The Washington herald., 1920-10-13
WIAKE up a minute-here'.
w one more letter-it's from
your own town. too-Dalesburg.

OF the Andador interpreted the
business of the new arrivals.
Rosine looked healthy and very
much alive. She was gazing at
the strange scenes around her
with amused interest. There was
a faint blush upon her round
cheek as she greeted her old ad-
mirer. Mr.. Hemstetter shook
hands with Johnny in very
friendly way. He was an oldisn
Impractical man--one of that
numerous class of erratic busi-
ness men who are forever dis
satisfied, and seeking a change.
Il am very glad to see you,
John-may l call you john" he
said. Let me thank you for
your prompt answer to our post
masters letter of inquiry. He
volunteered to write to you on
my behalf. l was looking about
for something different in the
way of a business in which the
profits would be greater. l had
noticed in the papers that this
coast was receiving much atten-
ton from investors. am ex-
tremely grateful for your advice
to come. l sold out everything
that / possess, and invested the
proceeds in as fine a stock of
shoes as could be bought in the
North. You have a picturesque
town here, John. / hope business
Will be as good as your letter
justifies me in expecting"
Johnny's agony was abbreviat-
ed by the arrival of Keogh, who
hurried up with the news that
Mrs. Goodwin would be much
pleased to place rooms at the dis
posal of Mr.. Hemstetter and his
daughter. So there Mr.. Hemstet-
ter and Rosine were at once con-
Quoted and left to recuperate
from the fatigue of the voyage,
while Johnny went down to see
that the cases of shoes, were safe
ly stored in the customs ware
house pending their examination
by the officials. Keogh. grinning
like a shark, skirmished about TO
find Goodwin. to instruct him not
to expose to Mr.. Hemstetter the
true state of Coralio as a shoe
market until Johnny had been
given chance to redeem the sit
uation, II such a thing were pos
sible
That night the consul and
Keogh held a desperate consulta-
tion on the breezy porch OF the
consulate.
Send EN- back home" began
KeOgh, reading Johnny's thought
Il would" said Johnny. after a
little silence. but I've been lying
to you. Billy"
"All right about that" said
keogh. affably.
I've told you hundreds OF
times" said Johnny. slowly. that
! had forgotten that girl, haven't
II.
About three hundred and sew
enty-five," admitted the monu.
ment of patience
Il lied" repeated the consul
every time. l never forgot heI
for one minute. ] was an obsti.
nate ass for running away just
because she said No once. And
was too proud fool to go back
] talked with Rosine a few min.
Utes this evening up at Good.
wins. l found out one thing
You remember that farmer fellow
who was always after her."
"Dink Pawson?" asked Keogh
Pink Dawson. Well, he WASH
a hill of beans to her. She say.
she didn't believe a word of the
things he told her about me. But
I'm sewed up now, Billy. Thai
tOmfOol letter We sent ruined
whatever chance I had left. Shell
deSpise me when she finds out
that her old father has been tn,
victim of joke that n deCen,
school boy wouldn't have beer
guilty OF. Shoes, Why, h,
couldn't sell twenty pairs OF
shoes in CoraIio il he kept store
here for twenty years. You put
a pair of shoes on one of tbes,
Caribs or Spanish brown bows anC
what'd he do? Stand on his head
and squeal until he'd kicked en-
or. None OF EN- ever wore shoes
and they never will If I senc
EN- back home I'll have to tel
the whole story, and what'l she
thihk of me" | want that gir'
worse than ever. Billy. and now
when she's in reach I've lost hel
forever because | tried to be fun.
tntrnOmPfPT
1902"
Keep cheerful" said the opti.
mistic keogh. And let EN- oper
the store. I've been busy myself
this afternoon. We can stir ur
temporary boom in foot-gea,
anyhow. I'll buy six pairs wher
the doors open. I've been around
and seen all the fellows and ex.
planned the catastrophe. They'll
all buy shoes like they was cen.
tipedes. Z Frank Goodwin will
take cases of EN-. The Geddies
want about eleven pairs betweer
EN-. Clancy is going to invest
the savings of weeks. and eva-
old Doc Gregg wants three pair,
OF alligator hide slippers IL the,
nave any tens. Blanchard got .
look at Miss Newsletter: and a
mes Frenchman, no less thar
dozen pairs will do for him"
"A dozen customers" said John
ny, FOR $4,000 stock of shoes
IL won't work. There's a his
problem here to figure out. 70,
go home, Billy. and leave m,
alone. I've got to work at if al
by myself. Take that bottle n
Ihree-Star along with you-no
sir; not another ounce of booz,
for the United States consul TT
sit here tonight ana pull out IN
think stop. If there's sof
place on this proposition any
where I'll land on it. If Their
$50 there1l be another wreck t,
the credit of the gorgeous trop
les
keogh left, feeling that h.
could be of no use. Johnny lai,
handful of cigars on a tabl
and stretched himself in
steamer chair. When the sudde,
daylight broke, silvering the har
Dor ripples. he was still sittin,