Evening star., 1913-11-23
Continued from page 4


grinned This time there was no question
The Colonel was hooked as certainly as if
he had been a bass swapping a minnow.
"And you took that land for me?" he
gasped.
That's what did!'
The Colonel got to his feet, and seized
both the agents pudgy hands in his. He
bubbled and overfowed with gratitude. He
threatened to make speech. His magma
ton kindled until the room was flooded with
gold. He shifted to apprehension lest he find
that slip 'twixt the cup and the lip before he
could get the deeds in his hands He urged
haste for the conclusion of the deal, and he
found William Burnah Jones ready and
active ally; for Burmah was apparently as
eager as the Colonel to close the transaction.
"You stay right here, Colonel right here
in this room, till | go and get the lawyer
who will close this up. By the way, it'll be
cash, of course?"
Certainly, Sir. Certainly. l have it
here with me-"
JONES plunged out; but he was torn be-
tween satisfaction and ruefulness as the
elevator lowered him to the ground floor of
the hotel.
"Got it with himl Humph Why didn't
| try for ten thousand" he muttered as he
puffed UP the street to the office of real
estate agent and burst impatiently in.
"I've decided to think of that Squaw
Point property you have for sale, he said,
entering the agents private Office. But
two thousand is too much for it. I'll give
you seventeen hundred and fifty cash."
The agent lost small time in dickering
over the odd two hundred and fifty, and
began filling out the deed with himself as
vendor through power of attorney.
"Just make the consideration one dollar, =
said Burmah over his shoulder, "and the
deeds read to Alonzo Fairfax Hatch. No,
that amt me, but for a client of mine.
Crusty old cuss! Mighty peculiar! Won't
deal with no one but me. Awful funny man.
You don't need to sign her here; but come
notary with you SOS there won't be any
question about your power of attorney, and
all that rot. I'm secretary to this old feller."
With a sallow-faced clerk from the Office
they went to the Seattle, and up to the room
where the Colonel pranced backward and
forward restlessly, fearful that this golden
chance for fortune would stumble en- route
to his door,
An hour later they had gone, and the
Colonel held the deeds in his hands.
"There she is, friend Colonel" Jones as
serted, beaming from his five feet two up at
the Colonels six feet one "There she is-a
fortune, sure's there's wool on coon! Now
you can give me that money!
The Colonel dragged out his bills and
painstakingly counted five thousand dollars,
which sum Burrnah Jones rolled into wad
and carelessly thrust into his pocket.
"Now," said the man from Kansas oblig-
ingly, "I'll go with you to the county record
er's office and we'll have that recorded,
Colonel. Oh, no trouble at all! Glad to
oblige friend. That's all I'm doing this
for, Just accommodation.
The Colonel threatened for moment to
pay him a commission; but recovered in
time when he remembered that his fortune
had now dwindled SO heavily. "I'm right
sorry, Sir" he said to Jones, "that find
myself in such straitened circumstances that
am compelled to seem delinquent in regard
to your profit; but accept your generosity
in the spirit in which it is offered, and wish
to assure you, Mr.. Jones, that when make
money from this venture of ours | shall re-
quite you as best lays in my power. 1t is
customary with the Hatches, Sir, never to
forget friend or foeman.'
Had the Colonel been sufficiently obser-
want, he would have discovered that William
Burmah Jones lost a trifle of his ruddy color
at the concluding part of the sentence; but
the same William Burmah was as quick on
recovery as a cat is in finding her feet
0D0p't mention If Colonel Eoroat al