Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-10-15
"Well, forget it, Jack. It's all over
long ago. and forgotten"

knew the Holman gang was after
ward sent to the penltentiary for
those same hlgh-grade operations?
Billy Geary's acquittal didn't end my.
interest in the case-not by a jugfnl
fought the case against the friends
Of the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and 1t cost me my
good job, my prestige as mining en-
gineer, and thirty thousand dollars of
money that I'd shaved to get together.
OF course you never knew this, Neddy,
and for that matter, neither does
Geary. wish he did. We were good
friends once. I certainly was mighty
fond of that boy"
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and slowly opened II.
"And you never heard what became
Of Geary?'
"N0t word. was too busy won
dering what was to become Of me. |
couldn't get Job anywhere in Colo
RADIO, and | moved to Nevada. Made
million in Goldfeld, dropped it In
the panic of 1907, and had to start
again"
"What have you been doing lately"
"BoraX. Staked group Of claims
down In Death valley. Bully ground,
Neddy, and | was busted when 10
Gated them Had to borrow money to
pay the filing fees and Incorporation,
and did my own assessment work.
Look" Webster held up his hands
still somewhat grimy and calloused.
"The Borax trust knew | was busted.
hut they never could quite get over
the fear that I'd dig up some backing
and give them run-so they bought
me out
Somebody told me Geary had gone
TO Rhodesia," Jerome continued mus
ingly, cor maybe II was Capetown. |
know he was seen somewhere in South
Africa"
ale left the Creek Immediately
after the conclusion of his trial. Poor
boyl That dirty business destroyed
the lad and made tramp of him, |
guess. tell you, Neddy, no two men
ever lived who came nearer to loving
each other than Billy Geary and his
old Jack-pardner. We bucked the
marts of men and went to sleep to-
gether hungry many time during
our flve-year partnership. Why, Bill
was like my own boy. Jerome, curse
the day | took that boy out from I'M
foreground and put him In the assay
office to learn the business. How
could I know that the Holman gang
had cached the stuff in his shack?"
swell, it's too bad" jerome an
swered duly. He was quite willing
that the subject of conversation should
be changed. "Tm glad to get the right
dope on the boy, anyhow. Have an
other drink
mot until | read this letter. Now,
who the dickens knew was headed
for Denver and the Engineers club
I didn't tell soul, and only ar
rived this morning"
He turned to the last page to ascer-
tain the identity Of his correspondent,
and his facial expression ran the
gamut from surprise to n JOY that was
good to see.
John Stuart Webster read the letter
deliberately, after which he sat in ST.
lent contemplation of the design of the
carpet for fully a minute before reach
ing for the bell. A servant responded
Immediately.
Bring me the timetables of all
roads leading to New Orleans" he
ordered, ALSO a cable blank"
Webster had reread the letter be-
fore the servant returned with the
timetables
August, you go out to the desk,
like a good fellow, and ask the score
tary to arrange for compartment for
me to New Orleans on the Gulf States
limited, leaving at 10 o'clock tomor-
row night" He handed the servant
his card. "Now wait minute until
write something He seized the
cable blank, helped himself, unin-
vited, to Neddy Jerome's fountain pen,
and wrote:
civilian II. Geary, Gale de Concordia
No. 10, Buenaventura, Sobrante,
Q. A.
salute, you young jackass! Just
received your letter. Cabling thou
sand for emergency roll first thing to-
morrow. VIII order machinery. Leav'
Ing for New Orleans tomorrow night,
to arrive Buenaventura first steamer
Your letter caught me with hundred
| thousand. We cut 1t two ways and
take our chances. Keep light in the
| window for your old
4. "JACK-PAItDNER."
"That's a windy cablegram," Neddy
Jerome remarked as the servant bore
1t away "Why all this garrulity? A
cablegram anywhere generally costs at
least a dollar a word"
"0That's my delight of shiny
night, In the season Of the year,
quoted John Stuart Webster; land
why the devil economic when the boy
needs cheering upf'
"What boy?"
"Billy Geary.'"
"Where is he?'
Central America"
Neddy Jerome was happy. He was
In an expansive mood, for he had
with the assistance Of kindly fate
rounded up the one engineer in all the
Freight Train 10 Stolen
Chicago. freight train seized
here by band Of men believed to be
members OF the striking "outlaw