Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-07-21

ladies to have for the askin' now"
"Do better? Do better than Mary
Ryan," demanded Tom, his voice ris-
ing. us there any one here who
thinks I or any man could do better?
If there is will he just step out and
say so? I want to bear him."
But nobody volunteered They were
all ready to swear that no living be-
ing could do better, and fresh drinks
complimented their judgment
How do you know Jimmy amt
skated over there to get ahead Of your"
asked n presently. You a do a
lot with a girl If you go at her with a
rush. And he went out mighty sud
den."
Toms face clouded, and he put down
his glass with a thump. 81
by thunderl And me loaflng. here
being sorry for himt" he muttered. lie
drew out a ten dollar bill and threw 1t
down on the counter.
"There, boys, use that up! I've got
business down the street." he said,
turning to go.
GOOD luck to your they shouted
after him and drank deep to his for
tune, and to Mary, and to the we'd
ding, and to the wedding guests.
Toms face grew more and more
clouded as he hurried along the street
Mccarthy had had somewhat the up
per hand with Mary lately. What If
he had seized the occasion to whfrl In,
carrying the girl Off her feet, and seal
her irrevocably his before she knew Of
the golden attraction that had been
added to Tom?
Matters looked bad enough when
Tom entered the Ryan parlor. Jimmy
was black at the interruption rather
than complacent, SO evidently the
worst had not happened, but Mary
herself did not look too well pleased,
and her flushed cheeks and the way
Jimmy's chair was drawn up to hers
showed that things had been moving
fast in the wrong direction. Tom
quailed under her coldness; then he
had an inspiration.
Excuse my ~intruding, Mary" he
said easily, but l just dropped In to
say goodby. I'll be so busy these next
few days buying clothes and going to
the theater / won't have much time for
calls. But I couldn't go Off without a
goodby shake from you"
Mary was all round eyes. Jimmy
was suspicious, but evidently relieved.
wherever are you going?" she de-
manded.
"Wel Niagara Falls first" said Tom,
leaning back and crossing his knees,
'then perhaps Californy. I've always
wanted to see what travelling was like
when you wasn't showing coal into the
engine every two minutes. I'm going
to look about the world a bit"
"But-but-youu lose your job"
stammered Mary.
Tom laughed.
We'll, 1 should guessi I'm out Of
that sort of work for life. I'm think
ing of buying into some good bust
ness"
SIS the man cfean crazyT" She was
beginning to lose her temper.
"Oh, didn't you know I'd come into
a fortune p he asked, In. surprise. TITS
about $4,000, I guess. I haven't count
ed It up very particular yet. I thought
Jimmy would have told you. He was
drinking my health over the news not
an hour ago"
Mary turned indignant eyes ON Jim
my, who was plainly miserable.
"No, he. didn't mention it." she said
in an ominous tone.
"Oh, well, likely it slipped hts mind"
said Tom affably, rising to go. II was
hoping you'd go to the theater with
me tomorrow night. III be having two
orchestra, chairs, OF a box maybe. But
If Jimmy has bespoke your evening"
"No, he hasn't" she said decidedly.
"IT go with you, and very glad, Tom
THAT'S right I'll be round On time,
and I'll bring a hack If it's raining
And Tom went Off In triumph. Mary
followed him to the door with soft
looks and a hard CLINT In the corner
Of her eye for Jimmy.
But as he walked away Toms ex-
ultation cooled. A mother who has
soft heartedly mourned her runaway
child Is apt to turn on him In righteous
wrath when she gets him safely back.
And so Tom, newly secure of his
sweetheart, found himself seized with
sudden indignation. 1t was Just his
money she was after. She had dark
looks enough for him till he dangled
that before her. Well, If that was it
Jimmy could have her and welcome.
There were others-ladies-to be had
for the asking, as Stimson had said.
Miss Mary Ryan would see whether
he was the soft fool she took him
for. And SO some OF the glory was OF
his new fortune already, and he had
met one Of the sorrows of wealth
within two hours of his acquiring it.
He was moody enough when he re-
Joined the boys. Under their Jovial
welcome and the fiattery of his new
importance his spirits revived but in
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