Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-02-09


rive Oh the tnlrd day. ana there was
much TO do to make way for them.
Between spasms of work Duncan
had his hands fall attending to the
soda fountain. Soda water being prac.
tically the only salable thing N the
store, it had 10 serve as an excuse for
the inQuiSitivepcss OF many of my fell
loT citizens. 10 say nothing of
should Pitt It. but especially their
lives ard daughters. The consump-
don &C vCrily so3y In those two days
broke All known Radvile records and
stands sim liar tribute to the Spar
tan :orttude OF Radviile womanhood.
particularly the young stratum thereof
From my window in the Citizen Of
fee was able to keep tolcrably close
account Of events and obtain cOnseH-
sus of public opinion. SO far as the
latter bore upon Duncan. it was di-
vidcd into twN rather distinct parties,
one. Of course. faVOring him. and this
wns feminine almost exclusively Ira
cey tanner, to be sure. confessed with
In my hearing to prediction for the
Moo York dood. but was inclined to
hedge and climb the fence when as
sailed by Roland's structures Roland,
! suspect, was wee mite jealous. He
had been paying attention to- mean,
going with-Josie Lockwood for sever
al months Instinctively he must have
OWNED his danger. and It's not in rea
n n1n1iro fjnn nf he -
from the usurped even when tho act
1 911e Miyu ros,lmm hnS not rooa Of,
the length of labelling Duncan sissy"
and professed to believe that Hiram
Mutt was justified In calling him II
''s'picious character" Roland limited
darkly thnt Duncan knew New York
no better than Will Bigelow.
And if he did come from there" he
for no good purpose"
His temper inspired me with the
sapient reflection that it's terrible
thing to be in love even II only with
an old mans millions
"Iheres goin to be real Moo York
er here before long" Roland boosted.
Hes comm to see me on some special
private business of ourn 81
Huh" commented Tracey, the skep-
teal, what kind of a Moo Yorker q
como all the way here 10 see YOU"
That's all right You'll see when
he gets here. He's promoter
"A what?"
"A promoter. n fnancier." Roland
pronounced it "fnnan seer" thus be-
traying symptoms of culture and be-
wildering Tracey beyond expression.
Whats that?' he demanded ag-
excessively.
That's Teller t can take nothing
at all and incorporate it and make
money out of it," Roland defined with
some hesitancy.
And that's why he's coming down
here TO take Il look at you?" inquired
Tracey, skipping nimbly round the cor.
ner.
Curiously enough in my understand
Ing for | own to no great faith in
Rolands statements. taking them by
and large his friend from New York
put In al unheralded appearance in
Radville that same night on the even
ing train. The BiCelow House receiy-
ed him to its figurative bosom under
the name Of W. II Burnham. He sent
for Roland promptly and treated him
to dinner at the hotel, something
which have always regarded rs
punishment several sizes too large for
the crime. Later. having displayed
him on the streets in witness to his
coed faith, Roland spent the evening
with Mr.. Burnham, mysteriously con-
1aDulating behind closed doors In the
hotel
Duncan was at tho station few
days later experimenting the transpor-
tAtion of the new stock. which had
come by the early local. Betty was
busy with her housewora upstairs. and
only CID Sam kept the shop.
Sam wasn't in the best Of spirits.
His evergreen optimism seldom with
cred, bat In spite Of all that had al
rendy been accomplished in behalf of
the store, in spite OF the roster aspect
of his declining fortunes and his con-
fldeDce in ard affection for Duncan,
Sam was worried. He had been over
to the bank once even at that early
hour, but Blinky Lockwood had driven
out OF town to see about foreclosing
one of his numerous mortgages in the
nci9hborhood, and his note, which fell
due at the bank that day, was still a
weight upon Sans mind.
Roland and Burnham found him
wandering nervously round the store,
alternately taking his hat down from
the peg. as If minded to make a second
trip to the bank and replacing 1t as he
realized that patience was his part
why, hello. Rolandw he cried cheer.
fully, hanging up his hat for perhaps
the twentieth time. And. How de
doc, sir?" he greeted the stranger.
Good morning, SIR" said Burnham
pleasantly.
Say, Sam" Roland blundercd with
his usual adroitness, this gentle
man
Burnham's hand fell heavily on his
forearm.
whats that. Roland?" Sam turned
curiously to them.
---""Oh, nothin'; / was-er--1ust goin'