Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-11-19
CHAPTER lI--continued.


stickAthe effect of which was to cause
everybody In tie room to start and
to conceal Mr. Webster momentarily
in a cloud of dust. the while In bel
lowing baritone he sang:
His father was handbook miner:
He comes from my home town.
"Jack websterl The devil's own
kin ~ shouted Neddy Jerome. lie
swept the cards into heap and wad-
died across the room to meet this
latest assaiIant of the peace aad dig
nifty Of tie Engineers club. "You old.
worthless, ornery, nO-good son of a
HzardJ I've never been so glad to see
q man that didn't owe me money. I've
been combing the whole civilized
world for you. for a month, at least.
Where the devil have you been7"
John Stuart Webster beamed hap
PLY upon his friend. .sWell. Neddy.
you old stocking knitter." he replied
Quizzically. 4ssince that Is the case. I'm
not surprised at your failure to find
me. You've known me long enough
to have remembered to confine your
search to tie unclvffized reaches."
4
'Well, you're here, nit any rate and
I'm happy. Now you settle down"
Hardly, Neddy. ''Fm young yet.
you know-Only forty. Stili a real live
man and net quite readyto degenerate
into a card-playing eat-drink-and-be-
merry. die-ofSinanition. sink-to-oblivI0l
and go-to-h- fireplace spirit r. And
he prOdded Jerome in the short ribs
with a tentative thumb that caused
the old man to vince. He permitted
his friend to drag him downstairs TO
the deserted lounge, where Jerome
paused I'M the middle OF the room and
renewed his querys lsia.,-s.e S
~Where have you been, I ask H''
sout In Death valley. California, try
ing to pry loose a fortune"
did YOU pry itP"
John Stuart Webster arched his eye
brows in mock reproach. "And you
can see my new suit. Neddy, my six
teen-dolIar, made-to-order shoes and
my horny h0ofs encased il siIken hose
and ask TINT question: Freshly
shaved and ir6ned and almost afraid
TO sit down and get wrinkles in my
trousersI Smell that |" He blew a
cloud Of cigar smoke into Jerome's
smiling face. The latter shifted. ct
smells expensive" he replied.
Eyes ana you can bet II tastes ex-
pe3sIve, too" Webster answered.
handing his cigar-case to his friend.
Jerome bit the end OF his cigar and
spat derisIvely. .'How much have you
nader" ne demanded bluntIy.
"It's none Of your business but III
tell you because love you. Neddy. I've
made one hundred Thousand dollars"
.'ChIcken-feed." jerome retorted.
Johnny, I've been eomBing the min
eral belt of North and South America
for you for month";"
why this sudden belated interest
IN mer'
Il have ine Job for you. john
Kings x" Webster interrupted,
and showed both hands with the nm
gers crossed. mo plotting against my
peace and comfort, Neddy. Haven't
told you I'm all dressed MP for the
first time in three years. that / have
money in my pocket and more In
bankf Man. I'm going to tread the
primrose path for year before get
hack into the harness again."
Jerome waved a deprecatory hand,
ngnratlvely brushing aside such feeble
and incOnseQuential argument. Are
you foot-loose2' he demanded.
I'm not. I'm bound in golden
chains"
Married. Ell? Great Scott, / might
have guessed It. SO you're on your
honeymoon. chr
"NO such luck. you vichy-drinking
aconoclast. II you had ever gotten far
enough from this club during the past
fifteen years to get a breath OF real
fresh air. you'd understand why |
want to enjoy civilization for week
or two before go back TO a mine SUI
perlntendent's cabin on some bleak hin.
no. Stree. Old Jeremiah @. Work and
7 have had q falling out. Dad burn
y0ur picture. Neddy. ! want some
eIassI I've been listening to a dago
aRl9t-boss playing the ACCORDION for
three years and he could only play
anree tunes. Now Y want Sousa,s
band. I've been bathing IN tepId, dirty
water in , redwood sIuice-bOx, and
new desire steam room and a nee
ole shower and an osteopath I've been
bossing Greasers and Italians and was
forced 70 learn their language to get
results, and now 1 want TO speak my
mother tongue to my old friends. BY
thunder I'm going to have 4 new deal
ii around !"
very well. Jack. Don't excite your
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