Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1916-12-07

OF His Son.
hardly dared to blurt out all that he
knew.
"This yer KID" he began again"
George seized the trembling urchin
by the shoulder.
BOY" he said in voice broken with
despair, was it my wife7"
yep" walled the child. II couldn't
help it. mister. l ran like everything.
A heap Of men are diggin' there now"
George raced out like a mailman.
| and the others followed. The presi-
dent showed no spark of real feeling.
but he had the common sense to offer
the use Of his automobile, knowing,
probably, that it would be taken with
or without his leave.
1t was then that he discovered that
his younger son was missing. In reply
to frenzied questionings the fright
ened chauffeur could only say that the
little chap had been playing about the
car and must have wandered off alone
without attracting his attention.
The tragic tangle was soon unrav-
eled. 1t was Georges small brother
who had fallen into the Quicksand,
where his struggles were seen by
Janet, and the gallant woman had res
cued him at the cost of her own life.
The poor girls body was never even
found. She had been swallowed by
the treacherous slime, and her fren-
zied husband had to be taken away by
main force lest he follow her into the
depths.
Elwood Hamer, after rushing the
boy to the village on the pretense that
his clothing should be changed, in
case any noxious germs had found
lOdgment on his skin, did not wait a
second after the little fellow was Civ
en- bath and attired in borrowed gar.
ments. When Burton ipquired about
him the millionaire was already well
on his way to the city.
During the week that followed John
Burton spent many miserable hours.
George Hamer was nearly out of his
mind, and needed safeguarding day
and night.
The trust took over the factory as
quickly as possible, and all payments
were made, but the community was
thrown into dismay by the placarded
announcement that the plant would
shut down on the following Saturday.
Astounded by this wholly unexpected
blow, John drove to the Hamers' town
house.
He was admitted by the solemn
faced butler and shown into the draw
Ing room, where Mabel Hamer was
seated at the piano playing one of
Chopin's dreamy nocturnes. The girl
rose at once. She ignored the visi.
tors outstretched hand.
"Why should l recognize you, Mr..
Burton. when you are the cause of my
brothers downfall2" she said icily.
Before he could even frame a protest,
she had swept out Of the room.
Mrs. Hamer evidently learned Of
Johns presence. She came In, stood
near the door and said. with tears
streaming from her eyes:
"Mr. Burton, where is my son? Why
have you taken him from mel"
Unjust though her words were, he
could not argue with the stricken
mother. He contented himself with in
dicating by a gesture that her son was
hardly in his charge. At that instant
Elwood Hamer entered, led his weep
ing wife into the hallA and returned.
closing the door behind him.
"Why are you here?" he demanded
brusQuely.
II come to ask you why you are
breaking your contract by closing the
factory" replied John with equal as
perity.
Broken the contract? Nothing Of
the sort!. Read III Consult your law
yer. Find any clause, II you can.
which compels me to run my business
Mt n loss"
Burton knew he was beaten. He
went out sadly. Once again was he
forced to admit that Humanity still
felt the Grip Of Evil.
lEND OF NINTH EPISODEl