The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-07-08

1T is. Bryce. very real indeed As
remarked before. I've lost your
heritage for you" He sighed. Il
waited till you would be able to come
home and settle down to business; now
you're home: and there isn't any bust
ness to settle down to-"
Bryce chuckled. for he was indeed
far from being worried over business
matters his consideration now being
entirely for his fathers peace of mind
"All right" he retorted, Father has
lost his money and we'll have to let
the servants go and give up the old
home. That part of 1t is settled and
weak. anemic. tenderly nurtured LITTLE
Bryce Cardigan must put his turkey
on his back and 90 into the woods
looking for job as lumberjack
Busted. Ell? Did or did / not hear
the six o'clock whistle blow at the
mill? Bet you a dollar l did"
'Oh. | have title to everything
yet"
How | do have to dig for good
news Then II appears we still have
a business; indeed, we may always
have business for the very fact that
ii is going but not quite gone implies
a doubt as TO its ultimate departure.
and perhaps we may yet scheme q
way TO retain It. II we can save
enough out of the wreck to insure
you your customary home comforts,
shan't cry, partner. l have a profess
sion to fall back on. Yes, Stree. |
own a sheep-skin and it says I'm an
electrical and civil engineer"
"What"
81 said It. An electrical and civil
engineer. Slipped one over on you a
college, John Cardigan, when all the
time you thought | was having a gOo,,
time"
1T drives me wild to have a mar
sputter at me. I'm an electrical and
civil engineer. | tell you, and my two
years of travel have been spent study
ing the installation and cone:ruct o.
Of big plants abroad"
MY dear boy And you've got
your degree?"
Partner. have a string of letters
after my name like the tail of
comet"
you comfort me-" the old man
answered simply. Il have reproached
myself with the thought that / reared
you with the sole thought Of making
lumberman out Of you-and when
/ saw your lumber business slipping
through my fingers"
You were sorry I didn't have a
profession to fall back on, Ell? Or
were you fearful lest you had raised
the usual rich mans son? IL the
latter, you did not compliment me, pal
I've never forgotten how hard you al
ways strove to impress me with a
sense of the exact weight Of my
responsibility as your successor"
How big are you now?' his father
| queried suddenly.
"Well, sir" Bryce answered, for his
fathers pleasure putting aside his
normal modesty. Pm six feet two
inches tall, and | weigh two hundred
pounds in the pink of condition.
have forty-eight-inch chest. with five
and a half inches chest expansion, and
\ reach as long as a gorilia's. My
underpInning is good, too; I'm not one
of these fellows with spidery legs and
1 barrel-chest. | can do a hundred
| yards in ten seconds; I'm no SLOUGH
of a swimmer; and at Princeton they
say / made football history"
''That is very encouraging, my boy
very. Ever do any boxingT"
"Quite little. I'm fairly up In the
manly art of self-defense"
The old man wagged his head APP
provingly. and they had reached the
gate of the Cardigan home before he
spoke again. There's a big buck
woods-boss up In Pennington's camp"
he remarked irTelevantly. He's a
French Canadian imported from north
ern Michigan by Colonel Pennington.
/ dare say he's the only man in this
country who measures up to you phys
ically. He can fight with his fists
| and wrestle quite cleverly, I'm told.
/ His name is Jules Rondeau and he's
top dog among the lumberjacks. They
say he's the strongest man in the
county" He Unmatched the gate.
Folks used to say that about me
once" he continued wistfuliy. 'Ah.
| II could have my eyes TO see you
meet Jules Rondeau!"
The front portal Of the quaint old
Cardigan residence opened and a
silver-haired lady came out on the
porch and hailed Bryce She was
Mrs. Tully. John Cardigan's old house
keeper and almost mother to Bryce
"Oh. here's my boy!''. she cried. and
| a moment later found herself encircled
by Bryce's arms and saluted with a
hearty kiss.
AS he stepped into the familiar en-
! trance-hall. Bryce paused. raised his
had and shifted suspiciously. like .
bird-do9. Mrs. Tuliy. arms akimbo.
watched him pleasurably. II smell
something" he declared and advanced
a step down the hall for another sniff ;
then. In exact imitation of foxhound,
he gave tongue and started for the
kitchen. Mrs. FULLY. waddling after,
found him pointing" two hot black
| berry pies which had few minutes
previously been taken from the oven.
He was baying lugubriously.
/ Ia nN-rII