The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-10-05
PAGE SEVEN

"Ohv" O'Neirs eyes frightened.
"There have been terrible goings ON
over at Hope. l went up yesterday
In my official capacity to reconnoiter
the enemy's position and to give him a
preliminary skirmish, but the great
man was sulking in his tent and sent
word by a mental for me to begone or
look put for the bloodhounds. Isn't he
the naughty thing? | don't like to be
gone | refuse to git when I'm told;
so, of course. | paid my respects to
Natalie and her mother. But what do
you think | found? Mrs. st. Claire
desolated, Eva dissolved in tears and
her hair down."
Twill you talk sense?"
Just try a little nonsense and see.
Well, the great eruption has taken
place. and the loss of life was terrible.
Among those buried in the cinders are
the dusky eyed heroine and her friend
mother. 1t seems Eva had a hand in
The overseer's exposure
Yes. yes! It's about those coal
claims. | knew It was coming"
"She told her mother Of the horrid
treachery. and mother logged the com-
n'aint to Gordon and placed it in his
mp. Result, confession and defiance
from him. Even the family jewels are
zone"
as Gordon broker"
Hes weltering in money, but the
coal claims are lost, and he wants to
know what they're going to do about
It. The women are ruined. He mag
unanimously offers them his bounty;
but. Of course. they refuse to accept
IT,"
Hasn't he made any provision for
themf"
Coffee and cakes three times "A day.
That's all. He won't even provide
transportation. and the troupe can't
| walk home. They refuse to stay there.
but they cant get away. Tv cabled
the Review. overdrawing my salary
! scandalously. and Dan is eager to help.
but the worst of 1t Is neither Of those
women knows how to make IL living.
Natalie wants to work. but the extent
of her knowledge Is the knack OF frost
ing Il layer cake. and her mother never
even sewed on a button In all her life.
It would make "A lovely Sunday story.
and it wouldn't help Curtis Gordon
with his stockholders"
You won't write il, OF course"
"Oh, ! suppose not, but It's madden
ing not TO be able to do something.
| Efa.n nm,' - N -, ,a,i,,gt N nh
ter. the pencil Is my only weapon. I'd
like TO iab 1t clear through that ruff
fan Eliza's animated face was very
stern, her generous mouth was set
firmly.
You can leave out the personal ele-
ment," he told her. There's still a
big story there if you realize that ii
runs back to Washington and involves
your favorite policy OF conservation.
Those claims belonged TO Natalie and
her mother. | happen to know that
their locations were legal and that
there was never any question Of fraud
I'm the titles; hence they were entitled
to patents years ago. Gordon did
wrong, Of course, in refusing to obey
the orders of the secretary of the int
rior even though he knew those orders
to be senseless and contradictory, but
the ome are the mes to suffer. The
government froZe them out. This is
only one instance of what delay and
~indecision at headquarters have done.
I'll show you others before we are
through. AS for those two You say
they want to do something's"
ITS not a question Of wanting.
They've got to do something-or starve.
They would scrub kitchens If they
knew how"
"Why didn't they come to met"
DO you need a cook and a dish
washer?"
Murray frowned. "Our new hotel is
nearly finished. Perhaps Mrs. Gerard
would accept a position as-as host
ess."
Hostess! In q railroad camp hotel!
Who I've heard of such a thing?"
Eliza eyed him incredulously.
O'Neil's flush did not go unnoticed as
he said quietly:
ut is unusual, but wen try II. She
might learn to manage the business
with a competent assistant The sal
airy will be ample for her and Natalie
to live on"
Eliza laid a hand timidly upon his
arm and said in an altered tone:
"Omar Khayyam, you're a fine old
Persian gentleman. l know what 1t
will mean to those two poor women,
and / know what 1t will mean to you,
for, Of course, the salary will come out
Of your pocket"
He smiled down at her. tits the
best l can offer. and I'm sure you
won't tell them"
"Of course not l know how 1t feels
to lose a fortune, too. for I've been
through the mill. Don't laugh. You
have a load on your shoulders heavier
than Mr.. Sinbad's, and it's mighty nice
Of you to let me add to the burden.
IL hope 1t won't break your poor
back. Now, I'm going up to your
bungalow and lock myself into your