Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1910 — THE FORTUNE HUNTER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE FORTUNE HUNTER

Novelized by LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE

From the Phy of the Same Name by WINCHELL SMITH Copyright. !?!•. by Winchell Smith and Loan Joeeph Vance

CHAPTER 111.

AFTER dinner they smoked and talked about Duncan's future Finally Kellogg said significantly, “Nat, if you follow my advice you can be worth a million dollars In a year!" “Let him rave," Duncan observed enigmatically and began to smoke. “No, I’m not dippy, and I’m perfect iy serious.” “Of course. But wbat’d they do to me if I were caught?” “This is not a joke The proposition’s perfectly legal It’s being done right along.” “And I could do it Harry?" L “A man of your caliber eouldn*t fall" “Would you mind ringing for Robbins?*' Duncan asked abruptly.* “Certainly.” Kellogg pressed a button at bls elbow. “What d’you want?" “A straitjacket and a doctor to tell which one of us needs it.” Kellogg, chagrined as he always was if joked with when expounding one of his schemes, broke into a laugh that lasted until Robbins appeared. “You rang, sir?” “Yes. Put those decanters over here, and some glasses, please.” “Yes, sir.” The man obeyed and withdrew. Kellogg filled two glasses, handing one to Duncan. x “Now be decent and listen to me, Nat I’ve thought this thing over for —oh, any amount of time. I’ll bet anything it will work. What d’you say? Would you like to try it?” “Would I like to try it?” A conviction of Kellogg’s earnestness forced itself upon Duncan’s understanding. “Would IF He lifted his glass and drained It at a gulp. “Why. that's the first laugh I’ve had for a monthf* “Then I’ll tell you”— Duncan placed a pleading hand on his forearm. “Don’t kid me, Harry,” be entreated. “Not a bit of It This Is straight foods. If you want to try it and will

follow the rules 1 lay down. I'll guarantee you’ll be a rich’ man inside of twelve months.” * “Rules: Man. I’ll follow all the rules in tbe world! Come on. I’m getting palpitation of the heart, waiting. Tell it to me. what're 1 got to do?” “Marry.” said Kellogg serenely. “Marry!” Duncan echoed, aghast. “Marry." reaffirmed the other with Übroken gravity. ■Marry who?” ’ girl with a fortune. You see. I . guarantee the precise size of her That ail depends on luck and the ’*y. But it’ll run anywhere from i hundred thousand up to a milchaps more.” mean sank back despondently. X>u ought to be ashamed of yourMfelf. Harry.” he said dully. “You had >me all excited for a minute.” “Ko. but honestly. I mean what I •ay.” “Now look here, do you really think any girl with a million would take a chance on me?” “She’ll jump at ft” Duncan thought this over for a while. Then his lips twitched. “What's tbe matter with her?” he inquired. “I’m willing to play the game as it lies, but I bar lunatics and cripples.” "There’s no particular her, yet You can take your pick. Pre no more idea where she is than you have.” “Now I know you’re stark, staring, “Not a bit of it I’m inspired, that’s all Pre solved your problem; you «aly can’t believe it” “How could IF What the devil are yougetting at anyhow?”

“This !»»■• s kemr of mine. Lend me your ears Have you ever lived in a one horse country town, a place with one uus]>eakabie hotel and about twenty stores and five churches?” “No.” “I hare. 1 was born in one of ’em. Hare you any idea what becomes of the young people of such towns f “Not a glimmering.” “Then I’ll enlighten your egregious density The boys—those who’ve got the stuff in them—strike out for the cities to make their everlasting fortunes. Generally they do it too." ••The same as you?’ •The same as me.” assented Kellogg, unperturbed. “But the yaps, the Jaspers. stay there and clerk in father’s store. After office hours they put on their very best mail order clothes and parade np and down Main street, talking loud and flirting obviously with the girls. The girls haven’t much else to do. They don’t find it so easy to get away. A few of ’em escape to boarding schools and colleges, where they meet and marry young men from the cities, but the majority of them have’to stay at home and help mother. That’s a tradition If there are two children or more the get the chance every time. The girls stay home to comfort the old folks in their old age. Why. by the time they're old enough to think of marrying—and they begin young, for that’s about the on'.y excitement they find available —you won’t find a small country town between here and the Mississippi where there aren’t about four girls to every boy.” “It’s a horrible thought.’’ “You’d think so if you knew what the boys were like There isn’t One in ten that a girl with any sense or self respect couid force herself to marry

