The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-04-20
SOMETHING TlH6IBLE'
81 MAY BENNETT EARLE

4--[---44 ~-44Frs "-t- ~~-- ~~r-----
smack al his fz1 senszal lips and >
glozttng glance zr0and the establish
nent q Shich he vas proprietor
SoEething tznglbzs- y0ung nan
ne repeated unctzo1sly-- property
the visible evidence OF things Dz-
terizi Thzts ny motto and business
precepE Something / can weigh and
sell Fou come 10 ne with an airy
fairy story. Where's eTidenee. sir,
The d0cu-nenEsry eFidsnof
HIS visitor looked embarrassed. COZ
fused and disappointed AL At tbs
same time. He was 3 little handsome
Foung fsIlcw. Wtth clear ingenious
tzce vel burned bF . tropical sun
Sir" he said. arising to his feet.
I coue 10 you in good faith from ME-
Travis IN far away CeyIon- He vas
ny employer. NY true friend until
be died He was your faithful reprs
sentative there. as y0u know. When
the fire came that swept away your
entire establishment IN Ceyl0n. In try
ing to save your property he sustained
fall from the eeects Of which he
died Before his last moments ar
rived he called me 10 hts bedside and
gave ne the message / have Just de-
llvered.g
The fantasy Of disordeFed brain.T
remarked Thorpe.
4 cannot think that responded
Vernon Davis. Mr. Travis vas too
true to deceive and his mind was per-
fectIy clear. All his thoughts were OF
his orphan daughter. He told me to
see you and recall 70 your attention
me fact that when he went to Ceylon
be vas 10 be considered q one-fourth
partner in that branch Of your busI-
ness, provided he made it succeed.
He did succeed. He waited for you to
make some recognition Of the fact
lie had written agreement that COW
cred the subject"
Produce IT, suggested Thorpe.
1T was destroyed in the fire.
Have you proofs Of anygv
only moral evidence. Sir, I am
going 10 appeal to you in new way
The last anxious thought Of Mr.. Travis
was concerning his daughter. Bertha
The disaster Of the fire makes her
DennfIess. She is left. a young girl
at school. without dollar or relative
ia the world"
She cannot expect any assistance
from me" declared the hard-hearted
merchant Il don't deal in sentiment
want something tangible in my deal
ings. sir. Good day"
Within the next few hours Vernon
located Bertha at the school where
she had been placed by her father.
He was surprised, pleased at the way
in which the brave little soul took
her rudely announced poverty He
was attracted, nay, more, fascinated
By her pure. gentle spirit. He had
lost In the effort to secure to Bertha
her rights. He had gained, new and
fervent. that which was far more
prized than fortune-love.
Il shall leave the school at once"
decided Bertha, in her resolute. wom-
anly way.
Orphans both, struggling each for
a living, the pleasantest hours OF his
life came to Vernon Davis during the
ensuing few months. Bertha found
congenIal work in an Office. Vernon
refused a position with Thorpe and
secured employment as travelling
salesman.
One evening Bertha met him at the
door Of the house where she was liv-
ing with more than ordinary eager
ness and excitement.
"A strange thing has happened"
she said "A man, a stranger | think
from Ceylon, called here an hour ago.
He had been looking for you at your
boarding house and they must have
him here. He is tall thin
man and spoke our language broken
ly. He looked as though he had been
through long period Of Illness or
hardship. He was SO anxious to meet /
you and | so pitied his wearied for
lorn condition, that I asked him in,
knowing you would be here later"
Vernon Davis closed the door and
advanced towards the half recumbent /
figure. He touched the arm of the 1
sleeper. The latter aroused. He stared 4
for a moment confusedly at his dis
turber. Then with gladstone eyes he I
sprang TO his feet.
Master, young masterl" he cried /
in a thrilling tone. you thought me
dead-or false? 1t is neither Ahl i
were my kind old friend, Mr.. Travis,
here to learn the glad news bearlp
What the strange visitor had to tell (
took over an hour. Both left the
house. but not until Vernon had ex-
planned to Bertha that the man was
an old employee Of her father in Cey-
lon, who had sought him out with
message from that far away country. t
The next day Vernon and the Cey-
lonese appeared at the Office OF the
merchant
Mr.. Thorpe" spoke Vernon, here
is former employee Of Mr. Travis,
who also believes that there was some
agreement between you