Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-11-26

| tHllhy Sulu JUN SlUuTl NcDSltT,
slowly, that you're n good picker. Bill.
She's my ideal Of Il fine young woman,
and my advice to you is to marry her.
III grub-stake you. BIZ, this stiff col
lar Is choking me; wish you'd wait
here while go to my room and rustic
up a soft On.."
In the privacy of his room John
Stuart Webster sat down on his bed
and held his head In his hands, for he
had just received blow In the solar
plexus and was still groggy. Present
ly, however, he pulled himself together
and approaching the mirror looked
long at hls weather-beaten c0unte-
nance.
TOO old" he murmured, too old to
be dreaming Dreams
He changed to soft collar, and
when he descended to the patio to join
Billy once more he was, to all outward
appearances, his usual unperturbed
self for his was one Of those rare ma
lures that can derive certain comfort
from the misery of self-sacrifice-and
In that five minutes alone In his room
John Stuart Webster had wrestled
with the tragedy Of his life and won.
He had resolved to give Billy the
right Of way on the highway to happi-
ness.
In Mr.. Webster's own whimsical
phraseology, his clock had been fixed,
on the instant he recognized In the OBJ
ject of his youthful partners alteration
| the same winsome woman he had en-
| thrOned in his own secret castle of
| love. From that precise second Bllly's
preserve was as safe from encroach-
ment by his friend as would be bale
Of Confederate currency in an armor-
steel vault on the three-thousand-foot
level Of water-filled mine.
John Stuart Webster had unanimously
resolved upon the course he should have
pursued in the first place. He would
investigate Billy's mining concession
Immediately; provided It should prove
worth while, he would finance II and
put the property on a paying basis;
after which he would see to 1t that
the very best doctors In the city of
Buenaventura should inform Billy, I'M
officially and In the strictest conf
dence, that II he desired to preserve
the life of Senior Juan Webstaire he
should forthwith pack that rapidly dis
migrating person off to more salu-
brious climate.
Having made his decision, John
Stuart Webster Immediately took heart
of hope and decided to lead trumps.
Dolores rejolned them for a siesta
after luncheon.
Webster leaned over and slapped
Billy Geary's knees affectionately.
swell, Bill, you saffron-coIored old
wreck, how long do you suppose It
will take for you to pick up enough
strength and courage to do some ac-
tive mining? I'm anxious to get that
property on paying basis, so l can
get out Of the country"
"Why, Johnny" the amazed Billy
declared, 81 thought you would stay
and help run the mine."
Indeed Well, why do you sup
pose ! spent so much time teaching
you how to run mine, you young
idiot, II not against just such time
MS this7 You found this concession
and tied It up; I'll finance 1t and help
you get everything started; but after
that, I'm through, and you can man
age II on salary and name the salary
yourself. You have greater inter-
est in this country than I, William;
and so with your kind permission
we'll hike up to that concession to-
morrow and give 1t the double-O;
then. II can o. X. the property, we'll
cable for the machinery I ordered just
before l left Denver and get busy
We ought to have our first cleanup
within ninety days"
"Gosh, but you're in hurry" Billy
murmured. He dlsliked exceedingly
the though: Of having his courtship
interrupted on a minutes notice.
"You know me, son. I'm hustler
on the job" Webster reminded him
brutality; $50 the sooner you start, the
sooner you can get back and accumu-
late more malaria. What accommoda-
tons have you up there?"
"None, Jack"
"Then you had better get some,
Billy. think you told me We have
to take horses at San Miguel de
Padua to ride In to the mine" Billy
nodded. "Then you had better buy
tent and bedding for both Of us, ship
the stuff up to San Miguel de Padua,
go up with 1t and engage horses,
good cook, and a couple of reliable
mozos. When you have everything
ready telegraph me and I'll come up
"Why can't you come up with meY"
Billy demanded.
81 have to see man. and write
some letters and send cablegram
and wait for an answer I may have
to loaf around here for two or three
days. BY the way, what did you do
for that friend sent to yen with the
letter of introduction"
Exactly what you told me to do
Johnny"
"Where Is he now2"
AT FL Buen Amigo-the same place
where I'm living"
"All right. When you get back to
your hosiery, you might tell my