Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-10-26
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always so pr~osperous?"
mot always" Morton's reminis-
cent smile still fingered. when l
first came here, seven years ago,
things were so far from prosperous
that we never knew from one week
to another whether we could keep
going or not. Then, all of a sudden,
we were on easy street. Bristow be-
gan putting all sorts of improve
ments on the place, buying more
land, throwing out new wings, in
stalling modern appliances, re-fur-
nishing, re-decorating, splurging or
cars, turning himself out like the
lilies of the field, and making the old
dump one of the highest-priced ref
uges for fashionable nuts in the
whole East"
Found the buried treasure under
the old mill. what?" Kelsey yawned
slightly.
Morton chuckled. where the
money came from, I never knew.
Bristow's close-mouthed and 1t
would take a holder man than l am
to question him about his affairs.
"You see,' he explained, "all this
happened after Hobo Bill came into
our lives, and I've always believed
that he gave the tip that was re-
sponsible for u rise to greatness"
The bell of the telephone jingled,
and Morton interrupted himself to
answer the call.
Eyes, Doctor" he said; then re-
l%uctantly, as he turned round eyes
toward Kelsey: "Ye-es- Yes, he's
here, Doctor" After a moment, he
hung up the receiver.
cts Bristow," he said: "he wants
to see you in his office right away"
Kelsey flung himself out of Nor
tons room and down the hall to meet
his anticipated wigging.
Sleek and shining. Bristow loung-
ed on the hearth rug, looking down
into the clear fame of q brentwood
fire.
The conference upstairs from
in the best of humor, and he felt in
which he had just come had left him
the mood to play a cat and mouse
game with Kelsey, whom he regard
ed as lamentably lacking in finesse.
"Ah, K~elsey?" he said pleasantly,
taking a chair himself and waving
Hospitality toward another one. "Slt
down and have a cigaret.' He pushed
across the table a humidor contain
ing various brands in the different
compartments.
Kelsey stiffly declined both the
chair and the cigaret. This. unwont-
ed cordially made him wary. But
Bristow's smiling geniality was proof
against the rebuff.
Rather late" he said; "but l
vas anxious for a little talk with you
about yourself" He was grave
now, but kindly. although 1 may
have seemed to neglect you, you
have really been very much in my
mind. To speak frankly, your pres
ent ann of life Is not good for
you; 1t leaves you too much time to
brood"
Bristow lifted the letter containing
the magazine offer from the table.
and getting up handed it to the
younger
Kelsey rapidly glanced over 1t, but
before he could speak, Bristow took
up his thread again.
81 have neither the time, nor"
with a mellow laugh, "the inclina-
ton to undertake it. Too much re-
search; too much work altogether.
But 1t struck me that 1t would be
just the thing for o I would have
to sign the articles of course, but
that is detail.''
Kelsey saw hlnSelf pulling BriS-
tow's chestnuts out of the fire! Not
for a kingdom.
do I understand" he asked with
exaggerated humility, his mouth still
twitching, that you wish to entrust, !
not that hypothetical quantity, your
honor, but your name, your scientific
reputation to my unworthy hands?"
The shaft glanced off without leav-
ing a scratch.
Don't belittle yourself, my boy"
benignly. "You are, I know, an ex-
cellent and well-informed writer"
I'm sorry" Kelsey's tone was
deliberately satirical, "but it will be
impossible for me to oblige you"
Think twice before you refuse"
Bristow urged persuasively.
He went on, clothing the same
arguments in fresh phrases: but all
the time he was ~covertly scanning
Kelsey's face, watching for that
quick CLEAN of the eye which would
show that the other had awakened
to the latent possibilities within his
proposal.
Continued in Our Next sue