Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-02-06
"Slicker" and
Stacker"
BY EVA MAY GUTHRIE
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper un!op.)

n promoter. Many we're his victims and
no sooner was one disposed of than
he went on hunt for new one.
Nat Dover was Stacker. When
his country came into the war his one
thought was TO keep ont Of 1t. A tri-
vial physical imperfectiGn enabled him
to just Craze the medical examination
board He was told by one Of its mem
hers that there were minor military
lines where he might volunteer but
there WAS nothing voluntary In Nat
SO far as fighting was concerned
Bryce Dalziel heard Of Nat and
spotted him ian easy mark Being
made aware Of the shlfty. craven char
acteristics of Nat he based upon that
knowledge a clever scheme to work
him for all he was worth.
Alan Drury was u patriot. That
was why he was one Of the first to en-
list. If he felt regretful to leave his
native land 1t was when he thought
Of Alice Lisle She was charming 70
everybody, was Alice and Alan fan
cled was glad when he called upon
her regularly once week even after
he had gone 10 enc.-npment. She was
manfestly proud of his sodierly bear
ing, the sergeancy he had won, and
when Nat came around the compari-
son Of the latter with Alan placed
Nat In very subordinate estimation.
I've got out Of the war" this In
teresting specimen Of humanity solil-
oquized. That's my big advantage.
It's plain 10 be seen that the khaki
and gilt buttons catch Alice. but that
viii wear away when Drury goes
away. I'll not be precpitate, I'll keep
mp pleasant social relations with the
Lislcs. Then when the field is clear
III have Alice all to myself"
But as the days went on Nat begnn
TO get uneasy. From what he heard
Alan ana Alice were all hut engaged
This set him thinking. One day he
cornered Mr.. Iisle
"Something I'd like to talk to you
about" announced Nat. ITS Alice !"
"Yes?" said Mr. Lisle in his quiet
way.
81 hear she and Drury are likely 10
make match OF II. Now I'm a plain
man. ! think q good deal Of Alice and
I'm able ia support wife in good
style I'm going to ten you something
confdential-my father left me $40
600"
II heard So" nodded Alice's father.
i've chance 70 double IT. quad
ripple It. In fact I've got n big chance.
Here's what ! was thinning If I
married Alice ia buy the old Haz:s7l
place adjoining yours ana we'd SCI ~
down there That would give MS be
best and biggest farm outfit In lie
county"
Mr. T.iSle said nothing, but Nat saw
that he was impressed He left the
lcaven to work Meanwhile he met
Dnlzel daily. The latter had n room
ut the local hotel and daily Nat would
be in close consultation with the plau-
Sible young man. who had deity en-
meshed him in a Specious scheme that
dazzled the avariciouS Stacker.
"Well, the mine IS ready to be fred"
asserted Dal2iel one particular day.
"Scen your men?" questioned Nat
with i'm concealed cagerueSs.
81 have. You see they represent the
most powerful political ring In the
state. They've cornered a contract
with the government to supply nearly
a million gas masks. They are split
ting It mp so much 10 me people fur
nShing the factory, 50 much to those
putting I'm the machinery. 50 much to
the subcontractor I've figured our
share As we get three prices from
good old Uncle sam, our profits IN the
first big dividend viii be over 5000
GOO"
you're sure we can get the con-
tractY asked Nat
Cant miss. The ring wants only
their initial percentage, We deal with
n dummy contractor Why, the first
advance the government makes is over
half n million" and Dalzlel fairly
Showered Nat with hewildering figures,
glowing details, references to con
Germs Nat knew about which had gone
into munitions and from n little black
smith shop had expanded into immense
plants.
I'D better go down 10 the state
capital ana get the thing fixed tomor-
row" suggested palziel
"Oh, 10y an means" urged Nat.
I'm have to pay the ring fellows
their percentage i'm cash. Have you
got the mouey?"
AN ready for YOU" answered Nat
readily. "Bo careful Of that roll-its
my ten thousaud-all I've got i'm the
world"
"Noull be rolling in thousand dollar
bills In q few months" cheered The
willy temptcr
About an NAT dld for the next few
days was 10 figure out those promised
enormous profits Then Ne began to
got inpatient as there was no word
from naIzicl; then alarmed. At the
end Of q week DE went down 70 the
state capital 90 find no trace Of Dai-
ziel and 20 learn that the gas mask
contract was "a mythical illusion.
Weary, pauper. feeling the slack.
er that he was, returning 70 his home
town after dark, he passed the Lisle
home TO find IL all lighted up. He