if she ever saw anything better. Do you begin to see my drift?” “I do not But go on drifting.” “No? Why, the demand for eligible males is 300 per cent in excess of the supply. Don’t you know—no. you don’t; I got to that first—that there are twenty times as many old maids in small country towns as there are In tbe cities? It's a fact, and the reason for it is because when they were young they couldn’t lower themselves to accept the pick of the local matrimonial market. Now. do you see?” “You’re as interesting as a magazine serial. Please continue in your next. I pant with anticipation.” “You’re an ass. Now take a young chap from a city, with a good appearance, more or less a gentleman, who doesn't talk like a yap or walk like a yap or dress like a yap or act like a yap, and throw him into such a town long enough for the girls to get acquainted with him. He simply can't lose, can’t fail to cop out the best looking girl with the biggest bank roll in town. I tell you. there’s nothing to it!" “It’s wonderful to listen to you, Harry” “I’m talking horse sense, my son. Now consider yourself—down on your luck, don’t know how to earn a decent living, refusing to accept anything from your friends, ready (you say) to do almost anything to get some money. And think of the country heiresses with plenty of money for two, pining away in—in innocuous desuetude—hundreds of them, fine, straight, good girls, girls you Could easily fall in love with, sighing their lives away for the ‘nek of the likes of you. Now, why not take one. Nat—when you come to consider It .it’s your

duty—marry her and her bank roll, make her happy, make yourself happy and live a contented life on the sunny side of Easy street for the rest of your natural born days? Can’t you see it now?” “Yes.”’ Duncan admitted, half persuaded of the plausibility of the scheme. “I see. and 1 admire immensely the intellect that conceived the notion. Harry, but 1 can’t help thinking there must be a catch in it aome». here.’’ ~“Nc: if you follow my instructions.” Duncan drew a deep breath, sat back and looted Kellogg over very critically. . “If 1 didn’t know you so well. Harry,” said Duncan slowly. “I’d be certain you were mad. I’m not at all sure that I’m sane. It’s raving idiocy, and it’s a nretty darned rank thing (o do to start delilierately out to marry a woman for her money. But I’ve been through a little hell of my own in my time, and ft’s not alluring to contemplate a return to it. There’s nothing mad enough nor bad enough to stop me. What’ve 1 got to do?” Kellogg beamed his triumph “You’ll try it on. then?" "I’ll try anything on. It’s a contemptible. low lived piece of business, but good may come of It: you can’t tell What’ve I got to do?”

Slipping back. Kellogg knitted his fingers and stared at t tie ceiling, smiling faintly to himself as he enumerated the conditions that first appealed to his understanding as essentials toward success “First pick out your town, one of 2.000 or 3.000 inhabitants., no larger. I’d suggest at a hazard guess some place in the Interior of Pennsylvania. Most of su< h tow<, . at east one rich man with a m.>rr ageable daughter—but we ’ll make sure of that before we settle on one. Of course any suburban town is barred,” ; “How so?" “Oh, they don’t count The girls always know people in the city—can get there easily. That spoils the game.” “How about the game laws?” “I’m coming to them. Of course there isn’t an open or close season, and the bunting's always good, but there are a few precautionary measures to be taken if you want to be sure of bagging an heiress. You won’t like most of’em.” “Like 'em! I’ll live by them7’ “Well, here come the things you mustn’t do. You mustn’t swear or use

slang; you musn’t smoke and you mustn’t drjnk”— “Heavens! Are these people as inhuman as all that?" “Worse than that It might be fatal if, you ever seen in the hotel bar. And. to begin with, you must refuse all invitations of any sort, whether to dances, parties, church sociables or even Sunday dinners.” “Why Sunday dinners?* “Because Sunday’s the only day you’ll be invited. Dinner on weekdays is from 12 to 12:30, and it's strictly a business matter, no time for guests. But you needn’t fret. They won’t ask you till they’ve sized you up pretty carefully.” “Oh!"

