Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-05
The Daily
Short Story
A WISE INVESTMENT.
By Sarah Estelle Balloon.

berts mournfully.
Every cent Of 1t. and past recoverv
You have simply been swindled ON.
right" advised Lawyer Griscom
Hugh Roberts ran his fingers nerv.
ously through his sparse white hs,,
and a look OF despair came into n.
faded eyes.
Its the end. then" he said deso.
lately. Its twice and out. Fir
advanced that young fellow Earrsn
Lee my five hundred dollars sayin,,
on the patent that disappeared VA
him. Then along came this oil nrnr.
osition. 1t looked reasonable: os.
hundred acres cut up into small lots
You paid fifty dollars a lot and
bought forty Of them. You see. n
company was to bore for oil u on
Of my lots happened to be the ptce
where they struck Oil l was to n.
ninety per cent of the entire prodse.
ton. Think Of it! rich for life. and
could have built the dream Of my III
q nice bungalow on the old HOMESTEAD
But that's all past now. must thisk
Of Esther and l want you to sell tle
little place"
"Oh, don't do that, Roberts" re-
monstrated the lawyer.
"Yes. it's got to be-" insisted thu
other firmly. Il owe it to Esther. nv
little niece and faithful housekeeper
l have planned to leave her well pro-
vided for. Now all can do for her Il
to turn what little l have left into
cash, and arrange to have my STEM
sister take care of her for the money
She must not know am going away.
l want to slip out of her life quietly
But how are you going to live.
yourself?" inquired the lawyer solici.
tously.
Il 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 spscu-
lation. The company had bored ten
wells, just as they said they would, :
but no oil.
One morning all Glenville knew that
Hugh Roberts had disappeared. e.
Their, who loved him dearly. was brok-
en- 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 one-half h.
terest if he would advance the
amount.
when l come back it will be to
make YOU rich," he answered the old
man.
And when that lucky day comes"
he had whispered to Esther, Il am
going to ask you to become my wife,
Therefore, no marvel that Esth8r
tried to cherish hope amid all her
!; troubles, for, although they received
no word from the young inventor, .
memory of his earnest, honest face
babe her retain her faith in him. She
took up her home with a new relative
and patiently awaited the awards Of
. fate
Roberts had gone straight to TIE
site of the great oil field that had no
oil. He had claimed possession Of bis
, forty oil lots, which no one disputed.
for the land was absolutely valueless.
: Roberts built little shack, he puf-
chased a COW with q broken leg and
: nursed it back to health. He planted
some vegetables and sold milk to .
: crossroads tavern two miles away,
: eking out a wretched living and
; peered at by those who passed his
farm" He was persistent, gloomy.
reticent and barely spoke to anyone
leading the life of a hermit, hoptns
; the end would come soon.
: A year passed by and Roberts Re.
| garded with suspicion, distrust and
: resentment a hanger-on Of the tavern
: named Dick Essen. He and q chum
II tried to get into the confidence Of
Roberts as to who he was and WHERE
: he came from, and seemed nightly
interested in prying into his Affairs.
Hes our man." spoke Essen to hh
S comrade one day, after Roberts baa
E ordered them from the house.
: That's sure-we've got to act"
Eyes, and by force. See here, ven
sure of that thousand dollars. ~
worth risking little time and money.
K Now. this had happened: Essen nsa
e come across an advertisement. It o.
J, fered one thousand dollars for tnfof-
: nation that would disclose the where.
!, abouts of Hugh Roberts. 1t deserts,
t him accurately-"Apply to Samue'
Griscom, Glenville.' -
The next evening Essen and his con- .
e frere entered the little shack, pouncs.,
: upon Roberts, bound him, drugeeu
Q him, and placed him in a cloeeo-u
I automobile Then there was tWeise
: hours swift dash across country. -
t a first dim consciousness returnea =
5 Roberts, he was amazed to find MN
self at Chenille, in the office OF Law
yer GriscOm. :.
i "You are welcome visitors.
. caught the brisk tones Of the ias.s'
II land / will pay you the thousand e'''
e lars gladly"
j what does this mean" murnsLs'
g the dumfounded Roberts. =.
II Happiness and fortune. 0iea ~
lawyer joyfhlly I'VE have been - -,
ing you everywhere. Old friena, ~,
h cherished bungalow is restity =. 4,
: last! Warren lee has made goos. y,
i invention is glorious success
+ as his partner. you are a ricn ~. -.
e And Esther!" propounded hoos
d eagerly.
"Oh, she is Mrs. Warren Lee, sp
g. ..l