Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-13

And so, forty years afterward, we
find Jacob illumined with the sudden
thought that if he could make restitu-
ton of this sum of money to the heirs
or assigns of the unlucky miner, res
pite and nepenthe might be his.
And now must come swift action, for
we have here some four thousand
words and not tear shed, and never
a pistol, joke, safe nor bottle cracked.
Old Jacob hired a dozen private de-
tectives to find the heirs, If any ex-
isted of the old miner, Hugh Mcleod.
Get the point? OF course 1 know as
well as you do that Thomas is going
to be the heir I might have concealed
the name: but why always hold back
your mystery till the end? I say, let
it come near the middle, so people can
stop reading there If they want to.
After the detectives had trailed false
clews about three thousand dollars-I
mean miles-they cornered Thomas at
the grocery and got his confession that
Hugh Mcleod had been his grand
father and that there were no other
heirs. They arranged a meeting for
him and old Jacob one morning in
their offices.
Jacob liked the young man very
much He liked the way he looked
straight at him when he talked, and
the way he threw his bicycle cap over
the top of a rose-colored vase on the
center table.
There was a slight flaw in Jacobs
system of restitution. He did not con-
slider that the act, to he perfect, should
include confession. So he represented
himself to be the agent of the pur-
chaser of the land. who had sent him
to refund the sale price for the ease of
his conscience.
"Well. sir" said Thomas, "this
sounds to me like an illustrated post
card from South Boston with We're
having a good time here written on
it. I don't know the game. Is this
ten thousand dollars money, or DO I
have to save so many coupons to
get it?"
Old Jacob counted out TO him twen-
tv five-hundred-dollar bills.
That was better. he thought. than
check. Thomas put them thoughtfully
into his pocket.
"Grandfather's best thanks" he said,
"to the party who sends It,"
Jacob talked on, asking him about
his work how he spent his leisure
time and what his ambitions were.
The more he saw and heard of Thomas
the better he liked him. He had not
met many young men in Bagdad so
frank and wholesome.
"I would like to have you visit my
house." he said st might helm you in
investing or LAYING out YOUR money. I
am a very wealthy man. I have
daughter about crown. and 7 would
like for YOU to know her There are
not MANY young men I would care to
have call on her."
I'm Obliged" said Thomas "I'm
not much at making calls. It's gen
erallv the side entrance for mine And,
besides. I'm engaged to girl that has
the Delaware peach croD killed in the
blossom. She's a parlor maid in
house where deliver goods. She won't
he working there much longer, though.
Say don't forget to give Your friend
nv grandfathers hest regards. You'll
excuse me now: nv WAGONS outside
with p lot of green stuff that's got to
be delivered. Sec vou AGAIN. sir"
At II Thomas delivered some bunches
of parsley and lettuce at the Sprae-
gins mansion. Thomas was onlv %,
so as he came back he took out the
handful of $500 bills and waved them
carelessly Annette took a pair of ewes
as big as creamed onions to the cook.
at told you he was a count" she
said, after relating. "He never would
carry on with me-"
"But you say he showed money"
said the cook.
"Hundreds of thousands" said An
nette. Carried around loose in his
pockets And he never would look at
me"
"It was paid to me todav." Thomas 3
was explaining to Celia outside. "It
came from my grandfather's estate.
Say. CeIe, what's the use of waiting
now? I'm going to quit the job to-
night WHY, can't we get married