The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-01-20
THE
RAWFIIDE
WELCOME
Copyright by W. G. Chapman)
BY H. M. EGBERT

sons of old families, but that
was the sole similarity. Dick Chester
father owned the joint stock bank ;
Sammy went to work there as an office
boy after his father failed and COM
mitted suicide. Dick patronized the
other with good-natured contempt.
Sammy was out of his class.
Myrtle Ravens was out of Sammy
class. Dick and she were engaged, but
it was plain that Sammy loved her in a
mOon-calf way. He ran errands for
her and made himself generally useful.
In fact, Sammy had such manifest
plodding industry that old Chester took
a fancy to him, gave him a clerkship,
and sometimes invited the lad to his
house.
Dick might have married Myrtle,
but her father died suddenly, forfeit
ing his $4,000 insurance, which, it was
found had lapsed months before, dur
ing the beginning of his illness. Dick
threw Myrtle over He was criticized
for this, but he could afford to laugh
at criticism, with a wealthy father.
Old Chester was furious about it. The
fact was, Dick had been firing of
Myrtle, and when the girl chivalrouSly
offered TO release him he seized the
opportunity.
Dick got tired of the bank and
stayed away 50 long that his father
got him Il position as secretary to an
exclusive club There Dick was in his
element. But the great surprise came
when old Reynolds died, and Sammy
found himself promoted to the position
of manager, at twenty-eight.
Myrtle Ravens had been living in
retirement since the breaking off of
her engagement. How Sammy got to
visiting her nobody knew. Perhaps
it was his Flooding, kindly way that
attracted the girl. But before very
long she had turned to him with that
understanding that a girl attains for
the man who loves her without thought
of anything but herself And after a
while it was understood that they were
engaged.
Now if Dick had had any decency
he would have refrained from com
menting on this situation. Instead of
which he went to Sammy.
Folks are saying that you and
Myrtle Ravens are going to hit it off
together" he said.
Sammy turned white, and for the
first time in his life he experienced
desire to strike Chester. But he only
assented.
"Well, I hope everything will turn
out all right" said Dick. "Myrtles
all right in her way. A little slow,
though. Sammy, 1 want to borrow a
thousand dollars. And L don't want
the old man to know. It's pretty eX
pensive at the club, and I've dropped
a good deal lately. Let me have a
thousand for three months on my note
will you?"
Sammy knew that it was not legiti-
mate business to lend the banks
money to Dick But he lent him the
thousand, chiefly to get rid of him,
and he Endorsed the note so that the
loss might fall on him if there were
any.
Dick could not pay. He renewed the
note and then failed. Sammy paid the
money. A month later Dick came to
him again.
SAMMY" he said, "Ive got the
chance of a lifetime to make a for
tune. Lend me two thousand more"
Sammy refused, and Dick went pur-
pie with indignation.
whats the matter?" he yelled.
"Ain't my name good enough? Say,
are you going to take advantage of
me, just because you know the old
man and don't hit it OFF,"
81 don't feel justified in making you
the loan" said Sammy.
"Then lend it to me yourself. You're
as rich as Croesus," clustered Dick.
Cant" answered Sammy. And
Dick surveyed him with a malevolent
glare.
"All right" he sneered. 81 guess
you've unmasked yourself now. Just
wait till the bank comes to me,
Sammy"
And he stalked away in a fury.
Sammy went to Myrtle that night and
she cried little and agreed to wait 6
year longer.
There was a good deal in Dicks
threat 1t was known that old Ches-
ter could not live long. His end was
curiously sudden, and old Sammy was
with him. The old banker was con-
scious until the end, and he had a con-
fidential talk with Sammy before he
died. 1t was a good thing he did not
see Dick staring at his body an hour
after his death and cursing Sammy
for not having summoned him.
However, Dick had the bank. His
first act was to give Sammy a months
notice.
Il told you you'd be sorry for that
wretched trick you played on me-" he
said, sneering, "See if you can get
another job. Not in this town
Sammy"
Sammys answer, at the end of the
month, was to marry Myrtle, and they
went away on honeymoon that last
ed nearly two months. At the end OF
that tine Sammy was back in town
looking spruce and smarter than he
had ever looked before, and living II
an elegant house. 1t was whispered