Charlevoix county herald., 1918-08-09


"Well. my lord" CALCULATED Shell
don. He took his cigar from his
mouth and turned his eyes about our
circle of faces. "Can you beat 1t?
An he never saw Lilly, I'll gamble.
What do you think of that Homer, my
boy?"
"Quite a coincidence" said Reich.
Coincidence your grandmother.
began Sheldon. HE kin do that any
time he wants"
sT might add" Dual interrupted,
"that Mr.. Reich was one of the fac
tors in causing her disappearance"
what do you mean by that's"
Reich sat forward and half rose from
his seat. 1--WE may as well under
stand one another first as last" he
went on with good deal of heat 81
was engaged to marry Miss Lawton.
Do you think I'd be apt to"
STEADY. Homer" Colonel Mac
cautioned. Don't you go TO goin' off
half cooked. Mr.. Dual says you was
a factor, an you was. That telegram
said you was about ready to kick In,
an that's why Lilly left in the first
place. You want to keep cool an not
leave your feelin's lynn around like a
cats tail. Nobody's amin to step on
you"
Perhaps you had better tel the
story. Colonel Sheldon" suggested
Dual.
The China boy came back with the
drinks and served them on the desk.
When he was gone the colonel picked
up his and took long draft, set 1t
down, and stuck his cigar back in a
corner of his mouth.
well, then" he began, II reckon
I will. Lilly's last name was Lawton.
Her dad was foreman in my mine,
an mighty fine straight man as they
go. We had cavern year ago an
he got killed. That left Lilly stranded
as you might say, an / says to her,
little girl, / knowed your pa and
liked him, an old Colonel Mac amt
goin' to see his gal want for nuthin'.
| Allie take care of the kid, an wave a
| feather brush once in a while, an
We'll take keer of you till some likely
Teller sees what nice gal you are.'
"Well, she come, an barrin' missin'
her dad she had good home, an we
tried to make her fergit her pa every
way we could. Then Homer here gets
into the game. He blows into town
about two months ago, an he meets
Lilly at dance.
"Then, after bit he begins to call
| on her. First thing ! know Lilly
comes to me an says he's asked her
to keep house for him steady. DO
you love him, gal?' asks her, an she
says yes Well, bein' as her pa was
dead, l tells her I'll have look at
Homer's pedigree, an If its clear, !
won't put up no holler.
81 sends for Homer an asks him a
few leadin' questions, an he answers
in of buyin' into movin'-picture
show here in town, an settlin' down.
I goes to see the Teller who was run
min the show at present, an he tells
me Homer an he's hen on, an ex-
pect to make deal. So says all right
to Lilly, an the next thing l know
they've set the date for the last of this
month. That was up to ten days ago
about.
"Then Homer has to go to Salt
Lake to see about gettin' some new
stuff for the picture-house, him an
the Teller havin' agreed that that was
the way Homer would buy in-by get
tin the new stuff for his interest, and
then five days ago there comes tele-
gram from Salt Lake for Lilly. Wait
minute, got it here"
He opened a drawer in the desk and
took out a yellow telegraph form.
Here II is"
Miss Lilly Lawton,
Goldfield,
Care of Colonel McDonahue Shell
don,
Homer Reich injured in auto
mobile collision. In Holy Cross
Hospital. Injury fatal. Wants
to see you. Will meet you at
train and take you to him.
LII. MOTtuOuSt.
He tossed the message down on the
desk
Lilly was pretty near crazy an she
come to me with the message. Little
gal,' says l, don't you take on that
away nohow. Maybe it amt as bad
as II sounds. Doctors don't always
kill everybody they aim to. Course
you kin go to Salt Lake, an I'll tele-
phone the station to fix your ticket
right now, an Allie will help you pack
your bag and git ready Then takes
her down to the station and she
catches the first train out, an we
amt heard blamed word from her
sence."
"A fake message" said L
The colonel nodded.
Sure, cuss the yeller dogs what
sent it. The second night after Homer
comes to the house. Where's LillyT
says /, cause l was so surprised at
SEEM him, when he was supposed to
be all hashed up.
Amt she here?' he says, as sur
prised as /. an then we he'd 1t out. 1t
seems he hadn't had no sort of trouble