The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-02-07


already millionaire after the fash
ion of mining men, who are eyer ready
to count their chicks before they are
Matched, provided only they see the
eggs. Besides, there was Dolores. Full
we'll Webster realized thai Billy,
tossed back once more into the jaws
of the well-known wolf Of poverty,
would not have the courage upon his
return to Sobrante to ask Dolores to
share his poverty with him; should
the revolution fail, Ricardo Ruey
would be an outcast, a hunted man
with a price on his head, and in no
position to care for his sister, even
should he survive long enough to
know he had sister. She would
be alone in the world if he, John Stu
art Webster, failed her now-more
than ever she needed a mans strength
and affection to help her navigate the
tide-rips Of life, for life to woman,
alone and unprotected and dependent
upon her labor for the bread she must
eat, must contain, at best, a full meas
,,re of terror and despair and lonell-
ness. He pictured her through grim
professional of years Of skinping and
Detty sacrifices-and all because he,
John Stuart Webster, had hesitated to
lend a dreamer and an idealist pal
try $4,000 without security.
No, there was no alternative. II
his friendship for Billy was worth
sou, it was worth $4,000; if his silent,
unrequitcd love for Dolores Ruey was
worthy of her, no sacrifice on his part
could be too great, provided it guar
anteed her happiness.
"Ruined again." he sighed. "This
is only another of those numerous oc-
casions when the tail goes with the
hide. Flow soon do you want the
money!"
Ricardo Luiz Ruey leaned forward
and gazed very earnestly at John Stu.
art Webster. do you really trust me
that much, my friend?" he asked feel
ingly. Remember, I am asking you
for $4,000 on faith"
"Old SPORT" John Stuart Webster
answered, you went overheard In
Buenaventura harbor and took
chance among those big, liver-colored,
hammer-headed sharks. And you did
that because you had cause you
thought worth dying for. never knew
a man who had a cause that was
worth dying for who would even es-
pouse cause worth swindling for.
You win-only want you to under
stand one thing, Ricardo: I'm not
doing this for the sake Of saving that
mining concession the Sarros govern
ment gave my friend, Geary. I'm
above doing thing like this for mon
ey-for myself. 1t seems to me must
do it to guarantee the happiness OF
two people love: My friend, Geary,
and the girl he's going to marry. l
reject your promissory note and your
promise Of deed Of gift for that con-
cession, and accept only your graft
tude. There are no strings to this
loan, because it isn't loan at all.
It's a bet. If you lose, I'll help you
get out of the country and absolve
you Of any indebtedness to me. How
ever. IL you should win, know you'll
reimburse me from the national treas
ury."
"And you do not desire bonus"
Nothing that will cost the citizens
of this country one penny Of their
heritage. I'm going to bet this mon
ey-bet it, understand, not loan it.
However, if you want to be a sport
and grant me a little favor in return,
you can"
sire away"
after l give you this money, 1
don't want the doctor and the colonel
to kiss me to show how grateful they
are"
"You wonderful fellow! Jack Web
ster, if I had a sister should want
her to marry YOU"
"Show how little you'd think Of
your sister-staking her to senti-
mental jackass. Shall I cable the
money to New Orleans in the morn
ing"
"That will do very nicely"
ITO whom shall I cable the mon
ey?"
"Send it to the Picayune National
bank of New Orleans, with instruc-
tons to credit account No. 246. j..
E. P, trustee. In this little game
we are playing, my friend, it is SAT-
err to deal in numbers and initials
rather than names. The local cable
office leaks quite regularly"
"Very we'll, Ricardo, I'll attend to
it first thing in the morning. Go to
it and win, or there'll be several new
faces whining around the devil, not
the least of which will be mine. When
you charge, remember you're charg-
ing for my S4O,OOO-and go through
with it.. I worked rather hard for
that $4,000, and if must lose it, ]
do not want to do it in q half-hearted
fight. Give me, at least, bloody run
for my money. I'll have a reserved
seat somewhere watching the game"
IF you'll take my advice, you'll go
aboard La Estrellita and stay there
until the issue is decided. When the
first gun is fired, it signals the open
season on mining engineers who butt
i, On offo;rS ne ctotoH