The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-09-26

HSRll tried message. S m e
EHglJ have behaved as If they
Mg9 thought the moral here,
but faulty. Colonel Loree
of the Solar Selling Com
pany, however thinks the affair rich
In the hic-fabuladocet element. So
does Williamson, soliciting agent
for the Mid-Continent Life; and
so-emphatically so-does the Mid
Continent itself Trudeau, the breed
guide, has had so few years in
which TO turn it over in his slow
moving mind as he has lain roll
ed in his blankets while the snow sift'
ed through the moaning pines. that he
has not made up his mind. AS for Eos
ter Van Dorm and Gwendolyn, their
opinions-but the story itself is not
long
Williamson says that when he left
Van Dorn's Office with his application,
he was as near walking on air as In
surance men ever are. People had
been so slow in writing their auto
graphs on the dotted line-and here
was a six-fgure application, with a
check. These accompanied by the
wide-eyed Williamson, exploded into
the mid-December calm of the agency
headquarters like the news of Tono-
pah strike in the poker-playiug ennui
OF a Poverty fat.
What's that, williamson" ejacu-
lated the cashier. Five hundred-you
don't mean thousand?"
Why, confound you," sneered Will
hanson, look at that application!
Let me see it," painted the man.
ager, bursting in. Foster G. Van
Dorm half million! Holy cat, Will
hanson; but this will put you and
the agency in the lead, for Is he
good for it, williamson"
Why, don't you see that check?
inquired the lofty solicitor. Il tell you
fellows, there's always a way to land
any man. Why, for year, fve-by
George! I'm forgetting to send DR.
Watson over to make the eXamina
ton. Van Dorn's going on hunting
trip, and we've got to hustle, and get
ulll ldlleu DBiOTP lie CUES.
The manager stood by Williamson
during the telephoning. who is Mr..
Van Dorm" he asked, as the agent
hung up the receiver.
president of the Kosmos Chemical
Company" replied Williamson. Son
in-law and enemy of Colonel Loree OF
the Solar Selling Company, you know"
said the cashier.
"Oh-h-h-h!" replied the manager, as
if recalling something. Il remember
the romance in the newspapers; but
| thought the young fellow was poor
Fixed it up with the colonel, l sup
Pose-the usual thing"
Not on your life!" replied William
son. 'Loree would kill him if he
dared-Old aristocrat, you know; but
Van DorG's too smart for him. You
remember he was an engineer fol
LOree's company, and met the daugh
ter on some inspection trip. Love al
first sight-moonlight on the noun
tains-runaway and wedding on the
sly-father's curse-turned out tc
starve, and all that"
Il remember" answered the mana
ger: but it doesn't seem to lead log
ically up to this application"
Well" went on Williamson, ivan
Dorm turns up with a company formed
10 work a deposit of the sal-ammoniac
or asphaltum, or whatever the stuff
the Solar Company had cornered may
be. and began trust busting. The colo
mel swore the new deposit really be
longed to his company, because Van
Dorm found it while in Lis employ, and
called him all sorts of a scoundrel
But the young mans gone on, all the
same, floating his company, and flying
high"
Il heard that Loree was sure to ruin
him." interposed the cashier.
Ruin nothing!" said Williamson
1T was a case of the whale and the
swordfish. Van Dorn's got him lick
ed-why, don't you see that check!"
That does look like success" re-
piled the manager. Il hope his siren
nous life hasn't hurt his health-Wat
son is fussy about hearts and lungs
That's the least of my troubles, >
replied Williamson. Van Dorn's an
athlete. and frst-class risk. There's
nothing the matter with Van Dorm
And yet, Trudeau the guide, far ur
in the Minnesota woods, looked at the
young man and wondered if there
wasn't something the matter with Van
Dorm. They had come by the old tote
road to the deserted lumber camp
armed and equipped to hunt deer
Most young men in Van Dorn's situa
lion were keen-eyed, eager for the trail
and the chase-at least until tanned by
WEAKNESS But Van Dorm was like a
somnambulist. Once Trudeau had
left him behind on the road, and on re
tracing his steps to find him, had dis
covered him standing by the path
gazing at nothing, his lips slowly NOV
ing as if repeating something under
his breath-and he had started as II
In fright at Trudeau's hail He had
been careful to give Trudeau his card
and admonished him to keep it; but
ne seemed careless of all opportuni
Ties OF following up the acquaintance
Most of these city hunters were anx.
ious TO talk; but what troubled Tru'
deau, was the manner in which Van
Dorm sat by the fire, wrote in book
from time to time, and gazed into
the flames. Now that they had reach.
ed the old camp, Trudeau hoped that
hunting