The Dolores star., 1920-12-10

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l remarked before, I've lost your
heritage for you" He sighed. 81
waited till you would be able to come
home and settle down to business; now
you're home; and there Isn't any bust
ness to settle down to-"
Bryce chuckled. for lie was indeed
FAR from being worried over business
matters, his consideration now being
ehtirely for his fathers peace Of mind
All right" he retorted. Father has
lost his money and we'll have to let
the servants go and give up the old
home. That part of 1t Is settled; and
weak, anemic, tenderly nurtured little
Bryce Cardigan must put his turkey
on his back and go into the woods
looking for job as a lumberjack.
Busted, eh? Did I or did l not hear
the six O'Clock whistle blow at the
mill? Bet you dollar did"
"Oh, l have title to everything
yet"
"How I do have to dig for good
news! Then 1t appears we still have
business; indeed, we may always
have business, for the very fact that
1t is going but not quite gone implies
doubt as to Its ultimate departure,
and perhaps we may yet scheme a
way to retain 1t. IL we can save
enough out of the wreck to insure
you your customary home comforts. l
shan't cry, partner. l have a profes-
sion to fall back on. Yes, Stree. l
own a sheep-skin, and 1t says I'm an
electrical and civil engineer"
"Whatw
81 said 1t. An electrical and civil
engineer. Slipped one over on you at
college, John Cardigan, when all the
time you thought was having good
time"
"Bu-bu-but-"
ct drives me wild to have man
sputter at me. I'm an electrical and
years of travel have been spent study
Ing the installation and construction
Of big plants abroad"
my dear boy! And you've got
your degree?"
partner. I have string of letters
after my name like the tail of Il
comet"
You comfort me-" the old man
answered simply. 81 have reproached
myself with the thought that reared
you with the sole thought of making
lumberman out Of you-and when
7 I,,rnha. hnSfnnSS Slfnnfnn
through my fingers"
"You were sorry I didn't have
profession to fall back on, chr Or
were you fearful lest you had raised
the usual rich mans son? If the
latter. you did not compliment me, pal.
I've never forgotten how hard you al
ways strove to impress me with
sense Of the exact weight of my
responsibility as your successor"
"How big are you now?" his father
quered suddenly.
"Well, SIR" Bryce answered. for his
fathers pleasure putting aside his
normal modesty, "I'm six feet two
inches tall, and I weigh two hundred
pounds in the pink of condition.
have forty-eight-inch chest. with five
and half inches chest-eXpansion, and
n reach as long as a gorilla's. My
underplnning is good, too; I'm not one
of these fellows with spidery legs and
a barrel chest. l can do a hundred
wards in ten seconds; I'm no slouch
of n swimmer; and at Princeton they
saw l made football history"
"That is very encouraging, my boy
very. Ever do any boXingW
"Quite little. I'm fairly up In the
manly art of self-defense."
The old man wagged his head ap-
proyngly, and they had reached the
gate of the Cardigan home before he
smoke again. There's n big buck
woods-boss up in Pennington's camp"
he remarked irrelevantly. Hes a
French Canadian imported from north
ern Michigan by Colonel Pennington.
dare say he's the only man in this
country who measures up to you phys
Ically. He can fight with his fists
and wrestle quite cleverly, I'm told.
His name Is Jules Rondeau, and he's
ton dog among the lumberjacks. They
saw he's the strongest man In the
county." He unlatched the gate.
"Folks used to say that about me
once" he continued wistfully. "Ah'
II I could have my eyes to see you
meet Jules Rondeau!"
The front portal Of the quaint old
Cardigan residence opened, and
sIlyer-haired lady came out on the
porch and hailed Bryce. She was
Mrs. Tully, John Cardlgnn's old house
keeper, and almost mother to Bryce
"oh, here's my boy!" she cried, ant
. moment later found herself encirclet
nv Bryce's arms and saluted with
hearty kiss.
As he stepped into the familiar en-
trunce-hall. Bryce paused. raised hi
head and snifred suspiciously. like
bird-dog. Mrs. Tully, arms akimoo
watched him pleasurably. smel