The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-12-24

musical laugh. His expression seemed to
have become magically changed.
I'm in luck, it seems" he declared, a
little %defiantly.
Excuse me, gentlemen -
They all looked around. Mr.. Tidd, in his
hurried entry, had left the door open and
Mrs. DOwdswel had followed him in. She
held in her hand a letter. They all gazed
at her. Two Of them, at least, were beyond
the power Of speech.
'Mr. Baker, sir" she saids you're an
old friend, and what's rights right. I've
never been accused of prying, and if I've
done what I shouldn't, we'll, I've done it,
and that's all there is to say about it.
Ellen found this letter in Mr.. Trigg's port
manteau when she was taking out Il suit
Of clothes to brush, and being as it was
addressed to you, Mr.. Baker, and in your
own sons handwriting, and me hearing
that you were here with Mr.. Bendall, the
lawyer, and Mr.. Trigg, and seeing Mr..
Tidd come upstairs three at a time and
without his hat, well, I've brought the
letter, and what I've done I done for the
best" she concluded defiantly.
MI. Baker took the letter from her hand,
tore it open, and stared at it.
From Jim!' he muttered, and began
to read aloud. Mr.. Trigg took q step to-
wards the door, but the bank manager
stood in the way, frowning fiercely.
my dear dad" Mr.. Baker read out,
this is OF bring you great news, which l
ought to have cabled, but we want badly
to keep the thing dark for a week or so.
III NAae Il kGAA IOa A1CAk LAE lAAAG 10
justified. The ten thousand shares I sent
you could be sold here today for twenty
thousand pounds, and by the time you get
this Will be worth a great deal more. l am
coming home by the next steamer, and l
am sending you this letter by Mr.. LRur-
ence, who is a friend of mine / met in
Cape Town. He knows all about the matter,
as he has a few shares himself.
Il do hope you have not been incOn-
venienced by sending me so much money,
and that it hasn't put your business about
You need never do another stroke of work
unless you want to. Mother can have her
automobile, and young Tom can go to col
lege if he still has a mind to. I expect ia
land in England about Aug. Z and shall
come straight to MelhamptOn. Your affec-
%tiOnate son, jim.
"P. S.-DO what you can for Mr.
Laurence. He seems interested in DecOn.
shire, and he knows all about your good.
ness to me. I haven't known him long, but
he seems a decent chap"
The irOnmOnger finished his reading and
pushing his Spectacles a little farther dOwI
on his nose, looked across at the pseudo
Mr.. Trigg, who showed himself to be pos
SeSsed of at least one admirable quality
He accepted defeat without comment, al
most nOnchalantly. His hand came from
behind his back, and he laid upon tn,
table both the agreement which had jus
been signed and the bundle of share certi
ficates. simultaneously Mr.. Baker tore tn,
check into small pieces.
The deal, / imagine, is off" Mr.. Trig.
remarked, with an attempt at facetiOusnes
in his tone.
Tom Baker gently inclined his head to
wards the door and MIR. Trigg took up hi
hat and moved towards it. On the threshold
he turned around and faced them.
"MelhamptOn," he said, in valedictor!
fashion, lis a quaint little place, and yOl
are all quaint people. If you understood
anything about business, you would know
that this was just an ordinary sort of dea