Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-07-19
SPORTING BLOOD
Copyright. 1915. by Western Newspaper Union
BY JACK LAYTON.


thought no one was here
The old man smilingly waved his
hand. "Well, I'm just no one at all,
he replied, $50 make yourself COM
Portable, and don't mind me-"
Janey hesitated, but as he returned
to his absorbed contemplation of the
scenic panorama, she sank down upon
n lower rock, and was evidently soon
lost in troubled thought. A deep sigh
at last escaped her.
"Only the aged should sigh" the
old man remarked pleasantly. Janey
turned to look into his shrewd eyes
beneath their grizzled white brows,
and all at once she felt an impulsive
desire to cOnfide in the posSessor or
these same kindly sympathetic eyes.
As though reading her scruples. the
old man bent down encOuragingly.
"Wellf" he asked.
The girl laughed. ITS about Billy"
she answered. the words seeming to
say themselves.
"When young woman signs" her
odd companion responded, 'it usually
is about Billy, or Jack or Tom! Has
he been called to WARP"
Janey shook her head. mot yet"
she said. "Billy is just little above
the age limit. That seems TO be his
fault he is always just a little out OF
everything"
"And this particular thing in which
he fails?" the man persisted.
81 am strangely moved TO tell you
all about it," Janey said slowly,
though / am sure l don't know why"
"Most people are moved to tell me
things" he assured her; sometimes
am fortunate enough TO help them;
sometimes not In this instance"
"Billy and had decided to marry"
Janey said. "Father places an obsta-
Gle"
The old man nodded.
any father would like me 70 marry
his own business partner" she said;
"a very promising young man."
"But you wouldn't like It," her COM
TIERS obstacle in Billy's case?'
"Ohi it's mean" the girl cried out
Indignantly, land it's unfair! Years
ago father sold a cumbersome house
and barns on the hills to some strang-
er who agreed to carry the estate
along and make payment when he
could. Father was glad. then, to have
the taxes taken Off his hands. But the
man who bought the place went away
Che was some sort of sporting mani
and he left the house with caretak-
ers, the barns filled with his horses.
Then one day the estate came back
into fathers hands. The sporting
man was bankrupt, they said. He had
paid nothing on the property, and
house and barns were all out Of re-
pair. They really had abused things
shockingly, 50 father sued for dam
ages. Just enough to put the place In
selling order again. But his lawyer
could get nothing. The sporting man
was clever enough always to Arrange
his affairs that way, they said. And
now" Janey threw out her hands
despairingly. "this Is fathers insur-
mountable obstacle: Billy must make
good by collecting those damages.
Father knows this Is impossible. And
Billy" A tender smile lowered about
the girls mouth. "Oh. Billy is SO
confident Of everything"
IT like a man who Is sure Of win
ning." the old man told her.
Janey laughed. "That is the way
Billy was sure about me-" she con-
fided. He really is poor, you know.
and father Is quite rich. Yet Billy
came boldly counting. and you See"
her tone was wistful. "Billy won me-"
The old man nodded. EYES," he an
swered, 81 see. And what was the
name Of this INSCRIPTIONS man who
purchased your fathers house to de-
stroy it,"
The girl arose. ut was an Irish
name." she replied. "Jerry Sullivan.
And perhaps he did not know how
badly the place had been used; he
was away, you know. But at any
rate" she sighed. mo one can collect
from Jerry Sullivan; that's his repu-
tation." Her companion chuckled:
then with old-time gallantry he turned
to assist her down the cliff
snow IL they'd sent you to him." he
said, 'they might have had a different
story"
81 wonder" said Janey, with part
ing handclasp.
From below she waved up to him.
then turned to run into her lovers
arms. "Just hunted you up" said
Billy. "to tell you I'm on the way to
Sullivan's office; he's in town."
'Billy." cried the girl, twill you sue
him today"
The young man shook his head.
Any eyes but Billy's might have
been discouraged by the shabby appear
ance Of Jerry Sullivan's Office. Surely
bankruptcy. even poverty was evil
denced here. But when he had stat
ed his case. the old man in the chair
before him pushed forward pen and
paper. 'Write ont your claim. young
man." he said, land we will settle the
thing right here. And now" he add
ed. WHEN that feat had been accom-
piished with astounding ease, "now. I
want you TO take message for me
TO that girl you are going to marry.
"Tell her that she met Jerry Sulli-
van on the cliff today. and Jerry's