The Lamar register., 1920-11-03
CHAPTER VII.
The Face In the Draft.

The banker brought back the plush
.ase and set II down on the table. The
lew took out his check book and be-
gan to write.
The Pearlhunter never could re
member the thoughts that came over
him al that high moment of his life.
For all he could recall. there were no
clear thoughts at all-1ust a loosening
Of the throat; relaxing OF the
muscles, as II he had dropped q load
under which he had been straining
He didn't know II, hut the old banker
was watching him. The old, embar-
RAISING question--what name TO write
In the check-brought him back out
Of the haze. He noticed that the
Jews hand trembled as he wrote. II
vas an odd trifie to notice. but II was
the one thing he could afterward
clearly recall.
The check. made out to "Pearlhunt-
err" was in his fingers, Five thou
sand doilars-in words. and big plain
figures, II was the first check he had
ever owned-the first one he had ever
seen. He was still reading II. pug
cling over It. when the banker grasped
his hand. The banker shaking hands
with himl This was his day!
May l have the money on thisr
why. my dear boy" the banker an
swered. laughing and slapping him on
the shoulder. there isn't that much
cash In the bank"
That was n new one ON the Pearl
hunter. He had supposed bank had
In its vaults unlimited loads of money.
what viii ! do;"
"You can draw part Of II, and de-
posit the rest to your credit"
All OF which was foreign language
to the PearlhuDter.
II didn't want TO use any Of the
money" he finally managed TO say. 81
don't expect to spend a cent OF II for
you know-small matters. ! expect
to leave it right here till can spend
Il for omething-well-big. Just
wanted to show 1t to a-friend."
"You might show your-friend the
check" The banker stole a glance at
Solomon gloating openly over the gem.
now that the deal was closed. NO"
he continued. there's a better
safer. he was about to say. but didn't
-'way than that Why not deposit
the check and take out a draftf"
''Drafti What's thatr'
The old banker reached his fingers
up through his hair and studied the
man before him. Sitting down at his
desk. he wrote rapidly for a moment.
This is a draft" he said. handing
over the slip he had been writing on
and taking the check In exchange. 1T
Is as good as gold anywhere. at any
bank. any time. show 1t to your
friend, and I suggest that you after
ward bring 1t back to the bank and
deposit it. will then give you a
check book and show you how to use
It,"
The Pearlhunter read the paper
over with curious interest. put 1t In
the big, formidable envelope the bank
er gave him for the purpose. and but
toned 1t away in an inside pocket Of
his blouse.
The little Jew had by this time put
the Blue Moon back In the plush case.
put the case In his vest pocket. and
pinned up the pocket.
'Himmely he grunted. turning
away from the table. You pearl fish.
ers iss all crazy I'd gin It to you a
t'ousan' more"
II got my price,
"Undt dots more as anybody got 1t
yet from Louie Solomon"
He chuckled all the way to the door
A small crowd waited outside. No
body knows how news leaks out In
small town. Not a man but knew how
much the pearl had brought. One Of
the crowd, lanky. one-eyed fisher
man, sidled up 10 the Pearlhunter.
''Y'u got ii, didn't y'u?''
The Pearlhuntsr wsS too (lsw, snd