The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-10-24
fCnptinued from last issusI

QuiZed,T thOughtfully. "IHe governor
said T wouldn't make any money. He's
right-so far. And he said I'd be
coming home beaten. There he's
wrong: I've got bunch that some
thing II happen to me in this Greaser
town.
He went out into the wide, white
washed, high-ceiled corridor, and
from that into an immense room
which, but for pool tables. bar and
benches, would have been like 4
courtyard. Bare-lesged, sandal-footed
Eexicans in white rubbed shoulders
With Mex'cans mantled in black and
red. There were black-bearded,
coarse-visaged Americans, some gam
bling round the little tables, others
drinking. There were khaki-clad cav
1lrymen strutting in ana out
=" AT one end Of the room, somewhat
apart from the general melee. was Il
group y: six men round a little table,
four Of. wr ON were seated, the other
two standing. These last two drew
4 second glance from Gale. The
sharp-featured bronzed faces and
Dierclng eyes, the tall. slender. loosely
10intetf bottles, the quiet. easy. reck-
less air that seemed to be a part Of
the men-these things would plainly
have stamped them as cowboys with
cut the buckled s0mbreros. the col
cred scarfs the high-topped, high
heeled boots with great silver-roweled
spurs.
He satisfied his hunger in a restau-
rant adjoining, and as he stepped
back into the saloon a man wearing
4 military cape jostled him. Apollo
sies from both were instant Gale was
moving on. when the other stopped
short as il startled, and, leaning for
ward. exclaimed:
! "Dlek Gale? If this isn't great !!
Don't you know me?"
1--WE heard your voice somewhere"
replied Gale. Maybe I'll recognize
you IL you came out from under that
bonnet
For answer the man, suddenly mani
Testing thought Of himself. hurriedly
drew Gale into the restaurant. where
he thrust back his hat to disclose a
handsome, sunburned face.
George Thorne! So help ne"
"'S-s-ssh. You needn't yell,' inter-
rupted the other, as he met Gales
autstretched hand. There was a close,
hard, straining grip. Il must not be
recognized here. There are reasons.
I'll explain in minute. Say, but it's
fine to- see YOU! Five years, Dick, five
years since I saw you run down Uni
versity.. field and spread-eagle the
whole Wisconsin football team"
;"DOn't recol1ect that replied Dick,
laughing. George, I'll bet you I'm
gladden. to see you than you are to
see me. 1t seems so long. You went
into the army, didn't you?"
II did. I'm here now with the
Ninth cavalry. But-never mind nue..
Khat're you doing way down here?'
ION the square, George. don't
know any more why I'm here than
than, you know"
> well, that beats me-" calculated
Thorne, sitting back in his chair,
sinaze and concern in his expression.
What the devils wrong? Your old
mans got too much money for you
ever to be up against it, Dick. you
couldn't have gone to the bad?"
"A tide OF emotion surged over Gale.
How good. 1t was to meet a friend
someone to whom to talk. He had
never appreciated his loneliness until
that moment. ~ ~.
George, how I ever drifted down
here don't know. I didn't exactly
quarrel with the governor. But
d-n 1t, Dad hurt me-shamed ME,
and dug out for the West. It was
this way. After leaving college tried
to please him by tackling one thing
after another that he set me to do.
On the square, I had no head for
business. made mess Of every
thing. The governor got sore. When
j! quit-when told him straight out
that was going west t. fare for my
self, why, 1t wouldn't have been so
tough il he hadn't laughed at me. He
said I couldn't earn dollar-that I'll
starve out west. and couldn't get back
hsme unless sent to him for money.
He said he didn't believe I could
fight-could really make fight for
anything under the sun Oh-he-he
shot, it into me all right"
Dick dropped his head upon his
hands. somewhat ashamed Of the
smarting dimness IN his eyes.
Flight" cried Thorne, holly.
whats ailing him? Didn't they call
you Bifr Gale in college? Dick, you
were one Of the best men Stage ever
developed"
THE. governor didn't count foot
bal" said Dick. "He didn't mean that
Kind Of a fight. When left home l
don't think had an idea what was
wrong Of me. But, George, l think
know now. was rich mans son
spoiled, dependent. absolutely igno-
rant of the value. Of money. l haven't
yet discovered any earning capacity in
me: I seem to be unable to do any