Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner. (Elizabeth, Colo.) 1920-1921, 1920-09-03

| bIushed and jerked his head to the
front; billiard chuckled and conttn-
ued his stroll.
He entered the Hotel Onondaga
from the east and headed across To-
ward the newsstand. Out of red
and gold chair in the spacious lobby
a gentleman rose to meet him-a gen
tieman who in appearance was very
fair replica of the well-known Get
Rich Quick Wallingford, except that
he was somewhat more refined and
less obese. His animation was OBJ
vious, but he delayed to remove both
his gray suede gloves before he offered
to shake hands with Hilliard.
"Welll" said Martin Harmon, eff
fusively, you're looking great Must
agree with you up here, what2 Didn't
expect me. did your
mol" billiards expression was
study; he had dealt SO long with Har-
mon at a distance that he had almost
forgotten what the broker looked like.
| "Why didn't you wire me you were
coming?"
Didn't know 1t myself until pretty
near train-time-spur of the moment.
Well, got any business yet?'
Involuntarily, billiard smiled, and
the smile spread wonderfully. until
Harmon caught the contagion of it and
beamed more royalty than ever. 1.-THE
man you called the 'decoy duck'-re-
! member when you wrote that to me?-
well, he quacked yesterday"
Harmon put his hand on billiards
shoulder; 1t was an accolade.
Really? How much?"
Thirty" For the life of him Hill
lard couldn't resist slight forward
thrust of his chest.
Mr.. Harmon's eyes glazed for an in
slant.
"Good-goodl That's clever work.
sonl Clever and quick. But I knew
you'd do it. Thirty! That's fine!
Anybody else?"
billiard laughed exuitantly.
Eyes, three more-a total of sixty
two. 1 mailed you a draft yesterday
morning; the others are in my pocket
now. I've just come from the bank"
Great work. sonl'' Mr. Harmon
breathed rapturously. THAT puts US
pretty nearly where we belong. Sixty
two thousand It's a running start for
the big race! You certainly didn't get
left at the post, billiard Deducted
your commissions yeti"
No; l thought you'd rather do the
bookkeeping in your own office and
send me a check"
| Harmon's approval was manifest.
"You show me the drafts and III
go sit down in the grill, and have
something. This is fine work, now I
want to tell you'll"
| II rather thought so myself" Hill
lard had led the way to the grill and
| Communicated side-table. 'In
fact" He lowered his voice. "In
fact, as things have worked out, Mr..
Harmon, / almost wish l hadn't tried
to play 1t Just this way. l mean
But Harmon had already grasped
the point.
"oho! Is that SO? You must have
made hit. And all your old friends
you were SO het up about-weren't
they as peevish at you as you
thought?"
No" billiard grew warm. I'D give
good deal" he said soberly, eff
hadn't tangled myself up in all that
imitation history. Well. I'm In for it
now. I've published SO much that 1
didn't need to-Im wondering how In
thunder l can ever get out of it when
the time comes. That was the idea,
you remember-coals of fire. What's
bothering me is that there's nobody to
tend the furnace"
But I thought you were so anxious
to keep In the shade?'
"Yes, but didn't need to crawl in a
hole, and pull 1t In after me Well,
Wen wait and see. After I've gone a
little further-and of course you know
I've hardly scratched the surface
yet"
Il know you haven't" The big man
tucked his gloves into his breast pock-
ct and brought out silver Cigarette
case. Have one?"