Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-03-09
and lravn Inn 10 me2"

the same | wan 1t 'stinctly un'erstoou
] kin lick any man in town 'ceptin I'D
wife. G. night. everybody
He gathered himself together ana ny
supreme effort lunged through ,ne
door and into the deepening DUSK.
well, RolyY Nat asked, turning
back
His ironic calm gave Roland pause
For moment he lost his bearings
and stammpred in confusion Il come
in to tell YOU that me and yous apt
TO hive trouble" he concluded.
"Ohy And are you thinking of start.
ing tn"
you bet III start 1T. and I'll start II
Il quick IL you don't leave Josie
Lockwood alone"
$50 that's the trouble, Is ltT' com
mcpted Nat thoughtfully,
Yes, that's the trouble From now
on | want you to let her alone. and
vou'H do IT. too. If You know what's
best for you"
suggestion Of menace in his man
ner. unconnectcd with any hint OF
physical correction. caught Mats at
tcntion He frowned over it.
Just what do you mean by this
line of talk" he inquired handy
stepping nearer
'I'll tell you what mean" Roland
clnched both fists and thrust mis- chin
out pugnaciously. I'D been agoin
steady with Josie Lock wood for moren
a year before you come here and
thought that on account Of her money
you could sneak In and cut me out"
WAS her money the reason you were
after her, l1oiy?"
"What:' The question brought 70.
nnd momcntarily up in the wind.
"Tain't none of your business If it
WIS" he snapped. recovering Put
here's what I'm gettin' at" He tapped
his breast pocket With sneer Of bu
collie triumph Just about ten months
ago" he continued mcaninGly. they
was cashier skipped out Of the Long
a.-'e National bank in Moo York. and
they amt got no trace Of him yet"
So this was why Roland had been
so assiduous student Of the back
files in the Citizen office!
"Indeed?"
Eyes. indeed had my suspicious
all along. but didn't say nothin but
just today | got n description Of him,
and the description just fits, Mr. Nor
timer Henry"
Just fits Mr.. Mortimer Henry? But
what has that
"Ah, don't you try to seem too darn
lnI
fool me-
A light dawned upon Nat, and laugh
ter flooded his being. although ont
wardly he remained imperturba BILE
merely mildly curious. But his fin
gers were itching.
cashier, eh, ROly?"
You keep away from Josie r you'll
find out what ! think Mats placid
fly deceived Roland. who drew tn,
wholly erroneous conclusion that he
had succeeded in frightening his rival,
and consequently dared a few lengths
. further in his TRADE. why. II | was
to go to Mr.. Lockwood and tell him
you're Mortimer Henry, alias Nat Dun
can
THAT will do" Jelly THAT will be-
all for this evening. thanks"
Are you goin to quit chasin after
Josiel"
I'm begin chasing after you if you
don't clear out of here"
You better agree
Just there the storm burst Ten Sec
onds later Roland. with confused
impression of having been kicked by
a mule, picked himself up out Of the
= dust in the middle of the street and
stared stupidity back at the store.
Heres your hat. Roly," called Nat
Tossing him the hat, Nat turned con
temptuously
He paused in the middle Of the store
3 and felt OF his necktie. 1t proved tc
be little out of place but otherwise
= he was AZ immaculate as was his wont
, He reviewed the encounter and laugh
ed quietly
There's no cure for n fool" he
\ unused
The telephone bell reused him from
y his revcrie He went over to the in
strument. sat down and put the re
5 ceiver to his ear
I Hello" lie said "Oh. hello. Josie
= What's that? That's right. but In
not used to il yet. you know. We'll
: III try again Now-rcadyf"
He SchuOlod his voice to ii key OF
hcartrending sentiment Hello. dur
. ling How's that? Told your father
Told him what? Oh. about the en-
gagemenit Was he angry? Oh he
). wasn't, ehf What did he say? Wash
e that nice of him
: Conscious OF slight noise in TIT
g store, he locked up y young woman
q had just entered She paused just in
t side the door. smiling at him littl,
@ timidly
@ Without another word to his tance,
e Nat put down the telephone and hook
ed W the receiver
Betty" he cried wondcringly.
GRO BE CONTLIUEDD
q benn's Rheumatic PuiS for Rhcuna