The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-11-27
cd the Cheek and extended 1t toward

ed the Cheek and extended 1t toward
the astonished wanderer.
we don't want that, Paul. What
we wanted was to get you back. There
was no other way. Your brother made
up the loss the day after you =.
went away. There. was no scandal.
Only few of us in the Office knew.
Never got to the newspapers"
1t was impossible for Warrington to
digest this astounding information at
once. His mind could only repeat the
phrases: No scandal, only a few of
us in the Office knew, never got to the
newspapers. For ten years he had
hidden himself in wildernesses, avoid
ed hotels. read no American newspa-
pers, never called for mail. Oh, monu-
mental fool!
And | could have come home al
most at once!" he said aloud, address
ing the crumpled check in his hand
rather than the man in the swivel
chair
Yes. have often wondered where
you were, what you were doing. You
and your brother were upper class
men. | never knew Arthur very well:
but you and | were chummy, after a
fashion. Arthur was a little too book
ish for my style Didn't we use to call
you Old Galahad? You were always
wailoping the DULLES and taking the
weaker chaps under your wing To
me, you were the last man in the
world for this business. Moreover, l
never could understand, nor could IA
Their, how you got it, for you were not
an office man. Women and cards, l
suppose. Father said that you had the
making of a great engineer. Fierce
place, this old town." waving his hand
toward the myriad sparkling roofs and
towers and spires Have to be strong
and hard-headed to survive it. Built
anything since you've been away?"
in Cashmir." To have thrown away
a decade!
Glad you kept your hand in. dare
say you've seen lot of life" To the
young man it was an extremely aWk-
ward interview.
Yes; I've seen life," DULY
Orient, mostly, ! suppose. Your
letter about the strike in oil was
mighty interesting Heap of money
over there, if they'd only let US smart
chaps in to dig it up. Now, old man,
l want you to wipe the slate clear OF
these ten years Well call it bad
dream. What are your plans for the
future?"
"Plans?" Warrington looked UP
blankly. He realized that he had made
no plans for the future.
Yes What do you intend to do!
A man like you wasn't made for idle
ness. Look here. Paul; I'm not going
to beat about the bush. We've got a
whopping big contract from the Chi
nese government, and we need man
to take charge, a man who knows and
| understands something of the yellow
people. How about salary of ter
thousand year for two years. to be
gin in October?"
Warrington twisted the check
Work, rehabilitation.
| Gould you trust me?" he asked
| quietly.
with anything have in the world
Understand, Paul, there's no philan
thropic string to this offer. You've
pulled through devil of hole, You're
man. should not be holding dow
this chair if l couldn't tell man at {
glance. We were together two month:
in Peru. I'm familiar with your work
Do you want to know whose portrai
| that is up there? Well, it's Genera
Chetwoods, the founder of this con
Germ, the silent partner. The mai
who knew kings and potentates ant
told 'em that they needed bridges IL
their back yards. This building be
longs to his daughter. She convert
ed her stock into granite. About
month ago l received a letter from
her. 1t directly concerned you. |
seems she learned through the consu
general at Singapore that you hat
worked with us. She's like her ia
Their, a mighty keen Judge OF numal
nature. Frankly, this offer come
through her advices. To satisfy your
self, you can give us surety bond TO
fifty thousand. It's not obligatory
however"
Elsa Chetwood. She had her ia
theirs eyes, and it was this which ha'
Drawn his gaze to the portrait. Chef
wood; and Arthur had not known an
,sore than he had. What irony! Te
Ears wasted for nothing
Warrington laughed aloud. A weak
ness seized him, like that of ma
long gone hungry.
Buck up, Paul." warned the goo
Samaritan. Cali this kind of knock
the wind out of you. l know. Blu