The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-11-26
CHAPTER VII.
rhe Face in the Draft.

The banker brought back the plush
case and set it down on the table. The
Jew took out his check book and be-
gan to write.
The Pearlhunter never could re-
member the thoughts that came over
him at that high moment of mis- life.
For all he could recall, there were no
clear thoughts at ADJUST loosening
of the throat; a relaxing of the
muscles. as If he had dropped a load
under which he had been straining.
He didn't know 1t, but the old banker
was watching him. The old, embar-
RAISING question-what name to write
I'm the check-brought him back out
Of the haze. He noticed that the
Jews hand trembled as he wrote. 1t
was 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 doliars--in words. and big plain
figures 1t was the first check he had
ever owned-the first one he had ever
seen. He was still reading it. puz-
zling over 1t. when the banker grasped
his hand. The banker shaking hands
with him This was his day!
MAY ] have the money on this?"
"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 a new one on the Pearl
hunter He had supposed bank had
IN its vaults unlimited loads of money.
what will I do?"
"You can draw part of 1t, and de-
posit the rest to your credit"
All of which was foreign language
TO the Pearlhunter.
81 didn't want TO use any Of the
money" he finally managed to say. Il
don't expect to spend a cent of it for
you know-small matters. expect
to leave it right here till 1 can spend
1t for mething-well-big l just
wanted to show 1t to a-friend."
'sYou 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 better
safer. he was about TO say. but didn',
way than that. Why not deposit
the check and take out a draft?'
draft? What's thatT
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 moment.
"This is a draft" he said, handing
over the slip he had been writing on
and taking the check in exchange. st
is as good as gold anywhere. at any
bank, any time. Show 1t TO your
friend, and I suggest that you after
ward bring It back to the bank and
deposit it. I will then give you
check book and show you how to use
it
The ?earlhunter read the paper
over with curious interest. put it in
the big. formidable envelope the bank
err gave him for the purpose. and but
toned it away in an inside pocket of
his blouse.
The little Jew had by this time put
the Blue Moon back in the plush case.
PIT the case in his vest pocket. and !
pinned up the pocket.
"Himmel - he grunted, turning |
away from the table you pearl fish
ers ISIS all crazy. I'd giff 1t to you
t'ousan' more"
IT got my price"
"Undt dots more as anybody got 1t |
yet from Louie Solomon
He chuckled all the way the door
A small crowd waited outside. No (
body knows how news leaks out in a /
small town. Not a man but knew how |
much the pearl had brought. One of
the crowd q lanky. one-eyedA fisher
man. sided up TO the Pearlhunter.
"Y'u got 1T. didn't y'u?"
The Pearlhunter was too slow. and
the little jew answered for him.
Course he got It. What chance q
pore devil psarl buyer got nit E'e
whole town against I'm !''
That statement, or one like 1t. was
what the crowd had been waiting for.
The tension was over. The finding and
selling Of the famous gem. the most
pearl ever ~h'istedv along the
Wabash was now hlstorx-F