The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-23
By FREDERICK ]. coWLEs.

threw out something about a new piano. as the old one was pretty badly used up so l blowed four out of my five hundred for a new one as a present to her, and lit out for the mines. She married Cam- eron. and l guess lives east somewheres now. Frank Davis wrote me the other day that the old Francis place Is for sale, and 1 guess this thousand will just about buy it, 1 have always had an idea I'd like to own it, l want to fix 1t up Saad make it look kinder honey, for she may come back some day to take a peek at 1t, and I guess she would kinder ap- preciate it's being kept up. Women are more sentimentaler than men about such thlngs-and generally, you know II understand, Tem,h I said as I shook hands with him. q feel safer about you taking care of your money now that know your plans. Let me know when you get settled. and if the mine pans out well we may help you toward stocking your ranch. Good-by"
 "So long" he cried with a wave of his hat as he swung off down the road, and that was the last I saw of him for q month, I think it was just about month after that when I overlook him trudging up Berthoud Pass with a min ers outfit on his back. Being mounted, l gave him a lift with his things to the top of the pass, where we mace our camp for the night. It was evident he was too poor to buy pack mule, and was curious to know how he could have gotten away with his money in so short a time, but waited for him to tell his story in his own way for l felt sure there was a story,
 After supper, as we sat smoking our pipes in silence by the camp fire, he fin- ally said tentatively:
 Little surprised to see me today, wasn't you?"
 "some-thought you were ranohing 1t down on the Picketwire.
 That's it." he said, blowing a cloud of smoke. "Only place for white man to live. It's bound to come after a while. I was pretty close to it the last time saw you, wasn't I?'
 "It looked like a go; you had the price all right"
 That's so. Don't look much like 1t now, though, do I?'
 Not much. What kind of game was it?"
 NO game at all"
 "Whisky?"
 He shook his head.
 'Women?" I queried, a little puzzled, for he never struck me as that kind of a boy.
 "One-and a kid"
 "Ah, a confidence gamer"
 "No I knowed what I was up against all the time, but the money had to go. Reck'n I'm a fool-come of fool family, yknow-but I ain't none sorry about this, though" Then he continued, all the while carefully rehlling his pipe, keeping his face turned from me. Do you mind my telling you something about her, that time up on the dump of the Bald Hornet?'
 'Yes; why?"
 "Oh, nothing much, only she was in Denver, too. Where do you s'pose saw herr"
 q haven't the slightest idea"
 "At the Palace"
 "The Palace?" I echoed in astonish- ment, for the Palace was an all-night variety theatre of the worst type. What on earth was she doing in such a place as that? I thought she married a civil engineer"
 She did, only he wasn't engineering much for drinks down there. He was the Professor and she was doing two turns"
 Professor? Two turns? I repeated, mystified by his variety theatre slang.
 " es; piano player, you know, and she done two dancing turns on the stage carried spear in the last act In spite of the paint and short dress-and things like that-I knew her the minute she came on the stage, and I thought I'd fall off my chair when she commenced to sing about mothers grave, and she looked so much like she meant it that l just felt I would have to have a little talk with her and get the thing straight l didn't know how to get to where she was, and figured and figured on it until l saw some of the other ladies working the DoXes. Thinks l to myself That's my ticket; I'll hire a box and catch her when she comes around-and I did' What do you mean by working the boxes Tom?' I asked
 Thought you said you had been in Denver" he answered, looking at me in quiet disapproval.
 T have, only I am afraid I missed the Palace Tell me about it."
 Well, the lady performers, after they do their turn-little acts, song, dance and 90 on, you know-make a round of the boxes in their show clothes to push wine for the house. They get a per cent. The whole upper story-gallery-is a row of boxes and the ready cash fellows sit up there and order wine. Well, she got around after while and come to me. We talked on for a while; finally I asked in kinder offhand way what her name might be.
 Whats the good of names in a place like this?" she says. But if you really want to know, it's Mand Delaney. Buy another bottle and let's drink to it. Whats yours?' Never you mind about my name just now I says, looking at ler painted eye-winkers. 80 your name IS Maud Delaney, is it-Maud Delaney: mats funny Yes, it's Maud Delaney she says, spunking up like she used to sometimes, a little red showing under the white paint on her face I don't sec anything funny about it. I think ifs a pretty name, don't you? Oh. yes. it,s pretty enough, but But what?' she says. 'Oh nothing,' I says, T was only thinking Don't; nobody thinks here. they would go mad if they did
 Just then the wine came in. All right, Maud Delaney says We won't do any more thinking. I guess you are right about the mad part of It. Your name Is all right-its quite becom- Ing to you, but am just down from inc nills, where they don't sport such high ialutln names, nor dresses like you hay, on. l was thinking a while ago how T used to like old fashioned common names-Nellie Francis, for instance mats 1t-lets drink to Nellie Francis. ohe sprang to her feet, and then began 10 trefnole so that she had to hold on to the Wlne table to stand up. Tn the name or Heaven she whimpered. what do you mean? Who are you that speaks or Nellie Francis? Never mind Nellie :, l l says, feeling sorry for her; T am vour lriend-always your friend, don't forget that 'oieo' All! know you now Tom Graham: ;. oa .a,i ta, looi me any more; that's the