Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-12

OF adventure lures me, but because I have an
: investigating, mind; end when, l an, con.
tfronted by the mysterious I like to solve It.
! suppose that's the contract. Let me see
IT" ,Resignedly Bancroft held out his hand.
"Sot the contract, but the prospectus
Bancroft read the document from, begin.
ming to end; and he came to the peak OF his
establishment. The man was really telling
the truth: he sold adventures! The pro.
spectus read as the man talked-exceedingly
well. Nothing was overdone,, nothing, hid.
den. Bancroft eearched I'M vain TOR the
Joker; there was meme.
" Welk I'm hapberxaeted. as We say here
on his desk" @N,
That's natural enough, On, the face 81
it it does look Incredible. But Marconi
vas incredible Thirty years age. You buy a
book, you sit here under the study lamp
thrills, love, mystery; they are yours. But
the moment you close the book1 the char
acters vanish. You become an outsider: YOU
have no souvenirs. With us you live what
you read. Simple" #
How are the payments made? TIN thou
:. sand In advanceo"
No. onesthousand down and nine thou.
sand upon the successful conclusions"
That was the anal touch; while Batcroft
vas not Inclined, he was converted1 He
got up. II have read q great many books;
I've kept in touch with the world Through
the newspapers; but this beats all I ever
heard Of" He walked, the length Of the
room and back. What about battle, muir.
der. and sudden DEATH" :.
"Eattle-the daily fight Of man for food.
Murder--of our illusions. Death-whend does
it cease to walk beside us? Don't you get a
thrill out Of the idea?" -
IF it weren't for the ridiculous side I
might. But madmen to conceive a business
like this and fools to act upon IT."
When human beings put on, wool they
absorbed something Of the sheep
Nov you are challenging me to take a
dare" said Bancroft briskly. That's child
ish. No one ever forced me or ca joled me
into what my ordinary common sense RI,
belled against. On the other hand. ia be a
liar II 1 refused to admit that you have
= aroused my curiosity considerably"
Young man." said the adventurer. colby,
IT you are marked, all the precaution in
the world will not save you. II you are for.
tunate you will die III bed, Of old. age. That's
all there is to 1t. You remember the old
lines
He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small, ~
Who dares not put it to the touch
To gain or lose it all. -
Whats the use Of all this money II you
can't squeeze some fun out Of it, you, wio
have lived SO frugally? Will you spend it
in riotous living, or will you endow hos
pitfalls and research laboratories? Or will
you let it grow until it topples. over and
slnothers YOU? In a little while YOU wiz
no longer be a free man; you will become
the slave Of these millions. offer you a
temporary escape. Have you ever played?
L should say that you had not.e Wen, shortly
you will never have the chance; you will be
a drudge all your life;
Let me ask a question"
ASH as many questions as YOU like. y said
the seller OF adventure in response to Ban
' croft's query.
i. Surprising 1 /signed a contract for
an adventure" <Aaid Bancroft. Later I.
fall in love. Wouldn't it be likely for me to
distrust her as one Of your paid puppets?
How about that?"
You read the prospectus a little hur-
riedly. All We offer is man.stukf. For love
Is not a subject Of reasoning but Of feeling,
and therefore there are no common princi-
pies upon which one can persuade another
concerning It, So says our mutual friend
Boswell. If a young and pretty woman en-.
tered the game, she would enter it naturally.
In the true adventurous style. And if the
right sort, your ten thousand will have been
we'll invested"
You have an answer for everything
"A man who sells anything should have.
Well. I'll leave the prospectus, a photograph
OF George Bellnaan, who bought one OF our
adventures. together with a, synopsis Of what
befell him. Understand, part Of the adven.
ture Is ours. part Of it the natural sequence
of events" The adventWer placed the
photograph and synopsis on the desk. Here
Is our regular address
The Bolivia Emerald company read Ban
croft. West Forty!second. near Broadway"
That is the sign on our doors. We
should hesitate to use the Great Adventure
company, for reasons already explained. Os.
tensibly we are manipulating-not pronaot.
ing-a small emerald mine from which we
are really taking a quantity Of marketable
emeralds. These stones cover our expenses
during dull times. when we nnd.nothing but
Yishy.washy YOUTH
Bancroft grinned. IF I could 60 on an
7 d Sen'e 5 1tsl1h.yo as . side partner why
Then It would become a Cooks tour.
Still, I'm obliged for the thought. the ad-
,venturer added dryly. I'VE rhay get to.
fEether. Who can say?" He strapped the
portfolio and rose. ~
At this moment there came 4 tremendous
rumble Of thunder; -forked lightning darted
htther and yon: the wind rose to ,tenueest
{. strength, and the old house trembled. The
two men stood Listening, abetractedly, per-.
haps. The adventurer turned bis eyes twin
king with fictitious merrirkAnt.I
All that IL needed" he said, shiftins the
portfolio under his arm, TO perfect the mo,
ment2 is for me to vanish IN a cloud Of sui.
phurous smoke.
/" I wonder II II would astonish me-" said
Bancroft, laughing. Then he observed Mrs.
Home In the doorway. Her attitude was
hesitant.
Supper IL On the table. sir.p she an.
nounced.
M say" said Bancroft, with that ready
hospitality which is still TO- be found among
the country folk have supper with me.
!. Come along. The local hotel Is pretty poor,
and I can give you steak. fried potatoes,
salad, and some apple pie to remember. The
worst Of the blow will be over in an hour
/" Supper? The advehturer's head came
about with . Jerk. suppsr-here2
Another tableau, except for three rowing
glances: there was difidence in old Mrs.
.Horna,s tolera nca IN ncroff,S t.,x n 4han