“Moreover, you must be very particular about your dress. It must be absolutely faultless, but very quiet. Clothing sober, dark grays and blacks and plain, but the very last word as to cut and fit. And everything must be in keeping, the very best of shirts, collars, ties, hats, socks, shoes, underwear”— Kellogg caught Duncan’s lobk and laughed. “Your laundress will report on everything, you know, so you must be Impeccable.” “I’ll be even that, Whatever it is.” “Be very particular about having your shoes polished, shave daily and manicure yourself religiously., but don't let ’em catch you at it” “Would they raid me if they did?” “And then, my son, you must work.” Kellogg paused to let his lesson sink In. After a time Duncan observed plaintively, “I knew there was a catch in it somewhere. What kind of work?*’ “It doesn't make any difference, so long as you get and hold some job in the town.” “Well, that lets me out You’ll have to sic some other poor devil pn this glittering proposition of yours. I couldn’t hold a job in”— “Wait! I’ll tell you how to do it in just a minute.” _ , * ■' ■ , “I don't mind listening, but”— “You’ll cinch the whole business by going to church without a break. Don't ever fail—morning and evening, every Sunday. ’ Don’t forget that” “Why?” “It’s the most important thing of all.” ' ’ _ “Does going to church make such a hit with the young female Jasper—the Jasperette, as it were?” “It’ll make you more solid than anything else with her popper and mom mer, and that’s very necessary wbe® you’re a candidate for their ducats as

well as their daughter. You must work and you must go to church." ‘That can’t be all Surely you can think of something else.” < ‘Those are the cardinal rules—church and work until you’ve landed your heiress. After that you can move back to civilization. Now, as s<k>n as you strike your town you want to make arrangements for board lodging in some old woman’s bouse, preferably an old maid. You’ll be sure to find at least half a dozen of ’em willing to take boarders, but you want to be equally sure to pick out the one that talks the most, so that she’ll tell the neighbors all about you. Don’t worry about that, though. They all talk. When you've moved in stock up your room with about twenty of the driest looking books in the world. Lawbooks look most imposing. Fix up a table .with lots of stationery—pens and pencils, red and black ink. and all that sort of thing. Make the room look as if you were the most sincere student’ ever. And by no means neglect to have a well worn Bible prominently in evidence. You can buy one second hand at some bookstore before yon start out.” “I'd have to, of course. I thank you for the flattery. Proceed with the program of the gay. mad life I must lead. I’m going to have a swell time; that’s perfectly plain." “As soon as you're shaken down in your room make the rounds of the* stores and ask for work Try to get into the dry goods emporium If you can The girls all shop there. Rut anything will do. except a grocery or a hardware store and places like that. You mustn't consider anv *mnlo<m<‘ht that would soil your clothes or roughmen your lily white hands.” „ _ I “You expect me to believe I’d have iany chance of winning a millionaire’s Idaughter if I were a ribbon clerk in a Idry goods store?” v ’The best in the world. The ribbon {clerk is her social equal. He calls her (Mary, and she calls him Joe.” 1 “Done with you! Me for the ribbon counter! Anything else?”

