Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1927-02-03
He Was a Nugget
Seeker

By MARKHAM. WILLIAMS

But Minge Junction is plenty ha'
enough. Whatever made you camp II
1t, Sis Flower?'
"shut up! Let mo think :" Myrtle
Kissed through set teeth.
nrmy had the money-lather her
guardian did The pair were half
sisters. Myrtle exquisiteiF dark
slender and graceful as her name
flower, with the accentings of veiNrt
dark eyes and red-csral lips, merry
selfish. dominant was ill-caS in the
role of dependent nrury was fat, but
not placid shreWd hargainer. She
was relentless In keeping bargains
once made Her mother, @randchlld or
plain hill folk. had mysterousiy in
heriled half million. II had bought
her husband. in fhe person Of
renowned yet fascinating sp"ndthrlr.
When she was killed Ia a runaway
accident two years later cyhicS said
one to another: "The luck Of prnry
Greer" He had been left very hand
somely provided for-wiih only that
lump Of baby, named for him. as The
ily IN the Ointment,
Drury inherited all her mothers
longing for power and high place
At ten. when her father died, Ieav-
ing Myrtle sc;nt tangible assets, she
had driven her first bargain Myrtle
was "a stay on, keeping the home
up to Greer level until Drury, proper
" trained and polished. had been
launched socially and put ia the way
Of making brlliant marriage this
IN return for II life Df easy luxury.
Child that she was. Drury had real
ized This was her only chance. She had
no background all her mothers peo
pie were dead. I.uCkly-in way
The money bought her only sort OF
Shamed tolerance from the Greers.
All that Is. but Myrtle-who albeit
she stormed and raved sometimes
stood Loyalty TO her promise despite
the protests of Grpcrs. and l.acys.
her mothers kindred Her keart had /
for two years belonged absolutely to |
one Elliot Lane q mHstcrful person |
restive at waiting longer for his love.
to the desperate venture of MhlSe
Junction--a place She had been told
where money counted for everything
Al home folk were barely civil Ia
Drury now just turned seventeen. De
spite the long chickering's, the stormy
outbreaks. Myrtle had somewhat Of
sisterly love for the lone creature.
Until she saw her In the way Of be-
Ing safely married she could not feel
that she had right to her own happi-
ness
They had come a day back to the
gorgeous hotel. But rs yet they them
selves bad not been seen. Raymond
Carr, Esq, stood rs n lion In the
path. He was sort of human Blue
Book knowing all about everything,
everybody, all the nice points of usage.
Why, Oh! Why had Fate sent him
in her first winter out He had de /
clined to keep up the acquaintance.
telling her hOSiesS "She is Too beau
tiful-~iinless she had the million"
Poor. fat, freespollen Drury would be
fair game for him.
Drury had vanished Myrtle sat
pondering quick vanishing by the
night train She started to ring'up the
office and say so, but sat down almost
fainting at what she saw through the
open balcony window. Drury, bare
headed. standing mighty straight. fac
ing Raymond Carr. He was smiling
down at her-as he rarely had smiled
ut anything feminine. She had given
him the thrill of his life--in blue
linen. her broad cheeks richly pink,
her clear blue eyes dancing sandy
tendrils clinging to her white fore
head she was an adorable milllmaid.
TO his dismay he had heard him
self asking her: Would you like a
spin to the lake this morning?" And
had been answered brightly; "Too
late Mister Man. Sis Flower wrote
for ear as well AS rooms. I'm sorry
real sorry she did
She left him no time for debate.
running or: : "If the hotel car turns
out to be Just ordinary, won't Won
splease see tnat we have better one
please, ,see that we have better one
Il shall see to 1t that you get it,
Carr returned smiling broadly. "Even
though Tn only "a guest--like your
self"
oh Mercy me And I took you
for livery man" prury interrupted
her cheeks true scarlet.
Lets not spoil things by apos
gies. he said, touching her arm light
ly. "No-dop't tell me youE name
I want to find it out for iayself."
I'D rather tell you--maybe you
won't want To ask-when YOU henr
It." Drury said humbly. Pm Drury
Greer. You-you must know all about
me-"
She was infinitely appealing even
to human Blue Book. Raymond Carr |
took her hand saying with a dazed |
smile: Suppose we go find Sis |
Flower and ask her to chaperone us
for ride"
'.You-you aren't fooling!" she |
asked breathlessly, He looked her |
full in the face, questioning; "Why |
should I be-"
"Oh. Because e-hecause nobody ever
befo-l seemed TO like me-" Drury said
huskily. "a girl al school said I'd
never get husband unless he was
hunting for gold nuggets"
Il am just that sort, Carr an
swered, trying to speak lightly. But
please to remember there is more
than one sort of gold"