Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-10-15
CHAPTER il-continued.

adjacent chair a terrific blow with MS
stick-the effect of which was to cause
everybody in tie room to start and
to conceal Mr.. Webster momentarily
In a cloud of dust, the while In a bel
lowing baritone he sang:
Ellis father was handbook miner;
He comes from my home town"
Jack Webster! The devils own
kim" shouted Neddy Jerome. He
swept the cards into heap and wad-
died across the room to meet this
latest assailant Of the peace a1d dig
nifty of TIE Engineers club. "You old,
worthless, ornery, no-good son of
lizard I've never been so glad to see
a man that didn't owe me money I've
been cOmbing the whole civilized
world for you, for month, at least.
Where the devil have you been?
.Iohl Stuart Webster beamed hap
PLY upon his friend. "Well, Neddy,
you old stocking-knitter," he replied
quizzically, "since that is the case, I'm
not surprised at your failure to find
me. You've known me long enough
10 have remembered to coniine your
search to TIE unclvlized reaches"
swell, you're here, at any rate and
Tn happy. Now you settle down.
Hardly. Neddy. "I'm young yet,
YOU know-only forty. Still real live
man and not quite ready to degenerate
into n card-pl wing eat-drink-and-be-
merry, determination, sink-to-ohlivio1
and go-to-h-- fireplace splrit!' And
he prodded Jerome In the short ribs
with tentative thumb that caused
the old man TO vince. He permitted
his friend to drag him downstairs to
the deserted lounge, where Jerome
paused in the middle OF the room and
renewed lis query,
"Where have you been, askT
"Out in Death valley, California, try
ing to pry loose fortune"
"Did you pry it?"
John Stuart Webster arched his eye
brows In mock reproach. "And you
can see my new suit, Neddy, my six
teen-dollnr, made-to-order shoes and
my horny hoofs encased in silken hose
and ask that question? Freshly
shaved and ironed and almost afraid
to sit down and get wrinkles In my
trousers Smell that" He blew
cloud of cigar smoke into Jeromes
smiling face. The latter shifted. ut
smells expensive" he replied.
"Yes. and you can bet II tastes ex-
pe2slve, too" Webster answered,
BANDING his cigar-case to his friend.
Jerome bit the end OF his cigar and
spat derlslvely. "How much have you
made?" he demanded bluntly.
'It's none of your business. but I'll
tell you because love you, Neddy. I've
made one hundred thousand dollars"
"Chicken-feed," Jerome retorted.
"Johnny, I've been combing the min
eral belt of North and South America
for you for a month"
"Why this sudden belated interest
In meT
81 have a fine job for you, John"
"Kings X" Webster interrupted,
and showed both hands with the fin
gers crossed. mo plotting against my
peace and comfort, Neddy. Haven't ]
told you Pm all dressed up for the
first time in three, years, that | have
money In my pocket and more In
bank? Man, Pm going to tread the
primrose path for year before | get
back into the harness again."
Jerome waved deprecatory hand,
figuratively brushing aside such feeble
and inconsequential argument. Are
YOU fo0t-loose?" he demanded.
"I'm not I'm bound in golden
chains"
Married, Ell? Great Scott, might
have guessed 1t. So you're on your
honeymoon. eh?
mo such luck, you vichy-drlnklng
iconoclast. If you had ever gotten far
enough from this club during the past
fifteen years to get breath Of real
fresh air, you'd understand why
want to enjoy civilization for a week
or two before l go back to mine SUI
perintendents cabin on some bleak hill.
No, Stree. Old Jeremiah Q. Work and
have had falling out. Dad burn
your picture, Neddy, | want some
class! I've been listening to dago
shift-boss playing the accordion for
three years--and he could only play
three tunes. Now want Sousa's
band. I've been bathing In tepid, dirty
water In a redwood sluice-box, and
now desire a steam room and nee
die shower and,an osteopath. I've been
bossing Greasers and Italians and was
forced to learn their language to get
results. and now I.want to speak my
mother tongue to my old friends BY
thunder I'm going to have a new deal
al around"
~ r. rall Jack. Don't excite your
GOLF ~ I'VE YOU exactly thirty days
To Test Sugar Contracts
Macon. Ga-Georgia wholesale gro
GERS plan to institute test cases In the
courts to determine whether con-
tracts for sugar alleged to have been
signed under misapprehensions. are
legally binding.
Labor Day Fatalities
Ia,.aon.rilla Ella Labor day fatal.