Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-28

for Denver. On the way | fell in with
a young IriShman, very ragged. with
a bundle tied up in a, red bandanna
handkerchief and short pipe IN his
mouth. at which he was pulling lus-
lily.
GOOD mornin' to you" he said cheer
lily.
Good morning. Pat" | replied.
How did you know my name was
Pat?" he asked.
by your brogue."
els it very broad?"
mo; but broad enough TO give you
away as a resident of the Emerald
isle"
Northern Irish. is it,"
81 suppose so. What are you doing
out in this country"
''Oh. came to dig for fortune"
And having made it you're going
back home to enjoy it,"
What made you think I've made my
fortune?"
''Oh. by your eminently respectable
appearance"
We'll. now. that's lucky"
why sou
Because I'm sadly in need OF loan.
and since I've made fortune it'll be
safe for you to favor me-"
laughed at the Irish wit. and the
way the young man had caught me in
trap. | was feeling somewhat set
up. for l believed | had struck a for
tune myself Besides we gold seekers
in those days were prone to help one
another.
How much do you want?"
Enough to take me to Ireland-R
matter of $780,"
Il can't do that much for you, but
might spare $50 to get you to New
York. Couldn't you make up the rest
in some other way?"
Half loaf is better than none"
We went on to Denver together. and
was greatly amused by his humor
and an original way he had of viewing
things. 1 sold my mine for enough to
make me Independent for life and got
few hundred dollars for a first pay
ment By this time / had become so
friendly with my travelling compaD-
ion that | advanced him the whole
sum needed to take him to Ireland. l
believed he had made the failure near
/ ly all gold hunters make, and since
/ had been one of the few fortunate ones
/ was ready to give him tiny bit from
/ my bonanza.
"Where'Il send itT' he asked.
"You needn't send it at all. AS soor
! as l get that deal closed out I'm goine
to Europe. and I'll see you there"
well, you'll find me on the estate Of
the Earl of Ballygarach. At any rate
inquire there for me-"
"A tenant of his?"
y'No."
whats your place there?"
He hesitated. and it seemed to me
he was trying to invent a reply. so
gave him a shake of the hand anC
said goodby. felt sure l was making
loan that would never be repaid
but I'd had to invent stories myself
about my hole in the ground in Orde
to obtain means to keep on digging
and | wouldn't have thanked any on,
to question me too closely. AS turn
ed away from him | saw a peculia
look in his eye.
! why do you look at me in that way
If Pat?" | asked. bad always calleC
him Pat. though his name was JohI
Curran.
- can't make ont why you're lending
me this money. Unless you give IN
your address. that | may return il, o
your promise to see me in Ireland | re
fuse to take it,"
"All right; you have my promise t
see you in Ireland"
Don't you go back on me by not com
ing" he added. and we parted.
The sale of my hole in the groun
was conditional. and some month
elasped before the purchasers had sal
isfied themselves that the property wa
what claimed for 1t. Then. after al
| was obliged TO take good deal o
the stock in the company that wa
formed in part payment, but this didn'
trouble me. for | had great confidenc
in the value of the mine. Indeed. m
stock eventually became many time
more valuable than the cash paymen
1t was a year after the sale before
found myself Independent 10 do wha
liked. and | set off on a tour aroun
the world. MY course was eastwnr
and took in England as my first lan(
ing place. ] had always q desire
visit ireland and. after seeing Englan
TO my hearts content. crossed tn
Irish channel. But | regretted feelin
obliged to hunt up my debtor. ] didn
need the money ! had loaned him. an
| didn't believe he would be in cond
ton to pay it. To tell the truth. ] ha
no idea | would find him on the estat
Of the Earl of Ballygarach or that
would find him at all. This opiniO
was not based on the belief that he wa
dishonest. for he had m expressio
that invited confidence. bnt on the fac
that necessity knows no law. and b
necessities had probably forced him
invent all he had told me.
After visiting the principal cities
southern ireland worked m! wa
nOrthward and one day brought up G
little town near the estate Of the Ia