Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-11
FLOWING GOLD
BY REX BEACH
CHAPTER XI
A New Partnership

T T was several moments after they had left
the bank before Bob" Parker could man
age to slip word in edgewise, so rapid,
so eager was Gray's flow of conversation, so
genuine was his pleasure at again seeing
her Finally, however, she inquired, curl
ously:
Are you really good friends? felt very
queer the instant after I had walked in
Butt was bursting with good news and
! couldn't see Henry's face until too late.
| Then, it seemed to me-
Nelson and I are scarcely good friends
we never were chummy-but were
thrown together in France and saw a lot of
each other. He is a remarkably capable
man and determined fighter"
"YOu mustn't call me Miss Good any long
err" the girl told him. "Ny name is Bar
| bara Parker"
ooh, [ like that!'
I'm more generally known as Bob"
Even better! 1t sounds tomboyish."
Its not. 1t is Tom Parkerish Father
insisted calling me that and-it stuck
| He's mans man and my being a girl was
| a total surprise to him. So I did my best to
| remedy the mistake and learn to do and to
| take an interest in the things he was inter
! ested i'm
! Miss Parker looked up from beneath her
| trim velvet hat and her blue eyes were de-
| faint. 'AlI that people like you disapprove
| Of; all that you probably consider undigni-
| fed and unladylike, such as riding, roping
| shooting"
"Riding-unladylike It's very smart.
And why do you say people like me? There
are no people like me-"
"You know what I mean. You're not a.
westerner You are what a cowpuncher
would call swell easterner."
| Gray looked at his watch. even the good
must lunch Where shall we go?"
Barbara's brOWs drew together in a frown
| OF consideration, and Gray told himself that
she was even more charming when serious
than when smiling. wherever we go, we'll
be sorry we didn't go somewhere else We
might try the Professors place He's a
| Greek scholar-left his university to get rich
! in the oil fields, but failed. Then there is
Ptomalne Tomys. Cafes the good and bad
by comparison. After you've been here a
few days you'll enjoy Tommys"
| Then I vote for his poison palace. The
very name has a thrill to it,"
on their way to the restaurant Gray said T.:
PA and Ma and Allie Briskow and the tu-
toress have gone to the mountains--Mas be-
loved mountalns-and they appear to be
hv1ng up to her expectations. The noun
ta1ns, [ mean The old dear writes me
every week, and her letters are wonderful,
even outside of the spelling She hasn't lost
a single Illusion"
and Allie has a tutor!'
THE best money could secure. And by
| the way, you wouldn't have known the girl
after you got through with her that day
There is a boy, too, isn't there?"
"Oh, Buddy! He's away at school, He'll
. L., L /
beat the foolishness out of him. I've as
sumed complete responsibility for Buddy,
and he'll be credit to me-"
10 Wrest possession of a cafe table for
two at the rush hour was an undertaking al
most as hazardous as jumping a mining
claim, but Calvin Gray succeeded and event
ually he and Bob" found themselves facing
each other over dscolored tablecloth read
ing so1led menu card to a perspiring
waiter
Just what are you doing and how do you
do lt?" Gray wanted to know.
Barbara was glad to tell him about her
brief but eventfuI experience since that morn
ing at the Nelson bank, when she had exc
cuted her coup, and she excited the story with
enthusiasm
Having no capital to go on" she ex-
planned, 1--WE merely bought and sold on COM
mission so far, but I'm not always going to
be broker. I'm making good, and some day
dad and l will be big operators. I've been
able to buy car and most of my time I'm
out in the field. They tell me I'm as good
an oil scout as some of the men working for
the big companies; but of course, I'm not, I
merely have the advantage; drillers tell me
more than they'd tell man
you are a brave child, and I admire your
courage" Gray declared
But I'm not, I'm afraid of everything that
other girls are afraid off, Leaning forward
confidently, the girl continued: I'm a hol-
low sham, Mr.. Gray, but dad doesn't know
to be a boy, and how he had set his heart
on teaching me the things he thought a son
of his should know, [ had a secret meeting
with myself and | voted unanimously to fill
the specifications if it killed me. I abhor
guns, but [ learned to shoot with either hand
until-Well, I'm pretty expert. And rOping!
can build loop, jump through it, do
straight and fancy catches like a COWBOY
Horses used to brighten me blue but I learn
ed to ride we'll enough" Barbara attempted
shy laugh, but there was a quaver to her
voice.
For moment Barbaras listener studied her
thoughtfully, then he said: I'm Immensely
tlattered that you like we'll enough to
tremendously interested in what you have
told me about yourself, and I'm sure you are
better oil man-oil girl--than you have
Fled me to suppose. So, then, for bargain
am going to enter this field in a large way:
II you Will take me for a client, | will buy
and sell through you whenever possible. Per-
haps we can even speculate together now and
then. I'll guarantee you against loss. What
do you say?"
"Why-it's a splendid opportunity for me-
And know of some good things; I'm over
flowing with information, in fact. For in
stance Barbara hurriedly produced her oil
map and, showing aside the dishes in front
OF her, she spread it upon the table There
is a wildcat going down out here that looks
awfully good
Gray's head was close to the Speakers
but although he pretended to listen to her
words and to follow the tracings of her finger
with studlous consideration, in reality his at
tentlon was fixed upon the tantaIizing curve
of her smooth cheek and throat
II you will come over to the Office, I'll