Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-03
L . "
INSURANCE
A CON EDT RON ANCE
b. EARL DERR BIGGERS
1VoossoR SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE

!
dressed, sat.
Il thought you'd come at me Will
the title" said George narrowly, alst
Minot-no secrets here. Allan. 70,
and your wife must come out and SET
us. Got wife myself-fine girl
she's from Marion, Indiana. And Eve
got two of the liveliest little Ameri
cans you ever saw Live in little
Chicago suburb-horey house, shady
street, neighbors all from down coun
try way Gibson's drawings on the
walls, George AIDES books on the
tables, photograph in the corner with
all of George M. Cohan's songs. Whole
family wakes in the morning ready fol
a McCutcheon cartoon. Ny boys talk
about nothing but Cubs and White
Sox all summer. They're going to a
Western university in few years. We
raised 'em on James Whitcomb Riley s
poems. Well, Allan"
"Well, George"
Say, what do you imagine would
. happen if l went back to home like
! that with the news that | was Lord
narrowly, in line to become Earl OF
! Raybrook. There'd be riot. Wife
would be startled out of her wits.
:, Children would hate me. Be an out
cast in my own family. Neighbors
would turn up their noses when they
went by our house. Fellows at the
club would guy me. Lord narrowly,
ch! Take off your hats to his ludship,
boys. Business would fall Off"
Smilingly George narrowly took a
cigar and lighted it.
mo, Allan" he finished. "a lord
wouldn't make hell Of a hit any
where in America, but in Chicago, in
the automobile business-say. I'd be
as lonesome and deserted as the read
ing room of an Elk's club"
II don't quite understand" Allan
began.
NO said George, turning to meet
Minot's smile. "but this gentleman
does. It all means, Allan. that there's
nothing doing. You are Lord Harrow
by, the next Earl of Raybrook Take
the title, and God bless you"
But. George" Allan objected,
legally you can't"
Don't worry, Allan" said the man
from Chicago, there's nothing we
can't do in America, and do legally.
How's this? I've always, been intend
ing to take out naturalization papers.
III do it the minute l get back to Chi
cago-and then the title is yours. In
the meantime, when you introduce me
to your friends here, we'll just pretend
I've taken them out already
Allan narrowly got up and laid his
hand affectionately on his brothers
shoulder.
you're a brick, old boy" he said.
"You always were. I'm glad you're
to be here for the wedding. How did
you happen to Gomez
That's right-you don't know, do
you? came in response to tele-
gram from Lloyds' of New York"
From-er-Lloyds?' asked Allan
blankly.
Eyes, Allan. That yacht you came
down here on didn't belong to Martin
Wall. It belonged to me. He made
away with it from North river be-
cause he happened to need it. Wallis
a crook my boy
THE Lileth your ship! My word!'
at is. l called it the Lady Evelyn.
Allan. Lloyds found out that it had
been stolen and sent me wire. So
here I am"
"I.loyds found out through me-"
Minot explained to the dazed Allan.
"Oh-I'm beginning to see,' said
Allan slowly. by the way, George,
we've another score to settle with
Wall"
He explained briefly how Wall had
acquired Chain Lightning's Collar and
returned a duplicate of paste in its
place. The elder narrowly listened
with serious face.
ITS no doubt the collar he was
trailing you for, Allan he said. And
that's how he came to need the yacht.
But when finally he got his eager
fingers on those diamonds, poor old