Smyrna times., 1913-03-05
My Friend Pat
A Story of Colorado and
the Emerald Isle
By WILLARD BLAKENAN


and specimens for assay in the other.
and started on foot down the mountain
for Denver On the way fell in with
a young Irishman. very ragged, with
a bundle tied up in a red bandanna
handkerchief and a short pipe In his
mouth. at which he was pulling ius-
tily.
Good mornin' to you" he said cheer
lily.
Good morning. Pat" l replied.
How did you know my name was
PatT' he asked.
"By your brogue."
ais it very broadT
''NO; but broad enough TO give you
away as a resident OF the Emerald
isle"
Northern Irish. is it?"
Il suppose so. What are you doing
out in this country"
"Oh. came TO dig for a fortune"
rAnd having made IL you're going
back home TO enjoy it,"
what made you think I've made my
fOrtunef"
"Oh. by your eminently respectable
appearance"
well. now. that's luckyr'
"Why SOP
Because I'm sadly in need Of loan.
and since I've made a fortune it'll be
safe for you to favor me-"
I laughed at the Irish wit. and the
way the young man had caught me In
a trap. l was feeling somewhat set
up. for believed had struck a for
tune myself Besides we gold seekers
in those days were prone TO help one
another.
"HOw much do you wantf"
Enough TO take me to Ireland-a
matter Of S1OO."
II can't do that much for you. but
might spare $50 10 get you TO New
York. Couldn't you make up the rest
in some other wayT'
Half a loaf is better than none"
We went N to Denver together. and
l was greatly amused by his humOr
and an original way he had Of viewing
things. sold my mine for enough to
make me independent for life ard got
a few hundred dollars for a first pay
ment. By this time / had become so
friendly with my travelling compan
ion that l advanced him the whole
sum needed TO take him to Ireland.
believed he had made the failure near
" all gold hunters make. and since /
had been one Of the few fortunate ones
l was ready to give him tiny bit from
my bonanza.
''where'll send itT' he asked
'You needn't send II az all. AS soon
as get that deal closed out I'm going
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 hisY"
"No."
whats your place there"
He hesitated. and II seemed to me
he was trying to invent a reply. so
gave him q shake OF the hand anC
said gOOdby. felt sure I was making
a loan that would never be repaid
but I'd had 20 invent stories myself
about my hole in the ground in ordel
10 obtain means 10 keep on digging
and wouldn't have thanked any ont
to question me too closely. AS I turn
ed away from him I saw a peculiar
look In his eye.
why do you look at me In that way
PatY" asked. had always calle,
him Pat. though his name was JOhi
Curran.
Il can't make ont why you're lendin
me this money. Unless you give IN
your address. that | may return II. o
your promise 20 see me in Ireland re
fuse to take t."
"All right; you have my promise {
see you in Ireland"
Don't you go back on me by not cou
ing" he added. and we parted.
The sale OF my hole in the gr0un
was conditional. and some month
elasped before the purchasers had sa
isfied themselves that the property wa
what claimed Tor II. Then. after al
! was obliged TO take a good deal q
the stock In the company that wa
formed in part payment. but this didn
trouble me. for ! had great cOnfldenC
in the value OF the mine Indeed, m
stock eventually became many time
more valuable than the cash paymen
IL was a year after the sale before
found myself independent to do VIII,
liked. and | set or on a tour aroun
the world. My course was eastwaI
and took in England as my first Ian
ing place. had always a desire
visit Ireland and. after seeing Englar
to my hearts content, crossed n
Irish channel. But l regretted feelir
obliged to hunt up my debtor I didn
need the money had loaned him. an
! didn't believe he would be IN cont
ton to pay II. To tell the truth. hl
no idea ! would land him on the esta
OF the Earl OF Baliygarach or that
would find him at all. This opinli
was not based on the belief that he vi
dishonest. for he had an expressi,
that invited confidence. but on the IN
a -