The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-12-09

When the water debacle came. the fact
of IL was carefully concealed from
him and he was generously permitted
to come to the rescue-which he did
by paying a fabulous sum (Schehera-
zade did not know how much) for his
Observation-Disclosures holdings. In other
words, they had sold him a gold brick;
soaked him for final cleanup on a
doomed mine. That was about all
there was TO IL.
ibid my-did the old gentleman you
speak of ever come out here himself?"
She nodded.
"Once that we know on; that was
after il was all over and the place was
deserted. At that time Daddy had
taken up a claim just west Of here In
the next gulch and we were living In
this cabin; squatters, l guess you'd
call u.s. SO we camped down.
THAT was quite right and proper.
And this Mr.. Jasper Dudley; he didn't
turn you out when he came, did her
"Oh. no, indeed; he was very kind.
When he found that Daddy's gulch
claim wasn't going to pan out any
| thing. he said he needed a caretaker
here, and since that time he has sent
us money every month. But now |
suppose 1t will all be different. Mr..
Dudley is dead"
"But the heirs?' l suggested.
I'VE don't even know who they are.
When Mr.. Dudley went away he left
sealed envelope with Daddy. He
said he might come back again, some
time, but II he didn't, or couldn't, Dad
| dy was TO keep the envelope and give
| II to his-Mr. Dudley's-representa
tive, whoever that might be-"
Talk about plots thickeningl This
one was already as thick as molasses
| in the dead of winterl
How were you 10 know this repre-
sentative If one should conner" | edged
In cautiously.
81 don't know" she replied simply
81 should suppose he would be able
to identify himself In some way.
though shouldn't you? That is, II he
ever comes"
"Sure; nothing easier. of course"
| agreed; and then. since we seemed
to have scraped the bottom of the Gin
nabar dish clean switched off to
something else.
"When we were coming up the road
while back, Miss Jeanne, you gath
cred the impression that was a crazy
man, didn't your"
Didn't you try to give me that i'm
pression?" she countered.
II fancy l didn't have to try very
hard-inasmuch as you had been
spending the afternoon in Atropia."
She forced a queer little laugh and
bent lower over her knitting.
"When you were in Atropia, did you
see or hear anything of the other crazy
mann"
as there another one?" she asked,
a bit breathlessly.
81 was told so in Angels this after
noon"
us this other man q friend Of
yours?" she wanted to know.
you could scarcely call him that;
I've met him only once. He is min
Ing engineer and his name is Butler
ton-Charles Bullerton'
II had reached up and got her pis-
tol out of its holster over the manteI
TO bang 1t off into the fireplace she
could hardly have been more startled
"Ch- Charles Bullerton?" she stam-
mered. rs Mr.. Fullerton here?"
mot here, exactly, but he was In
Atropia two days ago. Do you, by
any chance, happen to know him7'
"Oh, yes; qui-quite WELL"
'"Then, naturally, you know best
whether or not he is in my class-the
crazy class, mean"
Once more she let the blue eyes
drop to her knitting, and il / wasn't
mistaken the pretty lips were twisting
themselves In a sort of wry smile.
THE last time / saw him he told
me he was crazy" she admitted.
isn't this delightful !" / murmured.
FULLERTON is crazy and I'm crazy.
perhaps we are all bit crazy. Do
you know, Miss Jeanne, that 1 have
come thousands of miles to find your"
ITO find mef"-the blue eyes were
as round as the full moon.
EVEN so; you, your horse and your
dog. Would you-er-would you per-
NIT an exceedingly personal question?
Remembering always that 1t is put
by man who has lost his wits? Have
you small brown mole on your left
shouder?"
She blushed very fetchingly; even
the handsome mountain wind tan
wasn't brown enough to hide it.
81 think you are crazy-compIetely
crazy"
Certainly ] am; there hasn't been
the slightest doubt of 1t since-well.
since about two weeks ago, when |
started to hunt for you and a pie
faced dog and piebald horse"
There was silence before the fire |
for long minute and | began TO be |
afraid Daddy Hiram would come back |
before anything else. happened Then |
she said. with more curiosity than re- |
sentiment, / thought:
How did you know about the
noleY"