Evening star., 1921-10-30

picked up By u frisky widow in the
park.
There they were" says I, ''twosing
as cosy as a pair of co-eds, ard Cncle
Nels looking as pleased as though he
was being tickled with 4 feather.
/. Honest, il was a knockout"
But Inez listens solemn and serious.
What does she want. that widow
woman?" demands Inez at last.
"Eh " says l. why. what every
widow wants-a male man, any male
man. dangling around"
get married."
AS usual. Inez has poked her finger
straight into the core of the situation.
She may be slow thinker about some
things. but when it comes to the brass
tacks of life, Inez is right there. In
flash she had seen the picture
Uncle Nels caught and led to the
license bureau by a strange female; a
new wife in the apartment. And
where would Inez stand then?"
''Oh. but he wouldn't be such
boob says I. He's too old
Inez shr kes her head. There was
that Daddy Tiejens, by Coreraine.
who married the cook lady" she re-
minds me. He was lot older. him.
That's So" says /. And she was
have Il heart-to-heart talk with Uncle
Nels when he comes home"
y x =
IHE didn't wander in, though. until
just before dinner time and even
then he tries to slip into his room
without our seeing him. Eut we had
our ears stretched and held him up.
NO good trying to dodge, Uncle
Sels,'' says ]. You might just as
Come on. Let's have en-
such girls" says he. Can't talk
to a, lady once unless you make fuss
! over it? En-"
Once" says /. Say, how. long has
this been going on?"
He admits that the vanity bag Incl
dent happered about two weeks ago.
and you've been getting on nicely
ever since, eh?" says l. MY, but
you're some peter for an amateur.
I'll say And who is this Mrs. Sperry,
anyway"
Uncle Nels shakes his head and
looks sheepish.
"If you've been seeing her every
day" says ]. "she must have told you
the story OF her life. That kind al
ways do. She's lone widow, ]
gathered What else:
she don't live alone says Uncle
Nels. she got brother. too. They
live in same block with U.S."
Well" says l. lit didn't take her
two weeks to tell you dust that, did
it,"
"She-she told me about her bro
ther's mine" says he draggy.
"Oh ho." says l. pricking up my
ears. brothers got a mine, has he,
s,,r- s,f eI .yeI1 40
tin or diamond"
"Gold mine" says Inc,e Nels. "ln
Peru. He bought il cheap of friend
who got fever and died. Lotta gold.
hut high up in mountains. and Brother
Henry he amt got enough money to
"Of course!" says /. And Gussie
is willing to use her influence with
Brother Henry SO he'll let you in on
the ground floor. eh?'
Uncle Nels lunches his shoulders.
MAYBE he does" says he. "He-he
don't know yet
Il See" says 1. "Cagey stuff. Don't
rush the sucker. Give him plenty of
line"
mands Uncle Neis, bristling up;
shrewd. @ "su cautious aou business xs IS man@when
it comes to selling timber. You can
skin the best Of 'em. and have: But
how much do you know about gold
mines in Peru: Think it over
Uncle Nels scratches his ear. She
say it's rich mine" says he. Show
me pictures, chunks Of rock with gold
stickin' out, paper from assay. office.
She went down there with her brother
last summer. So she knows"
Naturally" says I. "And about
how much does Brother Henry need to
help him get this mine running-ten
thousand, twenty?"
Fifty" says Uncle Nels.
puckered up my lips and whistled
soft. ''No piker, is~ hep says I. FIFTY
thousand! Honest, Uncle Nels, have
you got faith enough in the fair Gussie
to let her nick you that hard?' Z
"She-she's nice lady, Mrs. Sperry,"
insists Uncle Nels.
Words seem to fail him. 81 dunno"
seys he. "She's nice to me. Nobody
ever talk to mo so nice before"
I glances over at Inez to see II she
Is taking all this in. She is. And We
swaps mods that meant a lot.
"Oh!' says l. 'If that's the way IL
stands then wen butt out. Eth, Inez?"
But Inez don't follow me. She frowns
and shakes her head: :FooIish!p gays
she az Uncle Nsls tr.ekles OF te his
room.