Cheyenne record., 1921-02-24

come ana claim my property
"Neddy. I'll not work for you. I'm
mad. l won't play"
you're it. I just tagged you"
II require a rest-but unfold your
proposition, Neddy. l was born
poor, weak vessel consumed with a
curiosity that was ever my undoing.
l can only protest that this is no way
to treat friend"
Nonsense! My own brother wants
this job. and I have refused to give 1t
saved it for you"
Jerome leaned forward and laid his
finger cOnfidentlally on Webster's
knee; whereat the llght-hearted wan
derer carefully lifted the finger,
brushed an imaginary speck of dirt
from it, and set 1t down again. BE
serious, you ingrate," Jerome pro-
tested. Listen I've been working
for two years on consolidation up
near Telluride, aEd I've Just put 1t
across. Jack. it's the biggest thing in
the country. Colorado Consolidated
Mines Company, Limited. English
capital, Jack. Pay 'em per cent.
and they'll call you blessed. There's
twenty-five thousand year in it, with
a house and Il good cook and an au-
tOmobile and u chauffeur, and you can
come to town whenever you please,
provided you don't neglect the COM
pany's interests-and l know you're
not that kind OF an engineer"
"Do I have to put some money into
1t, Neddy?"
mot necessarily. although I should
advise 1t. l can let you In on the
ground floor for that hundred thou
sand of yours. guarantee you hand
some profit and in all probability u big
cleanup"
II feel myself slipping. Neddy. New
ertheless, the tail goes with the hide.
I'm not In the habit of asking my
friends to guarantee my investments,
and If you say it's right, I'll spread
what l have left Of the hundred thou
sand when 1 report for duty"
ITS been a tremendous job get
ting this consolidation over, Jack.
When"
"In PHYS namel Spare me. I've
heard all l want to hear about your
confounded consolidation. News!
News! Give me news! have to
beg for drink Nose, you black
sinner how dare you appear before
me without bringing drink"
Nose. the aged colored porter of
the Engineers club, flashed a row of
worries and respectfully returned the
democratic greeting.
Letter for you, sub. The secre-
tary told me to give it to you, Mistah
Webster"
"Thank you, Nose. Speak up, Ned
dy. and tell ME something. Ever hear
anything of Billy Geary?"
He was tearing the edge Of the en-
velope the while he gaZed at Jerome
who was rubbing his fat hands to-
gether after the fashion of elderly men
who are well pleased with themselves
You have n chance to become one
Of the greatest and richest mining en-
gineers in the world, Jack" he an
swered. 'now that you've cut loose
from that young crook Geary. don't
know what's become Of him. and
neither does anybody else. For that
matter. nobody cares"
II dO-nnd you can take the brief
end Of that bet for your last white
chip. Don't let me hear you or any
body else say anything against Billy
Geary. That boy goes for my money.
every turn in the box. Don't make
any mistakes about that, oldtmer."
Websters face suddenly was seri-
Gus; the bantering intonation in his
voice was gone, and new. slightly
strident note had crept into It. But
Jerome waved his hand soothingly.
"All right. old Johnny Pepper-bOx,
have it your own way. Nevertheless.
I'm a little mystifed. The last
knew OF you two. you had testified
sgainst him in the high-grade trials
ut Cripple Creek. and he had pulled
out under a cloud. even after his ac-
quittal."
"Give a dog a bad name. and 1t will
stick to him." Webster retorted. "Of
course testified against him. As en-
gineer for the Mine Owners associa-
ton. had to. The high-grade ore
was found in his assay office. and the
circumstantial evidence was complete.
and admit Billy was acquitted
merely because and others could not
swear positively that the ore came
from any certain mine. 1t was the
same old story, Neddy. You can be
morally certain that high-grade ore
has been stolen from your mine, but
unless you catch the ore thief in the
act, how can you prove it, I suppose
you read the newspaper reports and
believed them, Just ~ everybody else
does"