Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-11-24

1T wasn't all over so long ago rs
you seem TO think. / suppose YOU
knew the Holman gang was after
ward sent TO the penitentiary for
those same high-grade operations?
Billy Geary's acqulttal didn't end my
interest In the case-not by a jugful
l fought the case against. the friends
OF the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and IL cost me my
good job. my prestige as a mining en-
gineer. and thirty thousand dollars OF
money that I'd shaved TO get together.
or course you never knew this, Neddy,
and FOR that matter. neither does
Geary. wish he did. We were good
friends once. certainly was mighty
fond OF that boy"
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and slowly opened IL.
"And you never heard what became
OF GearyT"
"Not n word. l was too busy Won
dering what was 20 become OF me.
couldn't get a job anywhere in Colo
RADIO. and moved TO Nevada. Made
a million In Goldfeld. dropped IL i'm
the panic OF 1907. and had to start
again"
what have you been doing lately7"
"Borax. Staked a group of claims
down I'm Death valley. Bully ground,
Neddy. and / was busted when To-
Gated them. Had to borrow money TO
pay the filing fees and incorporation.
and did my own assessment work.
LOokl' Webster held up his hands.
still somewhat grimy and callOused.
''The Borax trust knew / was busted.
hut they never could quite gt over
the fear that I'd dig up some backing
and give them a run-so they bought
me out"
Somebody told me Geary had gone
70 RhodcSia." Jerome continued mus
ingly. cor maybe II was Capetown. !
know he was seen somewhere In South
Africa"
"He left the Greek Immediately
after the conclusion OF his trial. Poor
boyi That dirty business destroyed
the lad and made n tramp Of him. !
guess. tell you. Neddy. nc two men
ever lived who came nearer 70 loving
each other than Billy Geary and his
old Jack-pardner. We bucked the
marts Of men and went 10 sleep to-
gether hungry many a time during
our five-year partnership. Why, BIN
was like my own boy. Jerome. curse
the day / took that boy out from I'M
derground and put him In the assay
Office 10 learn the business. How
could I know that the Holman gang
had cached the stuff in his shack?"
well. it's too bad" Jerome an
swered duly. lie was quite willing
that the subject Of conversation should
be changed. I'm glad 10 get the right
dope on the boy, anyhow. Have an
other drink?'
"Not until I read this letter. Now,
who the dickens knew I was headed
for Denver and the Engineers club?
didn't tell n 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 tie
gamut from surprise to 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 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 cable blank"
Webster had reread the letter be-
fore the servant returned with The
timetables.
August. you 20 out TO the desk
like a good fellow, and ask the secre-
tary 10 arrange for a 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 a minute until
I write something" He seized the
cable blank. helped himself, unin-
vited. 10 Neddy Jerome's fountain pen.
and wrote:
"wInIam III. Geary. Gale dc Concordia
No. 10. Buenaventura, Sobrante'
G. A.
salute. you young jackassl Just
received your letter. Cabling thou
sand for emergency roll first thing to-
morrow. VIII order machinery. Leav-
ing for New Orleans tomorrow night.
10 arrive Buenaventura first steamer.
Your letter caught me with a hundred
thousand. We cut II two ways and
take our chances. Keep a light in the
window for your old
"JACK-PARDNER."
THAT'S a windy cablegram," Neddy
Jerome remarked as the servant bore
IL away. "why all this garrulity? A
cablegram anywhere generally costs at
least a dollar n word"
THAT'S my delight OF a shiny
night. I'm the season OF the year.
quoted John Stuart Webster: "and
why the devil economic when the boy
needs cheering up?"