The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-06-10
Poor Mans Gold

| Tleu, W Soy iotiiiiiS VI Ais PooA oAss
mother who'd never survive the
shock
I'm this case, 1t was his crippled
sister," Jeanne supplied without bit
terness. "Oh," she supplemented
| suddenly, I'm not trying to say |
was led around. Did you ever spend
the best part of your life in
place like The Pas7 Not the town
that it is now-but the one like it
used to be-"
How did Lew shade get his
hands on that money!" Hammond
asked bluntly. He felt queerly fe-
verish. The girl went on:
There wasn't anything at the
Winnipeg auction worth buying.
Lew argued that we ought to 60 on
to Edmonton-there would be an
auction there IN about ten days. |
wrote home what had happened,
about the auction l mean. Then
we went to Edmonton. Lewis mon
ey was gone. | began to cut into
the cash I'd brought along; then
one afternoon Lew pretended to
count the money to be sure it was
all there. | wasn't looking. he
shouted that hundred-dollar bill
had flown out an open window
| "Of course you never found it. :"
She smiled family.
II found the place later where he
| had lost 1t gambling. OF course, |
didn't know that then. | began to
worry about making up our ex-
penses and that hundred dollars.
Lew said he had a friend in Van
couver who wanted to sell out his
stock of furs. let him argue me
into believing that he knew enough
about the fur business to go and
buy out this stock and make enough
on it to cover all our losses"
She was silent. Hammond waited
a moment.
WELL" he asked at last.
"That's all, came tonelessly.
"He stole the money and deserted
your" asked the man. His hands
were trembling.
II worked at anything l could
get in Edmonton until | earned
enough for second-class fare to
Vancouver. The man in the fur
store said he'd never even heard
of Lew shade. | couldn't find a
lob in Vancouver; finally ! got one
for single trip on the Prince Ru-
pert boat, working in the dining
room.
"You kept on looking for Snade?'
I'D been to every dance hall In
Vancouver and every gambling
Joint. Someone remembered him
and said he'd gone North. So
kept on asking questions after
got on the boat. One of the girls
said she knew him-that he'd got
ten her to sneak out after hours anc
meet him on deck. When | got te
Prince Rupert, asked about law
yer and someone suggested Mr.
Barstow. I was afraid to go to the
police !.
eyes. Because of your people
II told Mr.. Barstow I'd pay him
a percentage on any money ht
could get back for me. But he
said no."
"Barstow's that kind.
az lived where could; for awhil.
| worked in AL Monsons store.
o was there for nearly two months
but MIR. Barstow couldn't get am
t trace of Lew. Then one day, HI
called me and said Lew was II
town--he'd been in Alaska and jus
0 come back. I don't know how h
found out"
r "Barstow knows every ship cap
n tain and cabin boy in Prince Hu
pert"
e II guess that was il. He said Lev
{ had promised to come to his offic'
7 the next morning and pay bacl
< every cent So went there But
HE didn't show up" Hammon'
d interjected coldly.
mo, Mr.. Barstow had to tell m
that he'd skipped out. That's whel
first saw you--coming down tn
, stairs from Mr.. Barstow's office.
II guess / know the rest. Yo
haven't talked to him up here7 ="
: The girl glanced at the |. O. Z
- where Hammond had tossed it.
# That's ALL" she said slowly. :
1t don't even know how he got here
II do. He came up with the las
a. bunch from Fourcross-got in tn
'e same night as Bruce Kenning.
know something more. He's goin
e to give you back that money"
e The girl flashed before him.
a. Don't 90 to Sergeant Terry
| Please! You know how news is
e. the kind that comes out of ne
h. mining camp. 1t goes all over.
to Terry ever took him down to Foul
le cross"
Id Jack Hammond raised his han
al to her shoulder and gently pushe
her away.
'k I'm not going to Terryl" he al
!, nounced.
= Almost before he realized it, I
was out of the store and stalklr
w the crooked streets of the htt
as r,.car nc