The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-01-09
Copyright by Doubleday. Page 9 Company.
CHAPTER xxll-continued.
--16-

CHAPTER NNiI-Continued
il
At this he laughed, but not very
heartily, and walked slowly to the
house, leaving her bending over rose
bush, and a shade more pensive than
the most pensive garden lady in any
Victorian engraving. Next day.
1t happened that this same "Vendo-
nah" or MISUNDERSTANDING" be-
came the subject of chance CONVEX
sation between Eugene and his old
friend Kinney, father of the fire-topped
Fred. The two gentlemen found them
selves smoking in neighboring leather
chairs beside broad window at the
club, after lunch.
Mr.. Kinney had remarked that he
expected to get his family established
at the seashore by the Fourth Of July,
and, following train Of thought, he
paused and chuckled. Fourth Of July
reminds me-" he said. slave you heard
what that George Minafer is doingY"
"No, haven't" said Eugene, and his
friend failed to notice the crispness Of
the utterance.
swell, sir" Kinney chuckled again,
cit beats the devil! My boy Fred told
me about 1t yesterday. He's friend
of this young Henry Akers, son of F.
r. Akers of the Akers Chemical COM
pany. 1t seems this young Akers asked
T,ro,J 10 he lypov,-< foIlo,xy v,a,ood ATipa
fer, because he knew Fred had always
lived here, and young Akers had heard
some way that Minafer used to be an
old family name here, and was sort of
curious about it. Well, sir, you re-
member this young George sort of dis
appeared, after his grandfather's
death, and nobody seemed to know
much what had become of him
though l did hear, once or twice, that
he was still around somewhere. Well,
sir, he's working for the Akers Chem
ical company, out at their plant On the
Townsville road"
He paused, seeming to reserve some
thing to be delivered only upon inquiry,
and Eugene offered him the expected
question, but only after a c6ld glance
through the nose-glasses he| had lately
found it necessary to adopt. "What
does he dO?"
Kinney laughed and shipped the arm
of his chair. He's nitro-glycerin ex-
peril"
he was gratifed to Zee that Eugene
was surprised. If not indeed. little
startled.
Hes what?'
"He's an expert ION nitro-glycerln
Doesn't that beat the devil! Yes, sir
Young Akers told Fred that this
George Minafer had worked like q
noun'-dog ever since he got started
out at the works. They have a special
plant for nitro-giycerin, way off from
the main plant, o. course-in the
woods somewhere-an George Nina.
fer's been working there, and lately
they put him in charge of it. He over
sees shooting oil wells, too, and shoots
'em himself, sometimes. They aren't
allowed to carry it on the railroads
you know--have to team it. Young
Akers says George rides around over
the bumpy roads, sitting on as much as
three hundred quarts of nitro-glycerin
My Lord! Talk about romantic tum'
blesG If he gets blown sky-high some
day he won't have bigger drop. when
he comes down, than he's already had
Don't it beat the devil! Young Akers
said he's got all the nerve there is In
the world. Says he gets fair salary
and should think he ought to-! Seems
to me I've heard the average life in
that sort of work is somewhere around
four years. and agents don't write any
insurance at all for nitro-glycerin ex
perts. Hardlyl"
'No," said Eugene. II suppose not
Kinney rose to go. swell, it's {
pretty funny thing-pretty odd, ! meaI
and suppose it would be pass
around-the-hat for old Fanny Minafel
If he blew up. Fred told me tina
they're living in some apartment house
and said George supports her. He wa:
going TO study law, but couldn't carr
enough that way to take care O
Fanny, so he gave 1t up. Fred's wifi
told him all this. Says Fanny doesn'
do anything but play bridge these
days. Got to playing too high fol
awhile and lost more than she wanted
TO tell George about, and borrowed
a little from old Frank Bronson. Pait
nim back, though. Don't know how
Fred's wife heard it. Women do heal
Nhe darndest thingsl'
They do Eugene agreed.
"Well, I'm Off to the store" said Mr.
kinney briskly; yet he fingered. !"
suppose Wen all have to club in ant
ep old Fanny out of the poorhous'
pc does blow up. From all ! heal
usually only a question of time
~ say she hasn't got anything els'
epend on"
suppose not"
III Wondered" Kinney hest
Il was wondering why yo'
a-lgrr coraofhirl,