’ “The storekeepers aren’t apt to emjpioy you at first They’ll be suspicious »f you.” # > ‘They will be afterward, all right However”— I “So you must simply call on them, (walk in, locate the boss and tell him, .‘l’m looking for employment’ Don’t press it Just say It and get out” i "No trouble whatever about that It’s (always that way when I ask for Cork.” •They’ll send for you before long, ben they make up their minds that you’re a decent, moral young man, for they know you’ll draw trade. And every Sunday”— ' “I know—church!” “Absolutely! Pick out the one the 'rich folks go to. Go in quietly and do just as they do—stand up and kneel, look up the hymus and sing Just when they do. Be careful not to sing too loud or anything like that Just do it all modestly, as If you were used to it Better go to church here two or three times and get the hang of it”

i "Here, now”— ‘ “Nearly all the wealthy codgers in fnch towns are deacons, you see, and, hough they may not speak to you for months on the street, it’s their bush ness to waylay you after the service is over and shake hands with you and tell you they hope you enjoyed the sermon and ask you to come again. And. you can bank on it, they’ll all take notice from the first.’’ t “It’s no wonder Bartlett made you a partner. Harry.” “Now, behave. I want you to get in tight If you follow the rules I’ve outlined, not only will all the girls in town be falling over themselves to get jto you first, but their fond parents will be egging them on. Then ail you’ve got to do is to pick out the one with the biggest bundle and”— “Make a play for her?” “Not on your life! That would be fatal. Your part is to put yourself in her way. She’ll do all the courting, land when she scents the psychological moment she’ll do the proposing.” “It doesn’t sound natural, but yon certainly seem to know what you’re drooling about.” i “You can anchor on that, Nat” “And are you finished?” “1 am. Of cdurse I’ll probably think of more things to wise you to before pou go.” »• - Duncan laughed shortly and tilted back tv his chair, selecting another cigarette. “And you're the chap who wanted me to go to some bromidlc old show tonight! Harry, you’re immense. Why didn’t you ever let me suspect you had all this romantic imagination in yonr system?” • • “Imagination be blowed, son. This is business.” Kellogg removed the stopper from the decanter and filled both glasses again. “Well, what dojpou say?”

\ ‘l’ve just said my say, Harry. It’s amazing. I’m proud of you.” : “But will you do it?” “Everything else aside, how can I? I’ve got to live, you know.” “But F propose to stake you.” i Duncan came down to earth. “No, you won’t—not a cent I’m in earnest hbout this thing—no more sponging on you, Harry. Besides”— j “No, seriously, Nat,. I mean this, every word of it I want (you to do it, to please me if you like. I’ve a notion something will come of it. And I believe from the bottom of my heart there’s not the slightest risk if you’ll play the cards as they fall, according to Hoyle.” ' < “Harry, I believe you do.” “I do firmly. And I’il put the proposition on a business basis if you like.” I “Go on. There’s no holding you.” “You start out tomorrow and order your war kit Get everything you peed, and plenty of it, and have tbe

bills sent to me. You can be ready : in-

side a fortnight. The day you start I’ll advance you SSOO. When you're married you can repay me the amount of the advances with Interest at 10 per cent and I’ll consider it a mighty good deal for myself. Now. will you?” “You mean It?” “Every word of it. Well?” For a moment longer Duncan hesitated; then the vision of what he must return to otherwise decided him. In desperation he accepted. “It’s a drowning man’s straw." he said, a little breathlessly. “I’m sure I shouldn’t, but I will." Kellogg flung a hand across the table, palm uppermost, t "Word of honor. Nat?" Duncan let his hand fall into it '“Word of°honor! I’ll see it through.” “Good! It’s a bargain" Kellogg lifted his glass high m air. “To the fortune hunter!" he cried. half laughingly. Duncan nervously fingered the stem of his glass "God help the future Mrs. Duncan!" he said and drank. (To Be Continued.)

“DO YOU THINK ANY GIRL WITH A MIT LION WOULD TAKE A CHANCE ON ME A CHANCE O[?]

“I KNEW THERE WAS A CATCH IN IT SOME WHERE.”

“YOU'LL TRY IT ON. THEN?”

“TO THE FORTUNE HUNTER.”