Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-07-02
s''t''t''t-t't-tt--t''st''ts''t
THE REMITTANCE
MAN
: A Story of a Partnership.
By IZOLA FORESTER
. Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.
A Story of a Partnership.
By IZOLA FORESTER
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.

Crlttenden stepped out Of the post
office at Goldspur, with his usual
monthly letter from London town In
his pocket.
In front of the store was Mollie
Owen, mounted on her brown pony.
The sight was enough to make any
man pause, but there was more than
her beauty and grace to check the
Englishman, for moment later she
began to cry.
Beside her stood Lin Dewing, grin
on his face and cheerful contentment
fairly emanating from his personality.
From lounger at the door of the
postoiilce Crlttenden caught a remark
that sent the blood faster through his
heart.
Inns got her dead to rights She
can't meet the payments on the Upper
Bend outfit, and he won't give her
time. No fool woman can run the
ranch, no matter how good looking she
IL. 1t needs Il manw
Nobody will ever know whether the
spark of British chivalry collided with
an instantaneous appreciation of Mol
lies points or whether 1t was purely
subconsclous action regulated by fate's
decree, sex attraction and opportune
propinqulty Suffice 1t to say that
some irresistible current turned Grit
teDden's footsteps in the direction Of
the brown pony and Mollie
IL understand, Miss Owen" he be-
gan, with the delightful drawl that
gave Goldspur goosehesh, that you
need foreman over at your place"
Mollie met his eyes and stopped cry
ing. She liked his eyes. There was a
CLINT of humor In them, and they were
n relief after the little black Sits that
furnished Inns soul with loophOles
"I'll take you If you want to try It,"
she flashed back. whats your nameT
John Crittenden."
Mollie felt slight thrill of disturb
ance. She had heard of John Critten-
den. Everybody around GOldspur had.
Rumor said he was remittance
man" and rode In every month for the
purpose of receiving certain letter
from London.
She said to Dewing:
'I've got thirty days, haven't l, Mr..
Dewing, If ! can raise the balance3
The interest Is paid up to the 10th"
"Yeh'm, you sure have" responded
Lin happily. And | hope you can
raise 1t. II you can't, guess I'll have
to take the place Off your hands"
Mollie smiled and frightened the reins.
"All right. I'll be here on the 10th,
then. You'll come over tomorrow, Mr..
CrittendenT'
Next morning while the early mist
still curled like low campfire smoke up
the hlllsides he rode to Upper Bend.
Mollle was out feeding her chickens
when he arrived.
"I've got three other men working
here, but they aren't bit of good"
she told him. 1.-TWO look after the
sheep. and one stays around handy to
help me here at the ranch, The place
Is all run down. 1t needs mans hand
and point Of view. | hope you'll get
down to business and work a straight
deal with me-"
81 WILL said Crlttenden. That's
what came for"
But he did not tell her how strange
1t seemed, this buckling into harness
after nearly two years of inertia. He
himself hardly sensed the keen, buoy
ant spur of responsibility.
One day Mollle stopped him as she
was riding
Things are picking up, John" She
called him John quite naturally now.
II think Wen pull through. There's
$500 to pay by the 10th. I've got some
saved toward 1t, and l heard today
those new folks down tho valley want
to buy sheep We could let a bunch
go. couldn't wef
would you mind taking In a partner
here. Miss OwenT asked Crittenden
slowly. 81 like 1t, and think could
make a good thing out Of II. can put
In my share, and that would pay Off
Dewing and give us a start"
Npipi ApoN III AhSgs tOhC
did not meet his eyes It was not an
easy thing she had to tell him, but she
went ahead bravely.
"JOhn. / want 10 be frank with you.
like you You know that, don't your
mo, ! didn't" said Crittenden, and
the look in his eyes almost made Mol
lie lose her courage.
you're bully foreman" she added
firmly. But would you stick2 I've
heard all about you, OF course
what have you heardT
THAT you are remittance man"
Then Crittenden told her simply,
without any show Of repentance or
excuse for the past. He had made a
failure Of life at home. He was no
criminal, but he had been a spend
thrift and general neer-do-well. He
had come to the west to try to find
himself, to learn his bent in life, to
nee whether there was a groove that
ne fitted
81 think I've found It here" he fin
ished. This suits me The money I
told you Of Is my own am not paid
10 stay away, as the men say. I have
small, very small, income, but It
Keeps inc going. The trouble has been