Evening star., 1913-12-07

dlld 1Or lumber and coal and BRICK yard. Said he
couldn't lose any time, because he wanted to ship
stock UP there tomorrow he could be on hand when
they start to build. He such fine sort of
that | could see what fine citizen he would make.
Perfectly representative, Sir So just naturally gave
him land for his yards and place for wharf He said
he had to be located tdewater SOS his ships could
load His brother is going to start hardware store
right away of those lots of his"
Burmah leaned back and groaned. @You gave this
teller Todd enough of the waterfront for wharf and
lumber yard you say? Why Colonel if he came to buy
why didn't you sell it to him? Why didn't you get his
money? You can't make nothin' by givin land awayl"
by Jingoes' said the Colonel, "that's an idea l
haven't given enough attention to yet | didn't think
about that at the time He was such nice man. this
Mr.. Todd, that l sort of wanted him for neighbor
He's got four children and he's widower. He looked
right sad when he told me about losin his wife And
she's been dead eleven years.
"Are you sure said Burmah "that you didn't give
him lot up on the hill tooo'
NO. Sir said the Colonel cheerfully, II didn't.
just mentioned that to him. and told him if he'd wait
till we got our surveys extended maybe he'd find
place up there that he'd like to have But he couldn't
wait He wants to start right in.'
Burmah was too tired to argue too much annoyed to
convince the Colonel of anything if it required words
His voice was hoarse from his days work. and his throat
hurt and he croaked instead of enunciang He erked
his chair to the table in the and began his
counting @Lot brought three fifty and that's yours
Lot brought four hundred fiat, and that's mine. !"
pretended to pay close attention
Burmah got up when his accounting was finished, and
said desperately, "Im tired, and IN goin' home But
Colonel for Gods sake don't give away the rest of it.
and the money and checks I've just handed you before
| get here in the mornin Don't give away any
and!' With which emphatic despairing iniunc-
ton, he clapped his silk hat his head and hurried
away.
TIRED as he was, he did not go to sleep when he
reached the sumptuous apartment he had taken
In the hotel He walked up and down, chewing his
cigar, and pausing and then to kick the waste
basket beside the stenographers desk such phys
cal action was safety valve for his perturbation He
could not conceive of such the Colonel
"Why, if anyone had told me about him month ago"
he said to himself savagey, @Id have thought the
was llar or just out OF booze sanatorium | can't
hold on, and can't let go! If told the Colonel was
all bunk, he'd first kill and then distribute that
money back where it from while waitin in his cell
for trial If don't tell him. he's goin right ahead to
make an ass of himself
Carefully he went all the statements he had is
sued all the excitement he had worked up and also
what chances for himself there he continued with
the game.
@The A. & 0. amt denied nothn' vet he thought.
"and they've had time. Probably they don't paw no
attention such things Maybe they amt even think
in of comm to the coast Maybe it's nothin' but
plain stock obbin deal to sell bonds or somethin and
all this helps en-
He paused directly front of the mirror with his ewes
widely opened, and his lips set grimly.
"By Cad! That's it," he declared. 3Why not2 can
take chance! The Colonel would give me whole SUBJ
division if asked for it. This fool Todd or whatever
his is is goin to ship some lumber and brick and
stuff up there, and his brother, that scraggly necked
farmer, gon to open hardware store. It'll make it
look than like the real goods Some of those
suckers may start to build a house or two. Besides
therel be steamboat service, that's cinch and can
get away pretty fast and to Canada if it blows up
I'll take a chance!'
In all his crooked stormy he had lacked
decision, and that characteristic stood him good