The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-07-15

himself behind the desk.
Hello, Gordon, want a square meal
before you hit the road again?"
Many q time he had spoken in a
similar manner, yet today without
telling so, l resented 1t.
"On the contrary l am going to stay
with you for a time, and shall require
a room with a bath, or better yet, a
suite"
do you want Florida water In your
bath?" said he, scarcely hiding a
sheer.
81 want civil treatment" was my
retort.
Our terms are cash in advance"
he replied, flushing almost purple.
When he named a price he thought
beyond my means, l pulled out a
c~heck-booL and wrote in the amount,
signed my name and gave 1t to him.
He rang the call bell and as the
first boy approached said:
Here, take this to the bank and
see If it Is any good"
l walked away and several In the
crowd that had been drawn together
by the sound of our voices Uttered.
He had drawn first blood.
Perhaps Frankfort would keep me
interested after all. l liked the pros
pect better. One thing was certain,
George Graham and l would be better
acquainted before long.
When | lay down that night IL was
not to sleep, but to think out plans
for the future.
The neKt morning | started out on
my plan Of campaign. I selected the
corner from the Elks that ! conceived
to be most desirable and got options
from as many Of the owners as l
thought would be necessary to build
a hotel the size | wanted.
Next | went to the tenants and got
from them options on their leases.
accomplished all this within one
week, and so little was / known and
respected that l succeeded in getting
both the land and the leases at very
reasonable rates.
Those who knew me concluded |
had a little money that I wanted to
spend In making a show, and figured
the option money would be a little
easy, extra change.
The following day when I took up
the options and insisted upon deeds
and terms Of facation being complied
with, there were mingled feelings of
Joy, CONSERVATION and wonderment on
all sides. I was at once the sensa-
ton of the town.
No n knew what use l was going
to make Of the buildings or ground,
though ! had an idea that George
Graham had a secret fear of what was
going TO happen. He was respectful
enough now, to my face, but from all
| could hear he vas as Venomous as
a snake behind my back.
The second day after my purchases
the principal architect from a near
by city arrived, and we spent the rest
of the week on the plans. My dlrec-
tons were very simple; build a hotel
three times the size of the Elks, and
without any restrictions whatever,
AAAhhO AZ IAC hhC5l Llldl I1OuSy Gan
buy.
The man thought / a simple, but
he charitably named the venture Civic
Pride, and we let 1t go at that.
l demanded the erection of this ho-
tel In an incredibly short time, and
as money can accomplish much in
frankfort as we'll as elsewhere, I had
the old buildings RACED and work be-
gun on the new almost before the citi-
zens realized what we were doing.
AS the new building went up, al.
most as If by magic, | realized what
fame meant. With my rise came the
fall OF George Graham. That he felt
1t keenly | could see. I could further
see that there was yet one good fight
left in him, and he would make it.
When my hotel was finished and a
good landlord installed, his was prac-
tically a deserted inn.
On the occasion OF the opening OF
the Frankfort" I gave a reception
and ball. Among the guests was a
young lady by the name OF Della
Cole. knew the minute that | saw
her that / simply must have her for
my wife. She was at once the most
beautiful and attractive woman that
/ had eve seen. She moved like a
queen among the guests, and like a
queen she accepted my homage.
/ was both surprised and annoyed
to hear, the following day, that George
Graham was paying court to her.
1t was but one more reason why 1t
should be a war to the death between
us; nevertheless, / was determined
that her name should not be dragged
into our affairs before we had finally
settled accounts with each other.
1t must not be expected from this
that Graham was without friends. Far
from II; he had a number, many of
them intensely partisan, who would
not hesitate at anything to accom-
plish their purpose.
Among these was a young fellow by
the name of Reynolds who owned a
jewelry store next door to the Elks.
This cur had already circulated a
number of most malicious lies about
ms when I determined tc put him out
OF business. I might have a sort OF
respect for Graham. but none for his
creatures.
bought the store next 20 Reynolds
and fixed It up with the finest of fur
nishings. Then / sent for one OF my
r~A g 4--1A- IL