The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-07-31
The Bonus
Ef@&& " 100 We
By I. B. ANDERSON

Copyright. 1919. By Western Newspaper union.)
Twice Walton Gresham had met Miss
Luella Tyron. The first time he had
scarcely Joined In the general CONVEX
sation Of a pleasant chatty coterie Of
young people, He was so enthralled
with her gracious ways and rare beau,
ty that he could only sit and drink in
her loneliness. She seemed to like him
greatly at their second meeting and
Walton left the elegant mansion Of
his employer, John Tyron, treading on
air. That Miss Tyron was beautiful
and probably an heiress meant nothing
to him. He loved her for herself
alone. II
Then came, not the evaporation Of
his lofty dreams, but total demeraliza-
ton Of the same. The chief clerk in
the business establishment of Tyron &
Co. sent such a shower OF cold water
over his aspirations that they seemed
incapable Of recovering from the
shock. -
"Hear you've been twice up to the
house Of the boss" spoke this individ-
ual. Put a peg there. Don't cross
the danger limit"
"Why, what do you mean" interro-
gated Walton. So ~
"Just this: Three times and out.
Miss Tyron is inclined to adhere to her
own preferences, but MI. Tyron has
chis " ideas as to a son-in-law. Two
likely young fellows, and both travel
ing statesmen like yourself, got going
too often to the Tyron mansion. They
were dropped from the pay roll sum-
marily." .
II see," nodded Walton, and went
away disconsolate and perturbed. He
tried to forget Miss Tyron. -
Walton managed to live without "a
broken heart amid engrossing road
work. In reality he was constantly
dreaming of making a great selling
record, and did so. He had never been
so successful and he anticipated with a
good deal of satisfaction the liberal
bonus which the firm annually award
ed its higher employees.
Reckoning up the snug sum that
would await him, Walton was getting
ready to terminate his trip at the end
of the season, when he received q
startler, as he expressed it later, a d.
rect blow between the eyes. A tele-
gram arrived: -
Full need Of your extending your
trip thirty days. Regular bonus will
be passed until next year. This is con-
f1dential." #@@
"The mischief |" commented Walton
in dismay. 1T can't be possible that
the house 10 weakening |"
? Yet that was the suggestion Of the
disappointing telegram. Walton kept
bisA own counsel. His heart wal not
now fully in his work /; stillshe rolled in
some good orders. The thirty days
had nearly passed by when he was con-
fronted with "a second staggerer. It
was aeletter from an attorney in his
home, town announcing the death of a
wealthy relative who had left a large
estate in which he was a beneficiary
to the extent Of twenty-five thousand
dollars. sr, Is. @a9'
ut was natural that Walton should
pay exclusive attention for the time be-
ing to this unexpected legacy. He
spent q week away from business, adj
ytsing headquarters of the fact. The
was paid in cash as directed by
the. testator and Walton left the ex-
ecutor with a certified check in his
pocket. /. -;
He arrived in the city at nine O'Clock
In the evening. His way to his hotel
led by the establishment Of Tyron &
Co. His curiosity was aroused as he
noticed a light in the Office. "a
Walton peered through q street viii
dow. Mr.. Tyron sat at his desk. He
looked wan, worried, distracted. He
gazing vacantly into space.
Abruptly he stretched out his arms
and his head fell across them In an
apparent state Of collapse.
There's trouble brewing, that's
surel" reflected Walton. Maybe Mr..
Tyron is ILL.," and he shook the Office
door. HIS employer started up rather
weakly, it seemed, advanced to the
duor, made out Walton through, its
glass panel and admitted him. Then
he unsteadily resumed his seat. Wal
ton sank to a chair opposite him.
'So you're in of the roadf' spoke
Tyron, casually.
yes, sir, I noticed a light here and
dropped in. Mr. Tyron," he added. Inn
PEELED to the outburst by the actions
and appearance Of his employer, whom
he really liked and respected, Is there
some trouble in the business7 II there
IL, let me help you, i'll can"
IT fear you can't do that In any prac-
tical way" answered Mr.. Tyron. 'sYou
may 40 well know, however, that II
the house fails to meet q pressing OBJ
legation BY this time tomorrow We shall
have to close the doors. Collections
are slow. our credit at bank Ii fully
employed. q rival house has bought up
IN overdue note and 1t Is q question u
twenty thousand dollars at once Or No
cannot tide over. \
Walton Gresham reached over and
took up q pen. He drew the certded
check from htS pocket and indorsed n.