The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-01-27
Continued From Last Issue)

Continued From Last lsSue)
"Give a dog a bad name, and it will
stick to him." Webster retorted. "Of
courseI testified against him. AS en-
gineer for the Mine Owners associa-
ton, / had to. The high-grade orc
was found in his assay Office, and the
circu1nstantial evidence was complete,
and l. admit Billy was acquitted
merely because and others could not
swear positively that the ore came
from any certain mine. It was the
same bld story, Neddy. You, can be
morally certain that hlgh-grade ore
has been stolen from your mine, but
unless you catch the ore thief in. the
act, how can you prove it? suppose
you read the newspaper reports and
believed them, just as everybody else
| does"
"We]l, forget it, Jack. It's all over
long ago, and forgotten"
1T wasn't all over so long ago as
YOU seem to think. I suppose you
knew the Holman gang was after
ward sent to the. penitentiary for
those same high-grade operations?
Billy Geary's acqllittal didn't end my
interest in the case-not by jugful
I fought the case against the friends
Of the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and it cost me my
good Job, my prestige rs a mining en-
gineer, and thirty thousand dollars of
money that I'd shaved to get together
OF course you never knew this, Neddy,
and for that matter, neither does
Geary. I wish he did. We were good
friends once. ! certainly was mighty
fond of that boy" J. j.
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and'slowiy opened it: = -. -
"And you never heard what became
of Geary?"
mot a word. I was too busy Won
dering what was to become Of me.
couldn't get Job anywhere in Colo
RADIO, and I moved to Nevada. Made
a million in Goldfield, dropped it in
the panic Of 1907, and had to start
again."
"'vhat have you been doing lately?"
..Borax. Staked a group Of claims
down in Death valley. Bully ground,
Neddy. and I was busted when 1 To-
Gated them. Had to borrow money to
pay the filing fees and incorporation,
and did my own assessment work.
Look!" Webster held up his hands,
still somewhat grimy and calloused.
1.-THE Borax trust knew was busted,
but they never could quite get over
the fear that I'd dig up some backing
and give them run-so they bought
me out"
somebody told me Geary had gone
to Rhodesia," Jerome continued mus
ingly, cor maybe it was Capetown.,
know he was seen somewhere in South
Africa"
"He left the Creek immediately
after tile conclusion Of his trial. Poor
boy! That dirty business destroyed
the lad and made Il tramp of him, I
guess I tell you. Neldy, no two men
ever lived who came nearer to loving
each other than Billy Geary and his
old Jack-pardner. We bucked the
marts of men and went to sleep to.
gether hungry many a time during
our five.year partnership. Why, Bill
was like my own boy. Jerome, curse
the day took that boy out from I'm.
foreground and put him In the assay
office to learn the business. How
could I know that the Holman gang
had cached the stuff in his shack?"
"Well, it's too bad" Jerome an.
swerel duly. He was quite willing
that the subject of conversation should
be changed. 'I'm glad to get the right
dope on the boy, anyhow. Have an
other drink"
"NOt until I read this letter. Now,
who the dickens kIfew was headed
for Denver and the Engineers club?
didn't tell soul, and only ar
rived this morning."
He turned to the last page to ascer-
tain the identity Of his correspondent,
and his facial expression ran the
gamut from surprise to a joy that was
good to see.
John Stuart Webster read it DELHI
erately, after which he sat in silent
contemplation Of the design Of the
carpet for fully a minute before reach
ing for the bell. A servant responded
. Immediately.
Bring ne the timetables Of all
roads leading to New Orleans" he
ordered, ALSO cable blank"
Webster had reread the letter be-
fore the servant returned with the
timetables.
august, you so out to the desk,
| like good fellow, and ask the secre-
tary to arrange for compartment for
me to New Orleans on the Gulf States