Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-30
73e
Dead-Broke
Girl
o0
e By W. EDISON SMITH
tcopyright)

call City Park, remarked Welsh idly,
as he leaned a cOrpulent figure against
the gas-pipe railing In front of Simon's
place.
Delano. letting the screen door slap
behind him, stood on the top step.
Tall. well-grOomed and charming OF
manner, his handsome young face just
Gow expressed great contentment.
He looked Ike a prosperous broker.
The fact that he happened to be an
other sort Of gambler worried him not
at all as he sent out cloud of fra
giant blue smoke into the quiet air
DelanO imported his cigars
what now?" he inquired "WhO
SIRE you degrading by making her the
subject of your vulgar remarks?"
Welsh refused to be inSuted.
Before | answer" he murmured 81
must be sure that Miss LenOre Stacy
would not object TO your having the
information. Far be it from me to be
the start OF a foolish filtration"
"Pve told you forty times" cried his
friend ferociOusly, that IGNORES up
In Deadwood for a month. | told you
| that she said she'd scream, and die, and
everything else, If she didn't get away
| from here for while.
81 told her that didn't blame her.
as anybody would hike for higher
ground and away from this painful
prairie that could. You know as we'll
as anything that I've been up the line
myself for two weeks. Are you going
to tell me about"
''The dead-broke girl?
Welsh used the slightly bored tone Of
one who handles a somewhat thread
bare theme.
"Oh, I forgot You say you've been
away for a week Why-that's
young lady named Martelle-Hele
Martelle
'She's right pretty little thing-a
bit too mountaineering to suit me,
but, under the circumstances, you
couldn't blame her for that. She halls
from your good old sunny South-Ala-
bama. Seems she was a simple be-
lever and got roped in by an EN-
ployment agency that was bad actor.
'They took large, robust whack at |
what money she had, then let her use
the balance iourneyin' clear out here |
beyond the sand hills end the setting |
sun, where there was no job! And |
50, we've been calling a1r the dead
broke girl.
"See, she's heading off Main street
Ha che 0Oac ot-ar fa orr ct
ly park can't make out why"
Delano turned his dark blue eyes
in the direction indicated, and watched
the slowly recedlng figure at the far
Their end of the raw thoroughfare
stopping at the hotel, eh?" he re-
marked
yep. Guess she's about to the end
of her welcome. though; you know
Pop Grier He wouldn't let the angel
Mike sit on the veranda of that old
clapboarded ruin unless he bought
some Of those Brown Beauty cigars.
"Say, it must have been a nasty
cheap bunch of grafters. ] feel a lot
like phlanthropist with my high
stool and my crap-game, when I think
about the raw plays they make back
in those burgs.
Cheap Think Of sending the poor
kid this far out of the way just to cop
out her Few dollars"
Nothing wrong with the world" re-
Joined the croupier coldly. "The low
down population Is what raises the
deuce all The time"
Hear! Heart" applauded Welsh. /
But TO resume our narrative. n
"1'he little girl has acquired a per-
nanent habit, all IN three days, of go /
ing down yonder and sittin' under the
me stable Tree.
"We couldn't both get in the cool at {
he same time. If she wants to be T.
'eally, truly miserable, that beauty 4
,pot Is certainly the place TO go. She'll 5
lever commit suicide BY drowning, any 4
row. I
"Pshaw! Here comes John Weicli- I
r. reckon as to how he'll be want
ne to roll the bones must 90 in
md get behind the table. Ho-hum!
Such a work-a-day-"
what did the girl expect to do la
When she came?" interrupted Delano G
ncuriously. ]
"Huh? Oh! Why, old Grier said I
hat he understood she came out with
he idea in her head that she was to Il
ct as companion to rich LADY, 6
"Oh, Simon ~ pelano turned and
poke through the screen toward the s
ool daIEcnco interior +
His employer was half doing over |
newspaper at the desk In the rallied $
ff corner, but Delano got an irritated y
runt ny way OF response. t.
II want 30 go down the street an "
our or so. he announced.
and suppose you expect me to run II
he COMPOUNDED wheel" came Simon'S
lacld growl "Well, give me one of q
hem four.hit smokers. Otherwise you II
ant go" n
Delano went leisurely strolllng along q
he board sidewalk
To the left. NJ the end Of the dreary "
pad. lay the struggling park of
Telsh's rovillng.
He looked In that direction for