The Ordway new era., 1922-03-31

,,-srnsucinc gesture Miss browne siB
usl.d the rest TO approach. Mr.. Tubbs
t.ouneed up with alacrity. Mr.. Shaw
sDd Cuthbert obeyed less promptly.
but they cbeyed Meanwhile Violet
vsited. looking implacable as fate.
And where is Captain Magnusf
he demanded. eiancing about her.
But no one knew what had become
u Captain Magnus.
A. for myself. l continued to SIT IN
the shade and tat. But / could hear
With ease all that was said.
.ur Tubbs." began Miss Browne.
Your recent claims have been matter
o, prolonged consideration between
Miss Harding and myself. We feel
We cannot but feel-that there was
harShness in your announcement OF
-ben. an apparent concentration OF
YOUR own interests. Ill beftting a MEM
bsr o, this expedition. Also. that In
actual substance. they were excessive.
No; half. Mr.. Tubbs; oh, no. not half!
But ope-quarter. Miss Harding and
tnvselt. as the joint heads Of the Hard
ing Browne expedition, are inclined
IA think no more than the reward
which IS your due. We suggest. there
fore. a simple way out of the diff
rIlty. Mr.. Dugald Shaw was engaged
on liberal terms to find the treasure.
He has not found the treasure. He
has not found the slightest clue to Its
present whereabouts. Mr.. Tubbs. on
tie contrary, has found clue. 1t is
a clue OF the first importance. 1t Is
equivalent almost to the actual discov-
cry Of the chest. Therefore let Mr.
shaw, convinced l am sure by this
calm presentation OF the matter OF the
justice OF such a course. resign his
claim to a fourth of the treasure in
favor Of Mr.. Hamilton H. Tubbs. and
agree to receive instead the former
allotment of Mr.. Tubbs, namely. one
sixteenth
Having offered this remarkable sug-
gestion, Miss Browne folded her arms
and waited for it to bear fruit.
Il dld-in the enthusiastic response
OF Mr.. Tubbs. well, well !" he ex-
claimed. ITO think of our takin' old
II. II. that literal. o. course, havin'
formed my habits in the financial GEN.
ters OF the country, l named stiff
price at first-a stiff price, l won't
deny. But that's Jest the leetle way
Of man used to handlin' large af-
fairs-nOthing else to 1t, l do assure
you. The Old Man himself used to
say, There's old H. H.-you'd think
he'd eat the paint of house, he'll
show up that graspin' In a deal. And
all the time it's jest love OF the game.
Let him know he's goin' to win out,
and bless you, old II. II. will swing
right round and fair force the profits
on the other party. II. II. is sllcker
than soap TO handle, If only you handle
him right Can 1 say without hard
feelins that Jest now II. H. was not
handled right? Instead o. bein' joshcd
with, as he looked for, he was took up
short, and even them which he might
have expected to show confidence
here Mr.. Tubbs cast reproachful
eye at Aunt Jane-"run off with the
notion that he meant jest what he
said All he'd done for this expedi-
| ton, his loyalty and faith to same,
was forgotten, and he was thought Of
as self-seeker and Voracious Shark I"
The pain of these recollections
damned the torrent of Mr.. Tubbs'
speech.
"Oh, Mr.. Tubbs!" breathed Aunt
Jane, heart-brokenly, and of course
tear trickled gently down her nose,
following the path of many previous
tears which had already left their sa-
line traces.
Mr.. Tubbs managed in some impos-
sible fashion to roll one eye tenderly
at Aunt Jane, while keeping the other
fastened shrewdly on the remainder
of his audience.
Miss Higglesby-Browne and Miss
Jane Harding, he resumed. 81 accept.
1t would astonish them as has ONLY
known Ii. II. on his financial side to
see him agree to a reduction of prof.
Its like this without a kick. But I'm
a man of impulse, l am. Get me on
my soft side and a kitten amt more
| impulsiye than old ii. ii. And o.
course the business of this expedition
| amt Jest business to me. It's-er-
friendship, and-er-sentiment
short, there's feelin's that is more
than worth their weight In gold!"
| At these significant WORDS the agita-
/ tlon of Aunt Jane was extreme. Was
! II possible that Mr.. Tubbs was declar.
ing himself in the presence of others
and was response demanded from
herSelf-would his sensitive nature so
lately wounded by cruel suspicion, in
terpret her silence as fatal to his
hopes' But while she struggled be.
tween maiden shyness and the fear
of crushing Mr.. Tubbs, the converse.
ton had swept on.
Nr. Shaw" said Miss Browne, you
have heard Mr.. Tubbs, in the interes,