Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-05-18

seemed mad enough, it's very audacity
fascinated him. 1t would be worth
While to take part in such an under
taking. even if it ended in failure.
And somehow. against his Judgment.
he felt that his feader would find a
way.
For the most part O'Neil was as 81
lent as a man of stone. and only on
those rare occasions when he cravcd
relief from his thoughts did he encour-
age Dan to talk. Then he sometimes
listened. but more frequently he did
not. Slater had long since become a
dumb draft animal. sensclcss to dis
comfort except in the hour of relaxa-
ton. when he monotonously cata-
logucd his ills.
Are you a married MANI" O'Ncil in
quired once of Dan.
"Not vet. sir"
"Family?"
Sure. A great big, fine me-. con
sisting Of Il sister. But she's more than
a family-she's a religion" Receiving
encouragement from his employers
look of interest. he continued: I'VE
We're wiped out by the San Francisco
earthquake and stood in the bread line
for awhile. We managed to save 81, 900
from the wreck. which we divided
equally. Then we started out to make
our fortunes. 1t was hcr 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, Il hearty meal or n Chris
tan impulse since | left her
"What did she do with hc- half of
the %fortune?'
Invested it wisely and went to work.
L bought little round celluloid disks
With mine: she bought land of some
sort with hers. She's a newspaper wo-
man, and the best in the world-or at
lease the best i'll Seattle. She wrote
that big snowslide story for the Review
1851 IiIl. SlJc lcilS Gil HOW 10 IilSC
eight babies on 81 a week or how to
make Il full set of library furniture out
of three beer kegs, a packing ease and
an epileptic iceboX. She runs the Do
mestic Economy column. and she's the
sweetest, the clevercSt, the most stun
ming
Appleton's enthusiastic tribute ceas-
ed suddenly, for he saw that O'Ncil
was once more deaf and that his eyes
were fixed dreami!y upon the canyon
far ahead.
On the evening OF the sixth day a
splintered, battered po!i2g boat with
its seams open swung in to the bank
where O'Neirs men were encamped,
and its three occupants staggered ont
They We're gaunt and stiff and heavy
eyed. Even Tom Slater's full checks
hung loose and tlabby. But the leader
vas alert and buoyant; his face was
calm, his eyes were smiling.
you'll take the men on to the coal
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
so to Juneau and see to the recording"
"Ain't that my luck?" murmured the
d%yspeptic. Me for kyak, where there
amt Il store, and my gum all wet"
Chew it, paper and ALL" advised APP
pleton checrfully.
"Oh, the good has all gone out of it
now" Slater explained.
Meet me in Seattle IN the 10Th of
next month";" his employer directed.
y s. =
The clerk Of the leading hotel in Sc
attic whirled his register about as 4
man deposited Il weather beaten war
bag on the marble floor and leaned
over the counter to inquire:
rs Murray O'Neil here"'
This question had been asked re-
peatedly within the last two hours, but
heretofore by people totally different
i'll appearance from the one who spoke
now. The man behind the desk meas
ured the stranger with Il suspicious
eye before answering. He saw Il rag
| gcd, loose hung, fat person Of melan-
choly countenance, who vas booted to
the knee and chewing gum.
Mr.. O'Neil is not here"
The fat man stared at his informant
accusingly. Amt this the 15th?" he
asked.
1T is"
'Then he's here, all right"
'AIr. O'Neil is not in" the clerk re-
peated, gazing tixedly over Mr.. Slater's
left shoulder.
"Well, L guess his room will do for
me. | amt particular"
Ills is occupied at present. If
you care to wait you will tind"-
Precisely what it was that he was to
find Tom never learned, for at that
moment the breath was driven out Of
his lungs by a tremendous whack, and
he turned to behold DR.. Stanley Gray
towering over him. an expansive smile
upon his face.
Hes around somewhere"
Slater turned a resentful, smoldering
gaze upon the hotel clerk and looked
obout him for n choir with q dntoch-