White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-04

pension OH burgundy street. a man
tried To rob me. 1t was this same
man. Hammond we recognized each
other almost nj once.
81 took him home with me and
learned his story. He had come back
to America only To find his wife dead
from influenza, his home broken up.
his future destroyed. lie drlfted to
New Orleans. careless of what hap
pened to him. lie flung himself des-
perntely into n career of burglary and
pillage. Well. | gave Hammond a
lob; he Is my chauffeur. You woul1
never recognize him as the same maj
now. am very proud Of his friend
ship
THAT was well said Lucie nodded
her head quickly. II shan't call you
n. lie prince any more-unless you
eRend again."
lie smiled. reading her thought. II
try not IL be q snob. ELI? Well. what
I'm driving ut is this: | want 10 know
this country of mine, to see Ii With
clear. unprecedented eyes. We hide
real sllames and exalt our false ones.
Why should we be ashamed of chns-
Ing the dollar? So long rs that Is a
means TO the end Of happiness, It's all
right. But there are some men who
tinis 10 their work except the dollar
dropping into their pouch. Such a
man Is your relative, Joseph Maillard.
I do not wish 10 offend you, and | shall
therefore refrain from saying all that
is In my mind. But you have not hesi-
tated To intimate very frankly that you
are not wealthy. Some time ago, IL
you recall. o wrote me how you had
Just missed wealth through having
sold some land. | have taken the iii
erty of looking up that deal TO some
extent, and | have suspected that your
uncle had some interest I'm putting the
sale through
The gray eyes of the girl flashed
suddenly.
Henry Gramont. Are my family
affairs To be an open book 10 the
world? Do you realize that you are
intruding most fundamentally into my
private matters?'
"Cnwarrantably? Grnmont's eyes
held her gaze steadily. DO you real
" mean TO use that word?'
II do, most certainly answered
Lucie with spirit. II don't think you
realize just what the whole thing
tends toward"
"Oh, yes | do, Quite clearly Gra-
mont's cool, level tone conquered her
Indignation. II see that you are Or
phaned, and that your uncle was your
guardian. and executed questionable
| deals which lost money for you. Come,
| that's brutality frankfurt its true
came here to New Orleans and be-
came involved in some dealings with
your cousin. Bob Maillard. ! believed,
and believe now, that in your hear
you have some suspicion IF your uncle
In regard to those transactions In
land. Therefore. l took the trouble to
look into the thing to Il slight extent
Shall | tell You what | have discov'
ered?'
I.ucie L.edanois gazed at him. her
lips compressed. She liked this new
manner of his. this firm and ~resolute
gravity. this harshness. II brought out
his underlying character very we'll.
"If you please, Henry she muir
INJURED very meekly.
"Well, then, | have discovered that
your uncle appears 10 be honestly nj
fault in the matter"
''Thanks for this approval of my
family" she mur1nured.
and continued Gramont. imper
turbably, that your suspicious of hin
were g%roundless. But. on the other
hand, something new has turned M
about which | wish 10 speak-bni
about which | must speak delieately
Has Bob Maillard offered To buy youl
remaining land on the Bayou Terre
bonner
She started slightly. SO 1t was tc
| this that lie had been leading up all
the while.
"IIe preached the subject lasi
night" she answered. 81 dismissed II
for the time"
Good - he exclaimed with boyisi
vigor. Good. | warned you in time
then If you will permit me. | mus
advise you not Ia part with that land
moi wen for II good offer. This
week. Immediately Mardi Gras is over
I am going Ia inspect that land fol-
the company II is Bob Maillard's com
pany, you know. Is my understandable
Intrusion forgiven"
She nodded brightly. You are put
on probation. sir. Yon're in Bob's
company
Yes Gramont frowned. Il in.
vested perhaps too hastily-but no
matter now | have the car outside,
Lucie; may I have the pleasure Of
taking yon drivingf'
"Did you bring that chaufreur?"
"les." aud he laughed NJ her eng