The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-02-06

face. Her fine, even teeth were ex
posed as she carelessly favored FL
mer with n million-dollar smile.
"Well. Elmer?" she queried.
SWELL. Nellie?" he echoed.
you're keeping something from
me. Elmer"
IF | am, Nellie. l don't know
what 1t is. Do your"
"Well, I've heard. Elmer. thai
Uncle Hiram ButterwOrth has left
you a million dollars"
Interesting. If true. Nellie. The
stories that are circulated in this
town and gain credence are unbe-
lievable. However. Nellie. ! have
got some news for You. and you
can believe this. That human icicle
Ansel Moody stopped me on the
street half an hour ago and told
me that he'd accept my application
for five thousand and give me an
open credit for twenty-five hundred
more. I'm going up at noon to
close my lease on II. Wasservogel's
butcher shop"
Nellie came closer to Elmer and
took each lapel in her little brown
hands. "Elmer," she warned, be
ware the Greeks when they come
bringing gifts. Do not accept that
loan and do not treat for that lease
today. Please"
/. "Why?"
Il don't think you ought to. To-
day Is not the day for you to dis
cuss anything with anybody-eyen
with me-"
'"Have you been going in for as
trology, Nellie?"
mo, but the little birds tell me
things"
81 had an impression that in
Pilarcitos that was the prerogative
Of old hens" he replied. Every we'll.
{ Nellie. I'll not do anything then.
without consulting my manager"
She drenched him with her smile
and continued on to her work. She
was paying teller for the Pilarcitos
Commercial Trust & Savings bank
and one of old Ansel's dummy d.
rectors.
Nellie also was the trust officer
of the bank and a notary public.
Like Elmer Clarke, she was an or
phan. She was twenty-five years
old and while already in Pilarcitos
she was regarded as an old maid,
more or less in the sere and vel
low leaf, she was still the recipient
of much attention from the most
presentable of the Pilarcitos SWANS
and was reputed to have declined to
marry each of them.
Elmer Clarke, the last Of q
stricken field, was holding his own
with Nellie, however. Two years
had passed since first he had sat
with her on the veranda of the
Tully home with old Mr.. and Mrs.
Tully.
Before Elmer could escape inside
the Smoke Shoppe, he felt a hand
plucking at his sleeve. The mes
senger had arrived with the tele-
gram from Absolom McPeake. FL
mer signed for it, read it, tucked it
in his pocket and returned to the
Smoke Shoppe. Sam Haskins wait
ed for him to say something-wait-
ed five minutes, in fact, and then
said:
mo bad news. l hope, Elmer"
Elmer shook his head and went
on wiping off the stock. Pres
emily Sam Haskins essayed another
aortie.
"Elmer, they tell me you've fallen
heir"
81 have" Elmer replied without
enthusiasm.
Sam swatted him smartly be-
tween the shoulder blades again.
"Well, why don't you say some
thing, Elmer?"
Nothing to say, Sam. The whole
town knows it already. You couldn't
expect Old Lady Bray to live with
that news bottled up inside her,
could you?''
Reckon she'd bust if she tried
it, Elmer" Sam heaved a heavy
sigh. 81 suppose this means it's up
to me to git myself some new help
he added.
Now that Sam had opened the
ticklish subject Elmer was quick to
take advantage of the opening.
Yes, Sam. | don't suppose either
of us can afford the luxury of a
million-dollar nan working for
forty dollars a week. However,
Sam, | was going to leave you, any
how. In fact, it was my intention
to slip you the bad news tonight.
This telegram hasn't made the
slightest bit of difference, because
the news it contains is as great a
surprise to me as it was to Old
Lady Bray. | was going to quit
you to go into business for my
I'm what line?" Sans tone was
freighted with anxiety.
Same line as this"
"What? After workin' for me
five years an learnin' the business
me, you figure on startin' OPP
nnCtttDD MI Co., lJa-l.a fn,t ri,