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

long ago, and forgotten.
"It wasn't all over so long ago as
you seem to think. suppose you
knew the Holman gang was after
ward sent to the penitentiary for
those same high-grade operations2
Billy Geary's acquittal didn't end my
interest in the case-not by joyful
1 fought the case against the friends
Of the Holman crew among the mine
owners themselves; and it cost me my
good job, my prestige as 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. / wish he did. We were good
friends once. 1 certainly was mighty
fond of that boy"
He drew the letter from the en-
velope and slowly opened it.
"And you never heard what became
of Geary?"
''Not word. 1 was too busy won
dering what was to become of me.
couldn't get a Job anywhere In Colo
RADIO, and I moved to Nevada. Made
a million in GOldfeld, dropped it in
the panic Of 1907, and had to start
again"
"What have you been doing lately"
'Borax. Staked group Of claims
down in Death valley. Bully ground,
Neddy, and 1 was busted when 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.
"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 1t was Capetown.
know he was seen somewhere in South
Africa"
ale left the Greek Immediately
after the conclusion Of his trial. Poor
boy That dirty business destroyed
the lad and made a tramp Of him,
guess. tell you, Neddy, no two men
ever lived who came nearer to loving
each other than Billy Geary and his
old Jack-pardner. We bucked tbs
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, curs'
the day l took that boy out from I'm
derground and put him in the ASA!
office to learn the business. How
could know that the Holman gam
had cached the stuff in his shack?"
"Wen, it's too bad" Jerome an
swered duly. He was quite Willing
, that the subject of conversation SHOULD
: be changed. "Tm glad to get the RICH
= dope on the boy, anyhow. Have an
= other drink?"
. ''Not until read this letter. Now
q who the dickens knew was heade,
for Denver and the Engineers club
1 didn't tell soul, and I only al
= rived this morning"
= He turned to the last page to asceI
tain the identity Of his correspondent
and his facial expression ran tn
. gamut from surprise to joy that wa
good to see.
John Stuart Webster read the lette
deliberately, after which he sat in s
lent contemplation of the design Of tn
carpet for fully a minute before reacl
, ing for the bell. A servant respOnde
Immediately.
: Bring me the timetables of a
] roads leading to New Orleans" b
ordered, also a cable blank"
: Webster had reread the letter b.
fore the servant returned with tn
: timetables.
! August, you go out to the desl
= like a good fellow, and ask the seer
: tary to arrange for compartment fl
: me to New Orleans on the Gulf State
limited, leaving at 10 o'clock tomo
y row night" He handed the servaI
= his card. "Now wait minute unit
/ write something" He seized tt
y cable blank, helped himself, uni
y vlted, to Neddy Jerome's fountain pc
and wrote:
+ "William H. Geary, Gale de Concord
&c NO. To- OuSudNSuluAd1 oOoA AM
10 G. A.
~ Salute, you young jackassl Ju
received your letter. Cabling tho
sand for emergency roll first thing
: morrow. VIII order machinery. Lea
I ing for New Orleans tomorrow nigt
ID to arrive Buenaventura first steame
ls Your letter caught me with hundr'
ID thousand. We cut it two ways al
=. take our chances. Keep a light in Il
window for your old
NJ "JACK-PARDNER."
IF "That's a windy cablegram," Ned'
n Jerome remarked as the servant DO
a. it away. "Why all this garrulityf
re cablegram anywhere generally costs
he least dollar a word"
Le, "'That's my delight Of shil
ed night, in the season of the year,
OF quoted John Stuart Webster; sal
1,a n