Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-28

III tell you what, son: well take
Diogenes' lantern and chuck it into the ash
cam said the lawyer, assuming a lightness
he did not feel. The world is full of inno-
cent bystanders. 1t always has been, and
always will be. We judge actions without
the least conception of the motives that en-
ergize them. But it seems pretty tough that
Johnny Jones Of South Dakota, perfectly
content as a'cowhand. should rest his bones
in the Argonne, simply because one William
Hohenzollern had grandiose opinions of his
Importance. Innocent ~bystanders! You have
been one, your father, his friend"
Bancroft jumped up and cleared his eyes.
He put the letter into an inner pocket.
What are you going to do, son?"
I'm going to hunt up the other poor devil
of q bystander-catch him. before he does
something he'll always be sorry for. God
save him from reddening his hands with my
fathers blood. There's no doubt now that
he entered this window to kill INV father.
I've an idea I'd better hurry"
God go with you! OF course, I can't help"
NO" D.,
But Bancroft did not find Stewart at his
lodgings. Stewart had moved out, though his
belongings, neatly boxed, were still in eyi.
dence. Nor did Bancroft find him at the
office of the Bolivian Emerald, COMPANY.
Stewart had sold out.
Bancroft comprehended at once: the h,ow-
something fantastic and incredible-was
I shortly to fall. There would be no way of
anticipating 1t; he would have to await it,
But II the poor mailman struck from behind?
and never learned the truth? That was
aBancroft's one anxiety; he was prepared for
anything but a blow from behind.
For all that, his new found %buoyancy car.
ried him to a pathway among the stars, and
he stepped. one to the other, Indifferent to
the unreasonable abysses between. He had
now what he had previously imitated-con.
fdence in himself. in the future. He no
longer regretted that he was without creative
genius. That his future was cut and dried
did not distress him. His father-bv the
%strangest sacriace-had created these mil.
lions; his son would administer them, turn
them loose in productive sallies upon d
broken world, build up little communities
OF wage e%arners. create jobs as other men
created music, literature. art. Why. there
was nothing finer in all this drab earth than
TO make oneself a useful citizen. That would
be his business in life.
He went to the theater that night. H;s
applause was thunderous; he could not keen
still In his chair; his face was like a beacon
lie did not exactly annoy any one, but he
attracted some amused attention. People
smiled indulgently at the young man with
a girl In the Show" They could even pick
out the girl. So far as Bancroft was con.
cerned. he was all alone in the orchestra and
Nancy was all. alone on the stage.
He left his chair at the beginning OF the
finale, begging pardons by the wholesale as
ne Unanswered past the cramped knees. He
trod on one gentleman's foot.
!" hope your oysters choke you'll" snarled
the victim. -
That's remarkable. sir. How did YOU
know that I had oysters in mind?' surrender.
Ing to a flash of light hearted deyiltry.
You trod on my foot"
l beg your pardon. Pm sorry, But Womb
you mind telling me just how that would
suggest oysters?" Z
Get out, get out! Before ;vo,, stem IN ~
other foot!" ~ -" "
Bancroft reached the aisle without ,nA,c+.
ing upon the remnant of the row anything
more serious than obstructed view, He hur.
ried of to the nearby florist, who. he re-.
$membered, was always open late o. nights,
HE purchased two dozen American Beauties
and had them separately boxed. Next he
ran around to the stage entrance and boldly
entered-for the first time. He paused be.
fore the cubbyhole of the ancient Cerberus.
Got a pencil?"
"A pencil? You can't get by here, Young
man" said the watchdog. feeling his dignity
grossly afronted. A pencil! "whadda yuh
think this is, a postofflce?"
I'll give you five dollars for n nencilr -
with a gesture and tone perhaps not unlike
that used aforetime by the desperate Rich.
ard, seeking to evade the wrathful Lancaster,
Well, OF COURSE"
A stub was produced and paid for. On
each box Bancroft wrote: Supper at the
Ritz, Jerry" III
Please deliver these he said.
:. "All right. But I've dumped more rose,
in the ashcan for Miss Bowman than. YOU
got hairs on your head. I never saw YOU
before" -,
And you may never sec me again. That,
the sad part Of life. Here today. and gone
tomorrow"
s'well. III take the flowers in; but they11
De heading for the ashcan. II I know any
thing" III
These two boxs of roses met odd recep.
tons. Jenny frowned. Nancy sighed.
Jenny touched The soft petals, eyeinr
them with that fxity Of gaze known Of the
crystal gazer:: indeed, she could penetrate
the. Ahture to the extent Of an assuretyf that
these would be the first and last roses she
would ever receive from jeremiah the Queer,
as she suddenly dubbed Bancroft: not par.
ftcularly Happy over the gift. certain that
Nancy would possess the like or better. Ant
right; she would wear them. she would gosto%
the RITZ; but she would also give the
~thoughtless nut q piece Of her mind for not
tipping her on r. she could have dressed for
the part. @ ~ ~ 81
Nancy sighed: but with happiness. Here
we're roses she might keep. shee held them
to her face and inhaled the delicate perfume.
Derry va beconing ~thOpshtfuI. the poor
sb0y!8s Whatever va she going tos do with
Shim7 Neyersas1 never = word; and yet
& sbg.#S.. 86ut suppostng the declaratlon had 1
ben In IN twistof his poor bruised head7$
sslis shopsd ~ She ~ not wsnt 10 hurt
mus hurt fhosseashs ltked. she w. now
a !.