The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-02-13
U5e
Letter r
ByALVAH JORDAN CARTE
Copyright. 1919. b. the wsstsrn Nswo.
paper U0ioD.l


tcepyrisht. 1919. b. the Western News.
pspsr UnaoAl
Rudd Block was fast going to decay
and its owner depl0red the fact, but he
was engaged in costly litigation and
had decided to let repair and general
renovation of the old downtown build.
ing wait until he was in less straitenel
circumstances
hartley Duane was WAnderer, al
most tramp. Drink had been his fail
in. aud he had got 50 far down life's
ladder that If he had not taken new
grip on its worn rungs he would have
fallen off entirely. He had decided he
would try to reform. He was given
position in the cbre making department
Of Burge & Co. He was to go to work
the following Monday, and the firm. In
accordance with it's regular custom
with all employees. had insured life and
limb under t!lc employers liability act,
as also as to sick benefits.
hartley was putting in Saturday
stroiling about, when he halted in front
Of the Eadd hnilding to glance into
window.
Hi. there. look out ~ suddenly
startled him
The man 8 The curb who uttered the
warning WAS pointing upwards. Bart
ley glanced IN that direction to dis
Germ q dark object h,irtliug downwards.
It was ths letter ''l:' of the building
na;nc. lonsrneH by time. 1t was
formed OF metal: the screws tina, held
it in place had ru>tcd away. and as it
weighed sear'y fnur pounds it drove
BARLEY senselt'SS to the pavement As it
Strilsk his head rnbonndea to his arm.
shattered the wrist. aud an ambulance.
was summoned aud the victim OF the
! accident was rushed away.
For . full sunn,h Rarties lay on
hospital col. When h. was discharged
the ward surgeon Informed him thar
his head wound would heal in time. but
.hat lie w"u''' Ncvcr have llis. full USE
al his injured forearm as Formerly.
The rest, care and attention had done
much 4, r"'nNi .nra.r the former intbri-
| ate. Barley went at once IL Eur"e 4
60. They could not employ Il crippled
nau hu! under the terms nj his acct
dent policy Eartir! was given four
hDu,ired dollars and II hint that the
owner II Hudd Block might Indemnify
him handsomely for his permanent in
! i,lry. The latter could no, afford an-
other suit H. gave BARLEY one ,!.ou-
! sand dollars for n final settlement Of
all claims
j BARLEY h"ugi,, y new suit and was a
| YER, rre>en'ah!c person. clean >iaVen
ami in his right mind ami vaguely
wondering if there was some chance in
life for him after ali.
That letter r." he unused IT'S
! been fatefui one to me Somehow
can, get i, out Of my mind. Hello"
/ He WAS passing 4 small curio store
when he noticed the sign in its win
dow. Fortunes told for fifty cents. -
! The whim seized him to carer lie
| found sl'reNl eyed gypsy
Woman VIII" mot inueA hin, 10 Il seat be
fore u great crystal ball
! I've come tn SEA, II yo,l can give me-
an occult augilry US to some possible
mysticism in my being hit ly n bic iron
r." he prefared. and told his story.
Tim UNI murmured tho fortune
teller. az strange story. rs Il is
cryptic. Could it refer" and She stu'iie.:
, the lines of dissipation in hartley
face. 80 Rum:
'Ihat'S right er"ii.h"
".And-Refcrm:" vaguely intin,ate,,
the seeress.
''Fm on the road IL it vo,rla>nf.l
BARLEY. "Hut that's All clear 10 me-"
"Ah. then, by The way. has there
been sane Monnn in Your life,"
| Rartley started. His brow furroWed.
| Thought. memory sent vivid pan.
| through his frame
! Yes he ;,r"e1ed with So. lips.
You are thinking of :, motlie.?"
"She died long since"
"A sister, them
/ II never had one"
r. H. anil y woman. Could it he
! Ruth: n" H',hy:" with ii crafty inok Of
! guessing Nh. | hay" Rar'rei,"
! kariIeN'> fa." Writiel He silently
| placed the fee upon ,l,e stand aud with
/ set lips an, 4 far-awas expression
! upon !i~ face l"fr the place.
! Rachael, He had not dared to think
of the VII" he had deserted after rwu
years al u.-'"c' Hnd desiitutinr. He
had always felt that he deserved The
harsh, hut Just words with which size