The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-07-16

Il will wager my lord 600 piastree
that ! will return this money to him at
the moment Of bis greatest humiliation,
for he has been a false friend"
Dick laughed harshly and followed
his companies. His good looking face
wore q scOwf. His thoughts were un-
pleasant enough.
What did the fellow meanT' he ask
ed himself. What the deuce did he
mean by talking about false friends ?"
Mrs. Carleton was a~pologizing for
her sons bad temper.
II am afraid It is the tropical sum-"
she said, striving to reassure the girl
whom Dick wanted to marry. Maud
was her ~goddaughter and Mrs. Carrie
ton had counted upon this European
trip to bring about the desired engage
ment.
They went along the bazaar, and
while Dick and his mother picked out
a silky rug, Maud hurried back to Gish
Dewar. He was sitting there in that
motionless, meditative attitude.
He glanced up sharply at sound Of
her light step and then drew back into
the shadow.
In the sunlight her face shone with
it's wonderful tints Of cream and pink,
gray eyes, black dashed and cool. and
s%himmering golden hair.
She was wasting a wonderful smile
upon the poor merchant.
II will buy the amulet" she said
softly, taking money from her purse.
Hurry, pleased"
Gish Dewar opened the copper box.
took out the onyx amulet and laid it
in her hand, but he waved away the
proffered money.
"Efrendi has paid for it," he said in
a mufiled tone.
me pay for it. The gentleman is not a
relative; he is merely a FRIEND" she
said haughtily.
So Gish Dewar humbly took the
money and locked 1t in his copper box.
"Wear 1t next your heart. 1t will
bring back n who loves you," he
said.
Maud slipped the amulet into her
purse.
"Will it bring back one l lover" she
whispered, b%lushing.
From across the wOrld" he said,
and she fed, blushing holly.
As II the crafty promises Of an
Egyptian fortune teller could restore
Elmer VIM to her!
She had been engaged to him when
he set sail for China several years ago,
and she had never received a letter
| from him. She learned that he was
there and prospecting.
If he had chosen this way to break
their engagement Maud would meet
him halfway, 20 she sent out to him
her engagement ring without N word
Of explanation.
After many months came back to her
the registry receipt that had accompa-
MED the ring. Because It bore his
strong signature Maud kept it among
her
Ever since then Dick Carleton had
ardently wooed her.
=
Six months afterward Dick Carleton
sat in the smoking room Of his club.
One by one bis companions yawned
and went home to dress for dinner.
Dick was left alone with his gloomy
thoughts.
That afternoon he had proposed to
Maud Raymond and had been firmly
refused.
Il don't love you, Dick. and l never
SHALL" she had said.
So Dick had excellent reason to be
melancholy. and there were other un-
| pleasant memories that would not be
banished.
He ordered another glass Of whisky
and soda and slipped 1t moodily.
Out Of the silence Of the room a
voice spoke like the crack Of a whip.
"Ah, Carleton, I was looking for your
Dick half rose from his chair and
confronted Elmer WINS handsome
bronzed face. WINS hands were
braced on the table, and his broad
shoulders leaned across the polished
mahogany.
False friend" he said cuttingly.
Carleton WINGED and sank back In
his chair. "AlIs fair in love-" he NUT
tered sullenly.
"False friend" repeated VIM. "You
wrote to me that you were already
married to Maud. ! was so enraged
that ! hated all Of you, ever my coun.
try, and ! would not read q newspaper
from home. l believed your lie, and
when q few weeks later l received my
ring from her / knew you had spoken
truly.
II left China. I have money. I have
wandered the world over, amusing my.
self by various methods In many lands.
"Once in a bazaar in Cairo I saw you
and her, and her hands were bare Of
rings. l knew she was not married ia
you-that you lied"
Carleton was cringing in his chair.
II loved her!" he whispered hoarsely.
$50 did l." reminded the other man;
then, with a sudden change Of voice,
he added: