The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1920-12-24

"Well, forget II, Jack. It's all over
long ago, and forgotten"
ut wasn't all over 20 long ago as
you seem TO think. / suppose you
knew the Holman gang was after
ward sent to the penitentiary for
those same high-grade operations
Billy Geary's acquittal didn't end my
interest in the case-not by jugful
Of the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and 1t cost me my
good job, my prestige as mining en-
gineer, and thirty thousand dollars of
money that I'd shaved to get together.
OF course you never knew this, Neddy,
and for that matter, neither does
Geary. i wish he did. We were good
friends once. I certainly was mighty
fond of that boy"
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and slowly opened II,
"An6 you never heard what became
of Geary?"
mot a word. / was too busy won
dering what was to become Of me. /
couldn't get job anywhere In Colo
RADIO, and / moved to Nevada. Made
a million in Goldfield, dropped 1t In
the panic Of 1907, and had to start
again"
"What have you been doing lately"
"Borax. Staked group of claims
down in Death valley. Bully ground,
Neddy. and was busted when / To-
Gated them. Had to borrow money to
pay the filing fees and incorporation,
and did my own assessment work.
Look" Webster held up his hands,
still somewhat grimy and calloused.
"The Borax trust knew / was busted,
but they never could quite get over
the fear that I'd dig up some backing
and give them run-so they bought
me out"
Somebody told me Geary had gone
to Rhodesia," Jerome continued mus
ingly, "or maybe 1t was Capetown.
know he was seen somewhere In South
Africa"
"He left the Creek Immediately
after the conclusion of his trial. Poor
boy That dirty business destroyed
the lad and made a tramp of him,
guess. / tell you, Neddy, no two men
ever lived who came nearer to loving
each other than Billy Geary and his
old Jack-pardner. We bucked the
marts Of men and went to sleep to-
gether hungry many a time during
our five-year partnership. Why, Bill
was like my own boy. Jerome. curse
the day l took that boy out from I'M
derground and put him In the assay
office to learn the business. How
could I know that the Holman gang
had cached the stuff in his shack"
\ "Well, it's too bad" Jerome an
swered duly. He was quite willing
that the subject Of conversation should
be changed. "Im glad to get the right
dope on the boy, anyhow. Have an
other drink?"
mot until / read this letter. Now,
who the dickens knew I was headed
for Denver and the Engineers club2
l didn't tell soul, and / only ar
rived this morning."
He turned to the last page to ascer-
tain the identity of his correspondent,
and his facial expression ran the
gamut from surprise to Joy that was
good to see.
John Stuart Webster read the letter
deliberately, after which he sat ip-si-
lent contemplation Of the design Of the
carpet for fully minute before reach
ing for the bell. A servant responded
Immediately.
Bring me the timetables of all
roads leading to New Orleans" he
ordered, also cable blank"
Webster had reread the letter be-
fore the servant returned with the
timetables.
August, you 60 out to the desk,
like a good fellow, and ask the secre-
tary to arrange for a compartment for
me to New Orleans on the Gulf States
limited, leaving at 10 o'clock tomor-
row night" He handed the servant
his card. "Now wait minute until
write something" He seized the
cable blank, helped himself, unin-
vited, to Neddy Jerome's fountain pen,
and wrote:
civilian ii. Geary, Gale de Concordia
No. 10. Buenaventura, Sobrante,
Q. A.
Salute, you young jackassi Just
received your letter. Cabling thou
sand for emergency roll first thing to-
morrow. VIII order machinery. Leav-
Ing for New Orleans tomorrow night,
10 arrive Buenaventura first steamer.
Your letter caught me with hundred
thousand. We cut II two ways and
take our chances. Keep a light in the
window for your old
"JACK-PARDNER."
That's a windy cablegram," Neddy
Jerome remarked as the servant bore
II away. "Why all this garulityf A
cablegram anywhere generally costs at
least a dollar a word"
That's my delight Of shiny
night in the season Of the year,"
quoted John Stuart Webster; "and
why the devil economic when the boy
needs cheering upT