The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-06-05
The Gold Brick
By DON MARK LEMON
Copyright. lsOa, ev Daily Story Pub, Coz

pin old business girl. Cynthia, Says
to Hiram: Hi, don't make the gentle
man lose his boat. Land to goodness,
Uncle Sans got so many gold bricks,
do hear tell. he won't mind us keep
in this one for Luke, when he grows
up Hiram forks over the price and
they're on to the farm with the jack
ass egg" The speaker thrust the
bills that he clutched towards ms
companion. Here, it was as easy as
dreamin' it Peel of your commits
sion"
The shorter man took the bills and
split the hundred dollars evenly Sud
denly his face grew dark. Hell,
you're a thief" he painted. and threw
the bills to his feet.
What's the matter with you?' The
other man came upright, glarins stu
pidly
These amt the bills you got
Them's some off our own bat You've
slowed the old girls goods in your
vest and passed me the queer Come.
split or I'll split you"
The heavier man stopped with I'M
expected alacrity and gathered up the
counterfeit bills.
Damn" he cried. hoarsely. Then
he threw up his hands. Search me-
I've been picked, Some of the boys
must have done the rubes. and they
have handed it back to the firm
Search me, Gawd. l amt no thief,
A pair of deft hands went rapidly
through the pockets of the man with
the purple-checked vest. but all of
value that they brought to light was
| a nickel watch. some dice and a trifie
in silver change.
Quick" commanded the man called
Bill. pulling his companion from the
entry and explaining his plan as he
hurried him down the street in the d.
rection that the country couple had
taken. We're detectives, See2
They may be wise that these were
green goods, what they passed up to
you. Wen scare 'em to dig up the
/ price o their farm"
!, But the countryman and his wife
were no longer on the street. and the
partners turned into Grand Central
station. confident that they would find
them there. Their search and inQui-
ries. however, were in vain.
| While they were searching. several
trains drew out of the station. one.
of them. no doubt. bearing Hiram and,
| Cynthia" safely back to the farm
Finally they gave over looking and
returned to the street in disgust
The lemons on our Christmas tree
this time. Bill" surlily growled the
/! heavier of the pair.
/ 1T amt no easy-mark joke to lose
a hundred. when you're dead broke. =
rejoined the man called Bill. He'll,
they must have just sold their farm
and had the price on EN- We've
missed the big bus for Easy street
See."
His partner drew him into saloon
Halo. Jack" he nodded to the bar
tender. Two forgets and sodas-"
They drank their whisky and soda
in silence. then seating themselves
frequenters of the saloon, on the
lookout for a possible dupe.
About Is minutes later young fel-
low of 90 came through the swinging
doors and two-stepped up to the bar.
Halo. Jack" he noisily greeted the
bartender. Haven't seen any of the
boys with a gold brick in his vest
have you."
whats up. sport?" The bartender
filled a glass and pushed it towards
the young fellow.
The latter drank the liquor and
smacked his lips.
Zone of the big manufacturing jew
elers just lost $1,000 gold brick
somewhere along this busy end of the
old burg Come out and join the
merry throng, hunting for the stun
that nobody but everybody needs"
In less than ten seconds there were
only three men remaining in the
saloon-the bartender and the two
partners seated at the card table.
I The bartender dared not leave the
: cash register unguarded. while the
green goods men were too weak in
their knees to rise and take part in
the search for the lost $1,000 gold
brick that had slipped through their
hands only half an hour before.