Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1918-02-21
A Wise
Investment
Copyright. 1911. Western Newspaper uniea,
b. SARAH EsTEuE BALcoM

Copyright. 1911. Western Newspaper Uniea.s
.Then have lost my two thousand
dollars" propounded old Hugh Roberts
mournfuily.
every cent of 1t. and past recovery
You have simply been swindled out
right" advised Lawyer Griscom.
Hugh Roberts ran his fingers nerv-
ously through his sparse white hair
and a look of despair came into his,
faded eyes.
"It's the end, then" he said desc
lately. "It's twice and out. First
advanced that young fellow Warren
Lee my five hundred dollars savings
on the patent that disappeared with
him. Then along came this oil prop
osition. 1t looked reasonable; one
hundred acres cut up into small lots.
You paid fifty dollars lot and I
bought forty of them. You see. the
company was to bore for oil. II one
IT my lots happened to be the place
where they struck oil was to get
ninety per cent of the entire produc-
ton. Think Of 1t rich for life, and I
| could have built the dream Of my life,
| nice bungalow on the old homestead.
But that's all past now. l must think
CT Esther and want you to sell the
little place."
"Oh, don't do that, Roberts," remOn-
strated the lawyer.
eyes, it's got to be-" insisted the
other firmly. II owe it to Esther, my
little niece und faithful housekeeper-
1 have planned to leave sher well pro-
vided for. Now all can do for her is
to turn what little have left into cash,
and arrange to have my stepsister take
care Of her for the money. She must
not know am going away. want to
slip out of her life quietly"
But how are you going to live, your.
self?" inquired the lawyer solicitously.
II have arranged all that" tersely
replied Roberts, and that settled it.
There was no redress as to the in
vestment Of Roberts in the oil specu-
lation. The company had bored ten
wells, just as they said they would, but
no oil.
One morning all Chenille knew that
Hugh Roberts had disappeared. Es-
Their. who loved him dearly, was broken
hearted when, gently as he could, Mr..
GriscOm told her the depressing facts
OF the case. There was another grief
nursed in secret by the fair young girl
Roberts had referred to first in
vestment about year previous. War
rem Lee had incidentally met Mr.. Rob-
erts. enthusiastic over his invention,
which required five hundred dollars to
complete. He pledged his honor that
he would give Roberts a one-half in
terest If he would advance the amount.
when come back 1t will be to-
make you rich," he had answered the
old man.
"And when that lucky day comes"
he had whispered to Esther, II am go
Ing to ask you to become my WIFE"
Therefore, no marvel that Esther tried
to cherish hope amid all her troubles,
for, although they received no word
from the young inventor, a memory of
his earnest, honest face babe her re-
tain her faith in him. She took up her
home with new relative and patiently
awaited the awards of fate.
Roberts had gone straight to the site
Of the great oil field that had no OIL
He had claimed possession Of his forty
oil lots, which no one disputed, for the
land was absolutely valueless. Rob-
erts built little shack, he purchased
cow with a broken leg and nursed
1t back to health. He planted some
vegetables and sold milk to cross
roads tavern two miles away, eking out
wretched living and peered at by
those who passed his farm" He was
narctctant fy1n
spoke to anyone, leading the life of a
hermit, hoping the end would come
soon.
A year passed by and Roberts re-
garded with suspicion, distrust and re-
sentiment hanger-On of the tavern
named Dick Essen. He and a chum
tried to get into the confidence of Rob
erts as to who he was and where he
came from, and seemed nightly in
terested In prying into his affairs.
Hes our man." spoke Essen to his
comrade one day, after Roberts had
ordered them from the house.
THAT'S sure-we've got to act"
ayes, and by force. See here, we're
sure Of that thousand dollars. It's
worth risking little time and money"
Now. this had happened: Essen haa
come across an advertisement. 1t Of
fered one thousand dollars for infor- Z,
nation that would disclose the where 4
abouts OF Hugh Roberts. 1t described
him. accurately Apply to Samue
Griscom, Chenille"
The next evening Essen and his con-
frere entered the little shack, pounced
upon Roberts, bound him. drugged him,
and placed him In closed-in automo-
bile. Then there was a twelve-hours'
swift dash across country. As a first
dim consciousness returned to Roberts,