist on your
staying"
That's true, but I won't go for a
week or so. See you fellows at din
ner tonight"
Sid" said Lonergan, when they
| were outside the Office, "the old man
will be on another case in a week.
| can see it in his eye now. If he
goes abroad I'll bet it will be on some
| case"
After dinner that evening Cheney
| and his two lieutenants went to the
theater and all through the perform
| ance he kept up running fire of
| questions about the work in various
| points.
For a man who is giving up all &C
tive work in the business you show a
| pretty lively interest" said Lonergan
on their way home.
MY interest now is just general,
Ed, not specific"
It'll be specific enough all right,
all right, before you leave for that
European trip Good night" said
Guthrie as they parted.
The next morning about ten Cheney
strolled into his Office. Usually his
desk was loaded with papers, tele
grams, letters, ETC., but this morning
it was as clean as new coin. Cheney
read the paper, smoked cigar or two,
looked at his watch and glanced I'M
easily around the room. He was rest
less, no doubt of it. He walked into
the outer office; the furniture was all
in place but it was as quiet as tomb.
jeff" called Cheney. His tone
was sharp and incisive, but there was
no answer. He opened the door into
the general work room and hum of
typewriters greeted his ears.
Butler" he said to one of his
clerks" where's jeff"
cover in Mr.. Guthrie's office, sir"
Guthrie and Lonergan had their
offices at the opposite end of the
suite and thither Cheney went. jeff
was sitting in their ante room.
What are you doing over here,
jeff" demanded the colonel, with a
show of asperity in his tone.
"Well, yo' see kunnel, Mistah Lon.
ergan he say dis mawnin' as how yo'
| wasn't a-goin' to do eny mo- wuk roun'
heah, so I wuz to cum ovah an tend
theyah doah, sub. OATS why, sub"
ooh! it is, is it," said Cheney "And
you're going to tend the door are you?
| Well you get back to my room and
you stay their until I tell you to
| leave"
"Yas, subj" said jeff, laughing heart
| lily to himself as he went out. Cheney
went into the inner Office and there
| sat Guthrie and Lonergan going over
| the mail.
Morning, Jack" said both of them
rising. Glad to see you down. What's
| new?"
| That's what I'm asking you two
| I come into my Office and find every
thing quiet as grave. Jeff's gone,
not a paper, nothing"
WELL" said Lonergan, smiling.
Didn't you say you had given up &C.
tive work? You were just going to
have a general interest. Am I right,
Sid?"
"You sure are, Ed, and we moved
all the specific cases over here. We
left your room so you could entertain
your friends-and-"
| Cheney saw through it all and in
| his soul he knew he couldn't give up.
He surrendered as they knew he
| would.
4 A.