The state herald., 1920-01-16

story about the land sale. That was
ews-legitimate news. OF course, II
might be q faked sale-faked for Its
news vnlue-but reporters nre not paid
for being detectives. The Evening Call
carried a statement Of Conward's sale.
and on TINT statement was hing col
umn story on the growing prosperity
of the city md Its assured future. ow.
ing to Its exceptional climate and
natural resources. combined with its
commanding position on transporta-
tlOn routes, both east and west and
north and south.
During the following days Dave had
q keener eye than usual for evidences
Of industrial development" He found
them ON every hand. Old properties.
long considered unstable. were chang
Ing owners. Money moved easily;
wages were stiffening; tradesmen
were In demand. There was material
for many good stories In his investisa-
tions., He began writing features on
the city's prosperity and prospects.
The rival paper did the same and there
was soon started between them q COM
petition Of optimism. The great word
became boost" The Virus was now
In the veins Of the community, pulsing
through every street and byway Of the
little city. Dave marveled. and won
dered how he had failed to read these
signs until Coward had lnld their por-
tent bare before him. But a. Jet II
wns only his news sense that respond.
Cd; his delight In the strange and the
sensational. He was not yet inoculated
with the poison Of easy wealth.
His nights were busy with his inves-
LEGATIONS, but on Sunday, a. usual. he
went out to the Duncans'. Mrs. Dun
can explained that Edith had gone to
visit 4 girl friend In the country !;
would be gone away for some time.
Dave felt foolish annoyance that she
should have left town. She might at
least have called him up. Why should
she call him upf OF course noti Still.
the town was very empty. He drove
with Mrs. Duncan In the afternoon.
and at night took long walk by the
river. He had a vague but oppressive
sense Of loneliness. He had not real
lied what part Of his life these Sunday
afternoons with Edith had come to be.
A few days later Conward strolled
In. with the inevitable cigarette. He
smoked In silence until Dave complet.
ed story.
"Good stun you're giving u.s." he
commented. when the article was fin
ished. Remember what told you the
other day? It's Just like putting a
match to tinder. Now we're or"
Coward smoked u few minutes In
silence, but Dave could not fail to see
the excitement under his calm exterior.
He had. rs he said, decided to sit in
In the biggest game ever played. The
intoxicatlon Of sudden wealth had al
ready fired his blood.
He slipped bill TO Dave. 'For your
services In that little transaction" he
explained.
Elden held the bill In his fingers
gingerly. as though 1t might carry In
fectlon. rs In very truth it did. He
realized that he stood at turning
polnt-that everything the future held
for him might rest on his present deci-
sion. There remained In him not lit
tie Of the fine, stern honor Of the
ranchman Of the open range; an honor
curious. sometimes terrible, In its In
terpretation Of right md wrong. hut n
fine. stern honor nevertheless. And he
lnstInctively felt that to accept this
money would compromise him for
evermorc. As he turned the bill In his
fingers he noticed that II was for one
hundred dollars. He thought II was
ten.
II can't take that much" he cx-
claimed. 'It isn't fair"
Fair enough" said Coward. well
pleased that Dave should be impressed
NJ y