The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-03-23
THERESE BENSON
e. The Bobbs-Merri Company
wNU Service
CHAPTER WI

From that point, the narrative to
which Sniff was giving breathless at
tention grew more involved and ram
bling. Even after lapse of years. II
was painful for tombstone Nesbit to
recall what he had then suffered. Re
assembled. the tale ran as follows:
John Nesbit was as good as his
word. He came at once to see his
young cousin. He was a tall Texan
with a gentle voice and charming
smile. He talked little. made quick
searching inquiries. and left hurriedly.
announcing that he would return In
few days.
He went at once to Paris and. by a
lavish misuse of tips, managed to walk
In on Jasper unannounced.
81 don't know what meant to do
to him." he acknowledged. in recount
ing the story of that interview. But
when | set eyes on that miserable lump
of blubber, quaking In his chair yet try
ing to pretend my visit was a pleasant
couldn't touch him / remembered
him at the time of your mothers mar
riage as a rather attractive and dapper
young man with very smooth manners.
Too smooth to suit me. Now he seems
one of the obscene creatures of a
dream. whom you hit only to find your
fist embedded In stuff like wet cob,
webs but much nastier. That's what
he was like to me. Stone, and | never
touched him. after all. although | got
all | demanded by threats of what ]
would do to him unless he came
across. didn't take long to
settle the matter either, because what
i really wanted was you. I'd taken a
lawyer with me and left him down
stairs. The moment I'd brought Jas.
per TO my way of thinking" he grinned
at the recollection, 81 sent for the
man to come up. He had the papers
ready prepared and your father signed
away all parental rights without
murmur. Also, he handed over your
mothers money to me. Shed left you
all she possessed. He could have con-
tested the will. but that would have
given away what she thought of him
and | judge he is too rich to care
about the mere money. Probably he
was glad to be rid of me so cheaply.
Anyway. he signed up and I'm your
guardian, Stone. Now what's your
idea of what you'd like to do?"
where are you going?" Stone
asked
Back to Texas the quickest way l
can. I've interests there that need a
man on the job for the present."
"Can go with you? I'm an Ameri-
can and I've never seen America"
Cousin John looked worried.
"It isn't that | wouldn't like to take
you he said at last. I'm looking
forward to the time when we can be
together. At present my part OF Texas
is no place for you. We've struck oil
on my ranch. which means that the
country is spoiled or will be when the
news gets out. It's going to be rough
and tough out there. No place for
young boy. I'll take you over and put
you in an American school up North
somewhere if you prefer-if you're not
happy here, | mean. | really believe
1t would be better If you finished your
education where you are. If you can
stick it You'H have ample spending
money. You'll have your holidays }
hope I'll be able to come over and
spend some Of them with you"
Stone decided to stay in England.
Since he could no longer hope to see
his mother and could not be with
Cousin John it mattered very little to
him.
One request, however, he made of
his guardian. He wanted his name
changed to his mothers maiden name.
Cousin John cooked an eye at him
speculatively then rather efficiently
advanced proposition.
what about my adopting your" he
asked. I'm a bachelor. all of forty
five years old and not likely I'd marry.
I'd kind of cotton to the idea of hav-
ing son of my own"
"And that" said Stone, sis why my
name is tombstone Nesbit instead of
Jasper Stone Rockwell, Jr. | want
ed Cousin Johns name only. but I'd
always been called Stone and he said
he'd prejudice against names or hair
parted in the middle, so we dropped
the Jasper and the Rockwell and. by
act of congress or something impress.
sive, was legally renamed tombstone
Nesbit."
Sniff gathered that his later years
at school in England had not been IN.
happy. Cousin John, whom he now
called Dad" had gone over frequent
ly, as he had promised. They had
many plans for the future when Stones
education had finally been declared sat
isfactorily completed Stones idea of
happiness was to be with Dad. who
gave him the affection he had craved.
His favorite dream was that they
should establish themselves on an es-
tate in America. On the subject of
where il should be his suggestions re-
NAMED vague. Texas. to John Mes.
bits thinking, was spoiled for sports.
men when unsupported oil wells might
be discovered in your immediate vicin
ity overnight Intent always on pleas.
ing his boy, he had looked the country
over far and wide and finally decided
that for climate. sport and congenial
society Virginia probably had more to
offer them than any other locality.
I'VE won't tie ourselves up too tight
at first" he said with his endearing
twinkle, we're young fellows yet and.
once we get going. there's no telling
whore we'll sion wa r,;rht ~, q