The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-03-31

morally certain that high-grade orr
has been stolen from your mine, but
unless you catch the ore thief in the
act, how can you prove It? suppose
yon read the newspaper reports and
believed them, just as everybody else
does"
swell, forget 1t, Jack. It's all over
long ago. and forgotten"
ut wasn't all over so long ago ms
you seem to think. ] suppose YOU
knew the Holman gang was after.
ward sent to the penitentiary for
those same high-grade operations ?
Billy Geary's acQuittal didn't end nv
interest in the case--not by a jugful /!
l Fought the case against the friends
OF the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and 1t cost me nv
good Job. my prestige as q mining en-
gineer. and thirty thousand dollars of
money that I'd shaved to get together.
or course you never knew this, Neddy.
and for that matter. neither does
Geary. wish he did. We were good
friends once. I certainly was mighty
fond of that boy"
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and slowly opened 1t.
"And you never heard what became
Of Geary7
mot word. / was too busy won
dering what was to become of me. I
couldn't get a job anywhere in Colo,
RADIO, and I moved to Nevada. Made
million in Goldfield. dropped II I'm
the panic Of 1907. and had to start
again."
what have you been doing Iately?''
"Borax. Staked group of claims
Down In Death valley. Bully ground,
Ncddy. and was busted when I To-
Gated them. Had to borrow money to
ray the filing fees and incorporation.
ana did my own assessment work.
look" Webster held up his han Is
SIN somewhat griny and calloused
The Borax trust knew ! was busted,
bat they never could quite get over
tie fear that I'd dig up some backing
end give then, run-so they bought
Ihe out"
Somebody told me Geary had gone
t. Rhodesia," Jerome continued mus.
ingly, cor maybe II was Caretown. I
know he was seen somewhere I'm South
Africa"
"He left the Creek immediately
after the conclusion of his trial. Poor
10y! That dirty business DESTROYED
the lad and made tramp of him I
guess. tell you. Neddy. no two men
ever lived who came nearer to loving
each other than Billy Geary and his
cid Jack-pnrtlner. We bucked the
marts OF men and went to sleep TO-
gt'h'' ."n%rH many n time (lurin"
OF. hvc.year partnership. Why, Bill
was lik" my own boy. jerome, I curse
the day | took that boy out from TN.
derground ANA pu, him in tie assay
Office 10 learn the business. How
could ! know that the Holman gang
had cached the stun In his shack?"
"Well, it's too bad" Jerome an
swered duly. He was quite willing
that the subject Of conversation should
be changed. I'm glad to get the right
dope on the boy, anyhow. Have an
other drink?"
mot until | read this letter. Now,
who the dickens knew was headed
for Denver and the Engineers club ?
didn't tell soul. and | only ar
rived this morning"
He turned to the last page to ascer-
tain the identity Of his correspondent,
and his facial expression ran the
gamut from surprise To a JOY that was
good to see.
John Stuart Webster read II DELHI
erately. after which he sat in silent
contemplation of the design of the
carpet for fully minute before reach
ing for the bell. A servant responded
Immediately
Bring me the timetables of all
roads leading to New Orleans" he
ordered, also a cable blank"
Webster had reread the letter be-
fore the servant returned with the
timetables.
August. you go out to the desk.
like good fellow. and ask the secre-
tary to arrange for a compartment for
me to New Orleans on the Gulf States
''"''Su' iSoNiHS ul ~ " CloCh
row night" He handed the servant
his card. Now wait a minute until
write something" He seized the
cable blank. helped himself, unin-
vited, to Neddy Jerome's fountain pen,
and wrote:
civilian Fl, Geary, Gale de ConcordIa
No. 10. Buensventura. Sobrante,
G. A.
Salute, you young jackass! Just
received your letter. Cabling thou
sand for emergency roll first thing to-
morrow. VIII order machinery. Leav-
ing for New Orleans tomorrow night,
to arrive Buenaventura first steamer.
Your letter caught me with a hundred
thousand. We cut 1t two ways and
take our chances. Keep light in the
window for your old
JACK PARDNER."
That's windy cablegram," Neddy
Jerome remarked as the servant bore
1t away, "Why all this parrulity2 A