Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-07-13

logued MS Ills.
"Are you a married man?' O'Neil In.
quired once OF Dan.
"Not yet. sir"
"Familyr'
"Sure! A great big. fine one. con-
sisting OF sister. But she's more than
q family-she's religion" Receiving
encouragement from his employers
look OF interest, he continued: I'VE
were wiped out by the San Francisco
earthquake and stood in the bread line
for awhile. We managed to save 81 200
from the wreck. which we divided
equally. Then we started out to make
our fortunes. 1t was her idea"
you came to Cortez?'
Yes. Money was so easy for me
that lost all respect for It. The town
rang with my mirth for awhile. ! was
an awful fool"
"Education.'
Now. it's my ambition to get settled
and have her with me. | haven't had
a good laugh, hearty meal or Chris
tian impulse since | left her"
What did she do with her half OF
the fortuneY
Invested IL wisely and went to work.
l bought little round celluloid disks
with mine: she bought land OF some
sort with hers. She's newspaper wo-
man, and the best In the world-or at
lease the best IN Seattle. She wrote
that big snowslide story for the Review
Ill l.n
eight babies on 81 week or how 10
make a full set of library furniture out
OF three beer kegs, packing case and
an epileptlc icebox. She runs the Do
nestle Economy column, and she's the
sweetest, the cleverest. the most stun
ming
Appleton's enthusiastic tribute ceas
ed suddenly, for he saw that ONeil
was once more deaf and that his eyes
were fixed dreamily upon the canyon
far ahead.
On the evening OF the sixth day a
splintered. battered polling boat with
its seams open swung In to the bank
where O'Neil's men were encamped
and its three occupants staggered out
They were gaunt and stiff and heavy
eyed. Even Tom Slater's full cheeks
hung loose and nabby. But the leader
was alert and buoyaDt; his face was
calm, his eyes were smiling.
you'll take the men on to the Goa
fields and finish the work." he told his
boss packer later that night. Apple
ton and l will start back to Cortez IN
the morning. When you have finished
go to juneau and see to the recording
Amt that my luckf" murmured the
dyspeptic. me for Kysk, where there
amt a store, and my gum all wet"
Chew it, paper and ALL" advised APP
pleton cheerfully.
"Oh. the good has all gone out OF II
now" Slater explained.
Meet me In Seattle on the 18th OF
next month" his employer directed.
The clerk OF the leading hotel in Sc
attic whirled his register about as q
man deposited a weather beaten wal
bag on the marble floor and leaned
over the counter to inquire:
lis Murray - Nell mere!
This question had been asked re
peatedly within the last two hours, but
heretofore by people totally different
I'm appearance from the one who spoke
now. The man behind the desk meas
ured the stranger with suspicious
eye before answering. He saw rag
ged. loose hung, fat person OF melan
choly countenance, who was booted tc
the knee and chewing gum.
"Mr. O'Neil is not here"
The fat man stared at his informant
accusingly. "Ain't this the 15thT' he
asked.
at is
Then he's here, all rightI'
mfr. O'Neil is not in" the clerk re
peated, gazing fixedly over Mr.. Skaters
left shoulder
"Well, | guess his room will do fol-
me. | amt particular"
His room is occupied at present II
you care TO wait you will find
Precisely what IL was that he was &c
find Tom never learned. for at that
moment the breath was driven out OF
his lungs by tremendous whack. and
he turned to behold DIR. Stanley Gray
towering over him. an expansive smile
upon his face
Hes around somewhere"
Slater turned resentful. smoldering
gaze upon the hotel clerk and looked
about him for n chair with detach
able leg, but the object OF his regard
disappeared abruptly behind the key
rack.
This rat Drained party said he
hadn't come"
He arrived this morning. but we've
barely seen him"
81 left Appleton in juneau. He'll be
down on the next boat"
Appleton? Who's hef" Dr. Gray in
quired
"Oh, he's n new member OF the or
der--initiated last month. He's learn
ing TO be n sleep hater. like the rest of
us. He's recording the right OF way.
Whats In the air: None OF us
knows. We didn't even know Muir
rays whereabouts. Thought he was in
Kyak until he sounded the tocsin from
New York The other boys have quit
their jobs. and I've sold my practice
Its a railroadr'
DR.. Gray grinned. Well that's the
tone use when I break the news that
It's a girl instead OF boy"
Its railroad" Slater repeated, "up
the Salmon riverr'
Continued NEXT week.