Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-09
FLOWING GOLD
I BY REX BEACH
CHAPTER X-COntinued

/
time. He and Bell had spent a stormy fore
noon together; he was in an irritable mood
when early in the afternoon, a card
brought into his office.
| Nelson could not restrain start at sight
| Of the name engraved thereon. He allowed
! himself moment in which to collect his
wits, then he opened slightly the desk drawer
in which he kept his revolver and gave in
| structions to admit the caller.
Nelson revolved slowly in his chair; he
stared curiousy at the newcomer; and his
voice was cold unfriendly, as he said:
This is quite surprise, Gray"
my dear Colonel, would you expect me to
! come to Wichita Falls without paying my
| respects to my ranking officer, my immediate
superiOr?"
THAT means infer, that you refuse to
! close the chapter?"
AS if he had not heard this last remark,
Gray continued easily: cit is a selfish
tive that brings me here. I come to crow.
| 1t is my peculiar weakness that I demand an
/ audience for what l do; l must share my
| triumphs with some one, else they taste fiat,
and since you perhaps the one man in
Texas who knows me best, or has the slight
est interest in my doings, it is natural that
I come to you"
This guileless confession evoked a posi-
| tive scowl. what have you done" the
banker sneered, except get your name in
| the papers?"
Il have made large amount of money
| for thing, and / am having a. glorious
| time. Now that Evans lease, for in
stance"
ooh! You've come to crow about that"
mot loudly, but a little. I turned the
greater part OF that land for as much as
SIS, 900 an acre. Odd that we should have
come into competition with each other on
my very first undertaking, isn't it? Fasci-
n hucinncc this oil ono needs tO
succeed, is experience and capital"
Nelson burst forth in sudden irritation
what are You getting at? You know
don't care damn what you're doing how
much money you're making
strange! Inasmuch as practically every
dollar l have made has come out of you, In
directly"
For a moment Nelson said nothing; then,
Just what do you mean by that?"
Exactly what said. I've cut under you
wherever possible. When you~Tanted acre
age, bid against you and ran the price up
until you paid more than it was worth. That
which 1 secured L Managed
you! So-you're the one back Of that"
Nelson's amazement destroyed the insecure
hold he had thus far maintained upon him
self. Furiously he cried: you're out to
get me- That's it, eh?"
Il am, indeed. And half my satisfaction
in doing will be in knowing that you
know what I'm up to-"
well, by God! I knew you had the gall
of the devil, but See here, Gray, don't
you understand what I can do to you? l
| don't want any trouble with you, but one
word from me and
"Of course you want no trouble with me;
but alas! my dear Colonel, you are going to
have it. Oh, great deal of trouble. More
trouble than you ever had in all your life.
Either you are going broke, or I am" Gray's
| tone changed abruptly. For your own good
remove your hand from the neighborhood of
that drawer. l am too lose to you for gun
play. Good! Now about that one word from
you. You won't speak it, for that would
force me to utter nasty truths about you, and
you would suffer more than l. this being
your home town where you are respected
And the truth is nasty, isn't it?"
Colonel Nelson had grown very white dur
ing this long speech. He rose to his feet
and laid one shaking hand upon his desk as
If to steady himself.
'You think you can beat me-Want to
make it a money fight do you? Well, I'll
give you a bellyful. Every dollar I've got
will go to smash you-smash you!"
''Splendid!" Gray was on his feet nov
and he was smiling icily.
Are you gentlemen going to talk for
ever?" The inquiry came in woman's
voice. Both Nelson and Gray turned to be-
hold a smiling, animated face framed in
crack of the door.
Miss Good" Calvin Gray strobe for
ward, took the girls hand in his and drew
her over the threshold. MY dear Miss Good,
have rummaged half the state looking for
you
II hoIe I'm not interrupting I recog-
nized you and" The girl turned her
eyes to Henry Nelson, but at sight of his
face her smile vanished "Oh, I'm sorry!"
she cried. LET me run out"
Gray held her hands more firmly. Never.
nO in T Sba again
and were merely exchanging pleasantries."
Yes Colonel Gray was just leaving"
Nelson managed to say.
"Colonel? Are you a colonel, too?" the
girl inquired and Gray bowed. eve were
commissioned at the same time and place.
but Colonel Nelson received his a moment
earlier than I received mine, therefore he
outranked me. Now, then, permit me to
retire while You and he"
"Oh, there's nothing confidential about
what I have to say. It's good news for my
partner, and I'm he'd love to share it."
To Nelson she announced, pete has show
ing of oil"
The vice president OF the bank murmured
something which was lost in Gray's quick
inquiry: Partner? Are You a partner Of
Colonel Nelson?"
After a fashion. We own a twenty-acre
lease west of 'Burk'-that is, I have quar-
ter interest and Henry is putting down a
well. I drove out there, and his driller told
me it is looking good"
Gray turned a keenly inquisitive gaze upon
his enemy, and what he saw, or fancied he
saw, gave him the thrill of a new discovery.
1t may have been no more than intuition on
ri hI,t