Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1916-06-23
III

oAAe0Ay .
called on GouQuin, the purveyor Of
feminine trifles. at his gaudy empor-
ium and having explained my mission
as guardedly as possible offered to
give his good money for the bad mon
ey he had received through SO unfor-
tunate a mistake from Mrs. Neiff.
"Vat?' he screamed. do you tax me
for one fool: do you t'ink that /. Gus.
tav Gouquin. don't know my own pis.
ness, helm? Perhaps you are a collect
or, dealer in old coins yourselluf.
you cunning old man. Let me tell you.
sare, that l t'ink that monish 30 goot
that l will sell; yes. I will sell all. ef-
ferything, my whole stock supplime
for two t'ousant of those same pieces
of gelt receift from my goot trent
Mrs. Neiff. hat no time for such
non sense"
"You well might" returned idly
as turned away. "since at the worst
1t would only be an exchange of coun-
terfeits for counterfeits.'
Just entering the doorway met
daughter of old Peter Bullion the re-
tired magnate, who lent an auriferous
hue to the Tawdrey House. There was
an air of conscious yet embarrassed
importance about the girl that con-
firmed my suspicious. Besides, in SO
blind an impasse as that in which
was now wandering there was sense
in following the slightest CLEAN.
"How do you do, my dear Mrs. Pre-
cedent?" I said.
How do you known" she cried In
voluntarily and then turned as red
and white as she looked blue. "Oh,
you mean thing" she went on desper-
ately. you always have plagued me
about Billy on account Of the trouble
between his father and mine. OF
course you are only plaguing me now.
Il knew through the Rev. Mr.. Min
cey," answered. but you need have
no fear of my betraying your secret
Then / explained briefly that posses.
sion by the minister of the gold pieces
paid to her and her husband had in
spired my guess.
"Billy didn't give them to him."
poor Florence gasped, "he wasn't that
silly to pay so much for five dollar
job. See, have them with me now,
Billy wanted me to buy hat"
l persuaded fer to walk around to
the mint with me and find out wheth-
er the coins were genuine.
"You will befriend us, Mr.. Sniffen,"
pleaded Florence as we proceeded on
our way. Both papa and Judge Pre-
cedent think so much of you: they US
ed to think worlds of each other too.
before they had some horrid quarrel
in court. / don't know what we shall
do IL they are not reconciled: there Is
no light, no hope. Oh, am so misera
ble.,'
Miserable? Why. you were just 60
ing to buy hat"
"That was why" retorted Florence
conclusively.
The affable cashier at the mint gave
Florence's two gold pieces the very
test of characters.
gold of the standard weight and fine
ness can make them. Why. 1t is a
pleasure to see that issue again. These
must be part of lot that had been
shipped back and forth across the At.
lantic as bullion for fifty years with
out once being uncasked. 1t all came
out, don't you remember. in some ia
nous trial or other few years ago?
BY the way, there is dangerous coun-
erfeit out we are advised. should like
to see it,"
Let me accommodate you." I ven-
tured, and indeed he gave the two
coins l had got from Mr.. Mincey the
very worst Of characters.
With the plot so thickened there
was obviously only one thing to do.
called on Rev. Mr. Mincey and de-
manded his reasons for having said
that the two counterfeits came pri-
marily from the Neiffs, remarking as
aside that IL he did not do some 9TH
er condolences of his sacred office
might come to an unpleasant light.
he complied, and then 1t was that. as
IL through a glass darkly, l seemed to
see how I might not only smooth the
love course of Florence and Billy but
also confirm the Neiffs, male and fe-
male in their fleeing good fortune.
Nv
found old Peter Bullion mentally
counting over his money in an easy
chair by the fireplace. He was large
man, who looked as If he had just eat
en- something greasy in hurry.
"You know me well enough" I be-
gan, Ito feel that l would not ask any
thing unreasonable of you"
"That remains to be seen," he growl.
ed suspiciously. "As a general rule II
is unreasonable to ask anything"
II want you to tell me the true
cause of your quarrel with Judge Pre-
cedent, that is II 1t had any cause at
ALL" added adroitly.
ANY causer' he snorted apoplecti-