Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-02-17
CHAPTER lI-cOntlnued.

BlCk-Ine GH6CL Oh WHICH WAS 10 cause
everybody in tie room to start and
to conceal Mr.. Webster momentarily
in a cloud of dust, the while in a bel
lowing baritone he sang:
''His father was a handbook miner;
He comes from my home town"
"Jack Websterl The DEVILS own
k1nI" shouted Neddy Jerome. He
swept the cards into a heap and wad-
died across the room to meet this
latest assailant Of the peace and dig
nifty Of the Engineers club. "YOu old,
worthless, ornery, nO-goOd son of
lizard I've never been so glad to see
a man that didn't owe me money. I've
been combing the whole civilized
world for you, for a month, at least.
Where the devil have you been"
John Stuart Webster beamed hap
ply upon his friend. "Well, Neddy,
you old stocking-knitter," he replied
quizziCally, 'since that is the case, I'm
not surprised at your failure to find
me You've known me long enough
to have remembered to confne your
search to the uncivilized reaches"
"Well, you're here, at any rate and
Tn happy. Now you settle down."
"Hardly, Neddy. "Tm young yet,
you know-only forty. Still real live
man and not quite ready to degenerate
Into a card-playlng, eat-drink-and-be-
merry, die-of-inanition, sink-to-obliviO1
and go-to-h-- fireplace spirit" And
he prodded Jerome in the short ribs
with a tentative thumb that caused
the old man to vince. He permitted
his friend to drag him downstairs to
the deserted lounge, where Jerome
paused in the middle Of the room and
renewed his query:
"Where have you been, I ask?"
"Out in Death valley, California, try
eng to pry loose fortune"
did you pry it?"
John Stuart Webster arched his eye
brows in mock reproach. "And you
can see my new suit, Neddy, my six
teen-dollar, made-to-order shoes and
my horny hoofs encased in silken hose
and ask that question? Freshly
shaved and ironed and almost afraid
to sit down and get wrinkles in my
trousers Smell thatw He blew 6
cloud Of cigar smoke into Jerome;
smiling face. The latter shifted. I'll
smells expensive" he replied.
Eyes, and you can bet it tastes ex
peasive, too" Webster answered
handing his cigar-case to his friend
Jerome bit the end Of his cigar ant
spat derisively. "How much have yoI
nader" he demanded bluntly,
'It's none Of your business, but III
tell you because love you, Neddy. Tv,
made one hundred thousand dollars
"Chicken-feed," Jerome retorted
"Johnny, I've been cOmbing the mir
eral belt Of North and South Americ
for you for a month"
''Why this sudden belated interes
10 met"
81 have fine job for you, John
"Kins's x" Webster interrupted
and showed both hands with the fiji
gers crossed. mo plotting against m
peace and comfort, Neddy. Haven't
told you I'm all dressed up for tn
arst time in three years, that hav
money in my pocket and more
bank? Man, I'm going to tread tn
primrose path for year before l g
back into the harness again."
Jerome waved a deprecatory ham
hguratively brushing aside such feebI
and inconsequential argument. IA
you foot-lOoseY he demanded.
''Tm not. I'm bound in gOlde
chains"
married, ehF Great Scott, migl
have guessed it. So you're on yol
honeymoon, eh?"
'No such luck, you vichy-drinkir
lconoclast. If you had ever gotten fl
enough from this club during the pa
fifteen years to get a breath of re
fresh air, you'd understand why
want to enjoy civilization for a wet
or two before go back to mine s
perintendents cabin on some bleak hill
No. Stree. Old Jeremiah Q. Work al
have had falling out. Dad bu
your picture, Neddy, want son
classi I've been listening to dal
shift-boss playing the accordion +
three years-and he could only pli
three tunes. Now I want Souss
band. rye been bathing in tepid, dir
water in a redwood sluice-box, al
now 1 desire steam room and ne
die shower and an Osteopath. I've be
bossing Greasers and italians and W
forced to learn their language to s
results, and now want to speak 7
mother tongue to my old friends.
thunder I'm going to have new d.
all around"
every well. Jack. Don't excite yol
vslE IN give you exactly thirty da