Cheyenne record., 1921-02-24

| SAID:
swell, Jack, Just to celebrate the
discovery of your old pal, I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll O. X. your voucher
for the expense Of bringing young
| Geary back to the U. s. A., and when
we get him here. 1t will be up to you
to find snug berth for him with Col
orado Consolidated"
"Neddy," said John Stuart Webster.
"by my halidom, love thee. You're
thoughtful. kindly old stick-in-the-
mud"
mo IFS nor butts. I'm your boss"
Jerome interrupted, and waddled
away to telephone the head waiter ut
his favOrite restaurant to reserve
table for two.
| Mr.. Webster sighed. He disliked
exceedingly to dlsappOint old Neddy,
but He shrank from seeming to
think overwell of himself by declin-
year job with the biggest mining com
pany in Colorado, but
Rotten luck" he soliloquized. at
runs that way for while. and then
1t changes, and gets worse"
When Jerome returned to his seat,
the serious look In Webster's hitherto
laughing eyes challenged his immedi-
ate attention.
"Neddy," said John Stuart Webster
gently, "do you remember my-.cross
Ing my fingers and saying Kings "
when you came at me with that propo-
sition of yours? It just breaks my
heart to have to decline 1t, but the
fact of the matter is, think you'd
better give that Job to your brother,
after all. At any rate, I'm not going
to take it."
"Why?" the amazed Jerome de-
manded. Johnny, you're crazy in the
head. OF course you'll take IT.
For answer Webster handed his
friend the letter he had just received.
Read that, old horse, and see If you
gested.
Jerome adjusted his spectacles and
read:
"Calle de Concordia 10. Buenaventura,
| "Sobrante, c. A.
"Dear John: I would address you
as dear friend John did but pos
sess sufficient courage. In my heart
Of hearts ou are still that, but after
three years Of silence, due to my stu
pidity and hardness Of heart, 1t is. per-
haps, better to make haste slowly.
| ITO begin. I should like to be for
given. on the broad general grounds
that am most almighty sorry for
what l went and done! Am 1 forgiv-
en-? I seem to see your friendly old
face and hear you answer Aye and
with this load Off my chest at last I
believe I feel better already.
Jack. you poor, deluded old piece
of white meat. do you think for mo-
ment that 1 held against you your
testimony for the operators in Cripple
Creek? / thought you believed the
charges and that you testified in
firm belief that l was the guilty man,
as all of the circumstantial evidence
seemed to indicate. thought this for
three long. meagre years, old friend,
and I'm sorry. After that, l suppose
there isn't any need for me to say
more. except that you are an old fool
for not saying you were going to
spend your money and your time and
reputation trying to put my halo back
on straight! I doubt II I was worth
1t, and you knew that; but let 1t pass,
for we have other fish to fry.
"The nubbin Of the matter Is this:
There is only one good gold mine left
in this weary world-and I have it.
It's the sweetest wildcat ever struck,
and we stand the finest show in the
world of starving to death If we
tackle 1t without sufficient capital to
go through. 1t will take at least thirty
thousand dollars, and we ought to
have double that to play safe. l do
not know whether you have, or can
raise, sixty cents, but at any rate
am going to put the buck up to you
and you can take look.
| 'This Is a pretty fair country, Jack
If you survive long enough to get
used to it. At first you think it's Par
adise; then you grow to hate it and
know 1t for hell with the lid off; and
finally all your early love for 1t re-
turns and you become what 1 am now
"a tropical tramp! There is only one
social stratum lower than mine, and
that's the tropical beachcomber. l
am not that-yet; and will not be II
my landlady will continue to listen to
my Establishments. She Is a sweet
soul. with a divine disposition. and
am duly grateful.
Il would tell you all about the geog-
raphy, topography, fora and fauna Of
Sobrante, but you can ascertain that
in detail by consulting any stand
ard encyclOpef1fa Goyernmentally the
country is similar to its sister re-
publics. It's cold day indeed when
two patriots, two vivas and a couple
of old Long Tom Springfield rifles
cannot upset the Sobrante apple cart.