The Bottineau courant., 1910-02-11

Z.
more than Is years old, with q lot q
II oth4r girls in our school. that when
we rot married we'd never say ODey,
and we never have, though only three
of our class are married yet, but we're
i all engaged"
"Engag~d?"
"Of course: we're engaged. I'm en-
gagged to Rutherford Gillingwater, the
adjutant general Of this state. You
couldn't be my private secretary If I
wasn't engaged; 1t wouldn't be
4 proper"
The earth was only a flying cinder
on which he strove for foothold.
She had announced her engagement
to be married with cool tinality that
took his breath away; and not real
izing the chaos into which she had
flung him, she returned demurely to
the matter Of the letter.
/ 1--WE can't change that letter, be-
cause it's signed close to the 'obedient
servant and there's no room. But
I'm going to put It into the typewriter
and add postscript"
l She sat down before the machine
and inexpertly rolled the sheet into
place; then, with Ardmore helping
her to find the keys, she wrote:
4 I demand an mediate reply.
Demand and immediate are both
business words. Are you sure there's
only one m in Immediate? All right,
If you know. reckon a postscript
like that doesn't need to be signed.
I'll Just put w. d. there with papa's
stub pen, so it will look really fierce.
Now, you're the secretary; you copy
It in the copying press and I'll ad.
dress the envelope"
She bade him give the letter plenty
Of time to copy, and talked cheerfully
while he waited. She spoke of her
friends, as southern people have
way Of doing, as though every one
must of course know them-a habit
that is illuminative of that delightful
southern neighborliness that knits
the elect of commonwealth into a
single family, that neither time and
tide nor sword and brand can destroy.
well, that's done," said Miss Jerry,
when the letter, still damp from the
copy-press, had been carefully sealed
and stamped "Goy. Osborne will get
it in the morning. think maybe
I we'd better telegraph him that it's
coming"
! The message, slowly thumped out
on the typewriter, and several times
altered and copied, finally read:
Raleigh, N. c.
The Honorable Charles Osborne.
Governor of South Carolina,
i Columbia, 8. c.:
Have written by to-night's mail In Ap-
pleweight matter. Your vacillating course
not understood.
WILLIAM DANGERFIELD,
Governor of North Carolina
II reckon that will make him take
notice." and Miss Jerry viewed her
!. work with approval. "And now, Mr..
| Ardmore, here's telegram from Mr..
Billings which don't understand. See
, If you know what it means"
! Ardmore chuckled delightedly as he
!, read:
Can not understand your outrageous
conduct in bond matter. If payment is
not made June first your states credit is
anta. GEORGE p. BILLINGS
II don't see what's so funny about
i that! Mr.. Bassford was walking the
| floor with that message when I came
to the Office He said papa and the
state were both going to be ruined.
There's quarter of million dollars
to be paid on bonds that are coming
due June first, and there isn't any
money to pay them with. That's
what he said. And Mr.. Foster is the
state treasurer, and he's gone fishing"
'Fishing?"
"He left word he had gone fishing.
Mr.. Foster and papa don't get along
together, and Mr.. Bassford says he's
run of Just to let those bonds default
and bring disgrace on papa and the
state"
Ardmore's grin broadened. The Ap-
pleweight case was Insignificant com.
pared with this new business with
which he was confronted. Billings
had always treated him with con-
tempt, as negligible factor in the
Ardmore millions, and here at last
was an opportunity to balance ac-
counts.
II will show you how to Ak Bill
ings. Just let me have one Of those
blanks"
And after much labor, and with
occasional suggestions from Miss
Jerry. the following message was
presently ready for the wires:
Your Infamous imputation upon my hon.
Or and that Of the state shall meet with
the treatment 1t deserves. defy you
to do your worst. II you come into North
Carolina or bring legal proceedings for
the collection Of your bonds I will fill
you 60 full Of buckshot that 10 men will
aot be strong enough to carry you to your
grave.
Isn't that perfectly grand!" MUIR
INJURED Jerry admiringly. "But I
thought your family and the Bronx
Loan and Trust Company, were the
same thing"
Don't you worry about Billings.
He Is used to having people get down