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

III Observation-Disclosures
Nancy; Nancy or this boy. what a you
been doin' Jerry?G" al II a.3f
Nothing. I'm an innocent bystander.'' -
Will-will, he. hurt you? :
81 don't know what he intends to do with
me. But don't worry. I have something in
my pocket that win conjure away his mad
l ness" sSi s. a
Let's 60" she cried, springing up. 4
I" I've got to go alone. Jenny Your pres.
ence would only prolohg Nancy's discomfort.
And there's no going anywhere until he sends
for me-" .'f
" somethin' your father did, an TIL man.
is takin' it out on you? ;. !
mo. That's the tragedy Of it. The poor
devil thinks my father. did something; and
I have the proof in my pocket that my
father was also an innocent bystander. -
" Say, we're all innocent b%ystanders," said
Jenny. Nancy an me in on this, an no
wiser'n Chris Columbus! Are you somebody
else?" aE ,S @ q
g mo, I'm jeremiah; I came from the house.
and village where Nancy first saw me. MY
name is Collingswood jeremiah Bancroft.
SAo AN6$ 4ASAAAO SoN + NlO IL
want anybody to stumble upon the. truth
before I was ready. I wanted to make some
real friends; for until I met you two I had
never had any. I was the son of, the village
pariah-the village miser. My poor father!
The honestest man God ever permitted to
walk this earth! Do you want the story
now? It will prove to you that Nancy is in
no danger"
But you?" M 3
-- Z Wall r L@~o~kY,, S4-pk 49,.
Here is the letter my father wrote to me
before he died. Read it."
Jenny took the letter and reseated her.
self upon the bed. While she read, Ban.
croft walked over, to a window and stared
down into the street. Presently a taxi shot
around the corner, rolled into Ninth street,
and drewsup in front. Instantly Bancroft
comprehended that this vehicle was to carry
him to Stewart. He smiled, an inexplicable
smile: he was conscious that he smiled, but
not why. To face the man when the fury
would be full, blind. and ruthless! There
was no escape. He heard Jenny sigh, and
turned. g@E
Jeremiah, your father was a white man."
said Jenny. unsteadily. " an you're a white
mans son. But seven millions! An me an
Nancy beglnnin' t. fear, you might 60 bustr'
A hand fell upon the door. Bancroft
briskly answered the igsa %,
Your taxi is below, sir" said the chauf.
feur, his face expressionless. @
"Ill be down in five minutes" . j,
Yes, SIR"
Bancroft closed the door and turned to
Jenny. rRather nice of him to save me a
long walk::a Now,4I'm going to tell you my
side Of the story" It was a short narrative.
= After Ill.," said Jenny, " you sure are q
hick-signtn' asthing like that. why, it's as
plain as tn nose on your face. All he wanted
was your signature, tn notary's seal, an TIL
witnesses. It's d pipe he's changed tn body
q tn thing, an you're goin'3 t be nicely
squeezed,
B 1t was printed in} regular type. he
declared, not agreeing with her. He
couldn't clean that parchment without show,
":Oh. he couldn't, huh? Well, let me ,wise
you up. There are men in this burg who
can turn a one-spot into ten, an fool Uncle
Sam with 1t. What's a little type t. a bird
Ike that?"$ %t 3@"i2'' ."@fIs
But this man isn't a counterfeiter." .
=" You, don't know what he is-now." r
Bancroft had to admit that this was true.
But 1t doesn't run with what he was. or
what I know Of him." ,t
, You ought t have a nurse. Where's this
guy been all these years. an what's he been
at that he didn't turn up before? It's INV
bunch he's been in Jail. Jerry, do you love
Nancy?"
The words shocked her quite as much asy;
they shocked Bancroft. Jenny would never
be able to figure out how the words had
come to be uttered. They had not been con-.
sciously in her thoughts. 4.ssBut once spoken.
she let them stand. .:v Z
That i4n't quite fair, Jenny. Still, the
answer is yes"
II kind o. thought SO. Anti guess this
Of pal OF your fathers thought so, too, or he
wouldn't "a picked on Nancy"
Written on my face?"
Often enough. jeremiah. You've got q
lot o book stun under your hat, but what
you know about this world could be written
on a postage stamp You. runnin' around
loose with seven1nilllons in your jeansr'
Jenny. do you believe l have any
CHANGER" -
You poor nut, you can't win at poker
unless you bet, can you? You can't tell
what chance you have with a woman unless
you give It tn once over. Nancy ran to help
you, didn't she?" She uttered a hard little
laugh as she, srw his face light up-with the
suddenness Of Broadway at six o'clock.
Why, you've got aces. You're goin' t.
rescue her---real hero stuff. Why, If I was a
handsome young man an had seven mil.
lions. ! wouldn't be afraid O. thu Queen@o,
Roumaria. Not me! Well, bring her back
an soon as you can. But supposin' this euy
won't believe tn letter..
Hes got to- He's a mailman on one sub.
icy; Dut aside from that he has reason.
Besides, when he sees that I am commanded
to give him half Of: what / have /. !"
You're goin' t'Fpgtve him three millions
That's tough. KNOCK. on my door when yon B
come back. Illabe here, 3# E'ST
!" She doesn't care for CraiK?" X, SSs$s
she threw himsdown. Maybe she heard
you had seven millions" 4
You don't mean that. Jenny" Il
]. In 2 meanNpup! OF course Id6n't mean
y. Nancy Wouldn't marry billion IL shef
didn't love III man who had TT @$
Iney went out into the hall, Bancroft with
= lisnt and Jenny with 9 heavy step. At
hands and kissed ~them---shyly.
!! !! only q had had q sister like you.
Jenny! I ouldn have cared"
Wen. III be your sister from now on,
terics." - &c
sAsi she saw the top Of his head vanish sbe.
low ths foor level, she leaned against the
wan ana 4let the hood Of tears 5tall--sllently.
oh. Jerrygt Ierryii S,Idd enIv5 sha .o,,,f Ha...yI74