Charlevoix county herald., 1921-03-25

/
ing, for a change, and with twinge
of his hardened conscience, the size
of his last retainer. Hal"
But Mr.. Randolph allowed him no
time for indulgence In vocal mirth.
That's what l said," he continued,
unmoved. ITO meet Miss Thornton
face to face and unasLamed, L feel
that 1 must have a capital of at least
hundred thousand"
He sank his head in thought for a
moment When he raised 1t again,
the widely placed blue eyes were
| there So was the saddle of faint
freckles across his nose; so was the
guarantee of honesty across his open
face, but superimposed over all was
Q new look Of sudden resolution.
"You will please tell Miss Thorn
ton" he resumed, that / shall do my
self the honor of calling on her one
week from the day after tomorrow at
four in the afternoon. There Is a
condition, however, and ii is that l be
| left alone without any mental reser-
walton by her and you and your agents
during the intervening time"
"One hundred thousand in nine
days." murmured Mr.. Milyuns skepti-
cally. His great brain hung poised in
thought for some time, but finally he
nodded his acceptance Of Roberts
terms of capitulation and promptly left
the room.
Mr.. O'Shaughnessy presently re-
| turned and found his favorite driver
sunk In strenuous reverie.
"Well, Mr.-er-Robert, are you
goin' back to the folks?'
Mr. Randolph raised his head and
smiled.
Call me Slim please, Tourke-
Slim Hervey,' for awhile yet. I've de-
cided to accept your offer of another
wagon for week or two-that is, IL
you realize you'll be doing me just
plain, monumental favor"
"Sure, kid !" said Mr.. O'Shaugh-
messy, flushing, as does all his kind on
the verge Of gratitude. That's all
right"
Thanks lot !" said Mr.. Randolph.
"And do you mind If / take the Wall
| street beat for while? / need
money"
"Why, Slim, what's got We? Ye
| know that's the rottenest shOrt-run
stand in town. Now, eff it's money
you want" Mr.. O'Shaughnessy
reached slowly down into his capacious
| trousers pocket his eyes, meanwhile,
studying Mr.. Randolph's physiognomy
with a shrewd CLINT that had fore
| stalled many a clever attempt at
touch in years gone by.
"Yes, money" said Mr.. Randolph
| pensively; "a hundred thousand dol
lars worth"
Tourke's face underwent startling
change, as though it had tumbled down
| a whole ladder Of emotions until 1t
landed with a jolt on solid platform
of infinite pity.
"Take any beat We like, boy, while
We en- hold the Wheel" he said, at
| the same time jambing the brakes
down on his too generous hand. An
| be sure your OF frien TOurke amt
| gon' to forget to come to the hospital
to see you"-he finished almost with
| sob-"often."
| For five restless, heart-breaking
days, Mr.. Randolph and his cab were
| at the beck and call of every short
horn curb-brOker that wanted his
! friends and customers to see him start
away from the scene of others labors
| in q taxi. The vast assurance that had
graced him when he allowed Mr.. Mil
yuns to infer that nine days was plenty
| in which to pick up a hundred thou
sand dollars and that had also tinged
| a remark made some weeks before to
a Miss Madge Van Teller to the eff
feet that the great thing nowadays
was to avoid having too much money
| had been gradually worn to ragged
FRAGILE.
Mr. Randolph was on the point Of
| trying to persuade himself that he was
| giving way to the too constant strain
rather than to any defect in his phil
osophy of the easiness Of wealth when
an excited and hatless elevator boy
| rushed up and said:
"Here, youse Mr.. Embonpoint Nor
gums car has froze. Ring your OIL
| fire alarm"
Mr.. Randolph almost knocked over
| fare that was attempting to get aside.
Engaged (" he growled, as he
stopped to turn her over"
Five minutes later his cab was car
rying, in the persons Of Mr.. Morgum,
| above mentioned and another, the po-
tential pivots of very tight-vested in
terests to the tune Of twelve billion
dollars. 1t may be thought that 1t was
Slim Hervey's intention to watt this
precious pair to some bosky retreat,
cover them with leaves, and hold them
for ransom, but such was not the case.
He desired nothing from these two
potentates among race Of lucre
giants beyond what might come to him
through his ever-open speaking SLOT
This is all he heard:
'Lewisfader Is getting kind Of
fresh"
"Thats what l been thinkin'."
"When?"