Shoshone journal., 1921-05-20

But you could go in a hack this
morning and avoid that uncertainty"
1.-The millionaire drudge 1 told you
of could have gone to live In a pretty
villa on the Riviera, but she chose a
miners boarding house"
''Then why" she persisted, "did you
leave the United States with the firm
Intention of remaining in Sobrante in
definitely, change your mind before
you were here eight hours, and cable
this Neddy Jerome person you would
return in 60 or 90 days-and the fol-
lowing morning decide to remain, aft
er all :"
"My dear young lady, If I changed
my clothes as often as l change my
mind, the what-you-may-call-'em chaps
that manufacture a certain brand Of
clothes couldn't keep me dressed"
But why?"
That" he answered gravely, "is a
secret"
women delight to pry into mems
secrets"
Il know 1t. Had a friend once
married. Every night after dinner he
used to sit and stare into the fire and
his wife used to ask him what he was
thinking about. He would look up at
her owIishly and tell her it was some
thing he couldn't explain to her, be
cause she'd never understand it-and
that was all he would tell her, al
though right frequently, 1 dare say
he felt like telling her some things
she could understand? She brooded
over his secret until she couldn't stand
it any more. and one day she packed
her duds and flew home to mother.
He let her stay there three months.
and finally one day he sent her blue
print of what he'd been thinking
about"
What was it,"
IAN internal-combustion engine. You
see, until she left him, he'd never
been able to get set to figure out
something in connection with the inlet
valves"
stop right there, Caliph. I'm re-
buked. I'll let you get set to
think"
Il didn't mean that. You let me
get set yesterday-and 1 figured it all
out then-and last highland a min
ute ago. I don't care to do any more
thinking today. Please talk to me-"
And you refuse to tell me why you
cabled your friend, JeromeY
You will never know. 1 told you
it's a secret"
Bet you 1 find out"
How much? That $4,000 you ex-
pect to make from the fiour-gold in
your black-sand claim? And, by the
way. $40, please. I won it for guess
ing you were interested in mining
proposition"
She returned to him the bill she had
won from him the day before. Ten
thousand dollars suits me. OF course,
haven't got the money just now, and
this is what Billy calls a finger bet,
but if I lose. 1 guarantee to pay. Are
we betting even money? l think that
is scarcely fair. Under the circum-
stances l should be entitled to odds.
Nothing doing No odds on a bet
of this nature to a seeresS who has al
ready Jared me from soul to vermi-
form appendix by making good You
know too blamed much already, and
how you discovered it is a problem
that may drive me crazy yet"
After breakfast they repaired to the
veranda to await the result Of Web
ster's experiment with Don Juan Cafe
tero. Sure enough, the wreck had again |
returned. he was seated on the edge Of |
the veranda waiting for them; as they |
approached, he held up a grimy, quiv-
ering hand, in the palm Of which lay |
"a fve-dollar gold piece.
"What?" Mr.. Webster said, amazed |
still unchanged"
81 thried to change it at half dozen /
cantinas." Don Juan wheezed. but |
iivil a bit av systim did any av thin |
have. Wan offered this in spiggoty |
money an the other offered that an |
sure if I'd taken the best that was |
offered nae in exchange, We might have
Fought I'd TUX more nor wan dhrink."
Bravo. Three long. loud, raucous
,heers for Don Juan Cafetero" Do
ores cried. "Was it a terrible task to
.ome back without drink, Don Juan?'
He shivered. "A shky-blue kangaroo
Wit pink tail an green ears chased
ne into this patio. ma'am."
You're very brave, Cafferty. How
loes it feel TO win back your self
-espect?" Webster asked him.
Begin the young leddy's pardon
it feels like hell, sor."
"Caliph, don't be cruel" Dolores
pleaded. "CaI a waiter and give Don
Iuan what you promised him."
So Webster went into the hotel bar
md returned presently with a bottle
# brandy and a glass, which he filed
md held out toward Don Juan. zone
# the paradoxes Of existence, Don
uan," he observed, "lies in the fact
hat so many of the things in life that
re good for us are bad for us. This
olt will disperse the menagerie and
re- hHI 4