Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-04-21

dSdlu' III SOluB 10 stay mere hOW'
"Indeedi Why?"
"Just to be obstinate. Apparently |
I'm not wanted here by the powers
that be; so just to rile them I'm go
ing to hang around Sobrante and argue |
the question with them. By the way, |
1 see you received a cablegram also.
Better news than mine, 1 hope"
She nodded. 81 have a little bust |
ness deal on back home. Haven't got |
a great deal invested, but it looks as
if might make $4,000"
He arched his eyebrows and favored |
her with a little disappearing grunt. |
Sounded like the prospectus of fake |
mining prOmoter-yes, by thunder, |
that was it. Dolores was a school |
teacher, and school teachers and doe
tors are ever the mainstay of a swim
dlers sucker list.
"You won $40 from me yesterday"
he challenged. "Bet you another ten
can tell you the nature of your in
veStment."
GO you If l lose!" UncOnsciOusly
she was learning the argot of the male
Of the species, as exemplified in Ned
dy Jerome's cablegram.
Its a mining property"
"You win. 1t is" she answered
truthfully, starting to open her purse.
Quartz or placer"
81 don't know. Explain"
He chuckled at her ignorance.
quartz is gold-bearing rock, and
placer is gold-bearing gravel"
''Then my mining property is plac
err, because it has lots of sand"
81 knew it, 1 knew it," he warned
her solemnly, and he shook an adj
monitory finger at her. "Black sand,
Ell? Is the gold very fne2"
81 think it is"
"Then you're stung good and deep
so don't delude yourself into thinking
you have $4,000 coming. l never
knew a proposition for saving the fine
gold in black sand that didn't turn out
to be a f1zzle. It's the hardest thing
in the world to save. Now, listen;
YOU tell me the name of the fiim-fam
artist that got you into this deal, and
when 1 get back to the United States
I'll investigate the company; if it's an
out-and-Out swindle, I'll take that
promoter by the throat and choke your
money out of him, the scoundrel! 1t
is just these fiy-by-night fellows that
ruin the finest gambling game in the
world and scare off investors in legiti-
mate mining propositions"
ooh, you mustn't-really, Caliph.
He's an old man, and only did 1t to
help him out"
"There should be no sentiment in
business, Miss Ruey."
ooh, well, let's be cheerful and hope
full, Caliph, and discuss a more impOr-
tant subject"
She was very serious now, for by her
meddling she had, she realized, so ar
ranged matters that at a time when
John Stuart Webster's very life de-
pended upon his immediate departure
from Buenaventura, he was planning
to stay and face the music, just to be
obstinate. "YOu must reconsider your
decision to remain in this country"
she insisted. "Your life may be the
price of liberty of action, you know.
Isn't Billy capable of developing the
mine after you advance the Cash|
II wouldn't advance him a cent for
his mine until 1 had investigated it
myself"
"Then you should make some ar
engagements to safeguard yourself
while making the investigation, and
leave Sobrante Immediately thereafter.
Isn't that a sensible propositions"
"Very-if 1 felt like leaving So
brante. But l do not. If that mining
concession is a potential winner, I'll
have to stick around and make win
ner out of it before 1 go away and
leave Bill in charge. Besides, I'm wOr-
ried about Bill. He's full Of malarial
fever, and last night I got thinking
about him and decided to send him
back to the Colorado mountains for a
few months. want some regular doc
tors to work on Bill so he'll be fit when
he gets back on the job"
AS a matter of fact, this idea of send
ing Billy to the United States had but
that moment occurred to Jack Web
ster; he reflected now that this plan
was little short of an inspiration. 1t
would give Billy and Dolores an OPP
portunity to marry and have a honey
moon; it would leave him free of her
disturbing presence, and enable him to
leave Sobrante when the Gearys should
return. He resolved to speak to Billy
about it.
CTO BE CONTINUED)
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