The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-06-29

Betsy Of stealing, Jocetyn fetentS
and offers TO oive her the doll
Tally Indignantly refuses. Thorn
dapdYeGms about Nola and
making more money.
Chapter %
Accident
INSTEAD of experiencing re-
! sentiment at Cramps intrusion.
Thorn now felt q strange bond be-
tween himself and this queer old
man. He began talking about Nola,
encouraged to pour out his long,
ing and Illustration when Gramp
made clucking. sympathetic
sounds. Fortunately the darkness
bid the old mans schenning black
eyes.
Trouble Is" Gramp put in sol
EMMY, shes got more money'n
you. Makes her too high an
mighty bout any man. A woman
wants man to take care o. her and
she don't need that. Course it'd be
silly to give all her money away
gust SOS she'd be happy dependin'
on you, but If you made a lot more
money it'd sort Of even things up,
wouldn't it,"
Think you're right, Mr.. Mack.
Thorn said respectfully. Il guess
you haze had a lot Of experience
with women. But !. ] only have
forty thousand dollars"
Gramp shifted his wad Of to-
bacco from one sunken cheek to
She other, then gathered his forces
and hit the curling edge Of break
CT twenty feet away with COT.
1ee-colored stream. Forty thou
sand =. !" he ruminated. thinking
20 himself that fate had certainly
favored him by letting him catch
Thorn in a receptive mood.
eff had all that" he said. II
know Jest what to do to make 1t
double = mebbe triple. There's a
hunk o. Texas I'd buy" He low
cred his voice, peered around cau-
tiously and whispered, "Black
Roldl Ola thousand acres full OF
Z an nobody knows it's there but
me an the gov'mentl"
Thorn knew a curious Jingle Of
excitement. Tell me about it." he
urged. '1t sounds interesting"
Nope" refused Gramp, shrewd-
IL batting his hook. II Jest sort o,
stumbled onto it an ! got no right
20 tell it."
aBut you haven't any money"
Thorn pointed out. "You can't buy
land. It probably isn't any good.
anyhow"
@Mebbe not. Anyhow. If tell
you you won't tell nobody, viii
certainly not"
sWell. bout a year ago young
fellow came a-Snoopin' round
Austin an / got talkin' to him. He
was q geologist, he said, workin'
for the gov'ment. Huntin' for new
oil land, he says, but don't tell no.
body. Well-we got to be mighty
chummy and before he left he says
q certain property is full o. black
gold but the gov'ment amt going
70 LET on because the owner don't
know what he's got an the gov
ment amt in no hurry, so they'll
lest wait a piece an try to buy it up
cheap. Tother day | got to figurin'
that with all this war talk goin' on
the gov'ment Is going to need more
oil for ships and a smart young
teller could buy up this here land
and make hisself pretty pile"
Thorn digested this voraciously.
Why, IL be took advantage of this
old mans knowledge, bought this
land and then informed the gov
eminent he knew there was oil on
II, he might make thousands-hun-
dreds Of thousands - and right
awayi
Burning With Enthusiasm
DRESSED for details, Mack final
" divulged the name of the
man who owned the property and
promised Thorn the address. upon
his oath to keep the whole pro-
eeeding a complete secret from
everyone.
The next morning, after making
sure that Bob and Tally were
working in the citrus grove, Thorn
slipped around to the Macks' back
door and asked for Gramp. He
wanted that address badly. He had
scarcely slept all night for plan
ming and scheming. He was burn
Ing with enthusiasm.
Mrs Mack busted the -four from
her hands and smiled at Thorn.
Delicious doors assailed his nos
krils. won't you step inside while
] call Grandpa?" she invited in
neighborly fashion. Il Just this
minute took batch of molasses
cookies out Of the oven and ! want
you TO try some"
"A bit Of the ice thawed out Of
Thorn's manner and he stepped
into the kitchen. After he had
eaten two cookies q strange mel
1owness overcame him. This Mrs,
Mack was q nice old lady. he re-
fected with lordly condescension.
ssThose are the best cookies
ever tasted" he said.
Help yourself to some more.
shs pressed. They don't last
rnore'n q day at most. Seems like
my family just can't get enough
nolasses cookies"
Observing him reach for anoth-
Ct one. she went to the ice-box,
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