Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1911 — THE FORTUNE HUNTER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE FORTUNE HUNTER

Novelized by LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE

From the Play of the Same Name by WINCHELL SMITH Copyright. 1910. by Winchell Smith and Louis Joseph Vance'

CHAPTER XIV. way he’s worked!" Sam Graham said to me that ■ night about Duncan. “You'd hardly believe it. Homer. He said be warned to gel home early so's to write a letter to a friend of bis in New York, a Mr Kellogg, junior member of L; J Bartlett & Co., about my invention But he insisted on leaving everything to rights for business tomorrow Arid just look.'" "But I thought Roland Barnette"— 1 suggested with guile Of course I'd heard a rumor of what bad happened —almost every one in town had—and how Roland and his friend Mr Burnham had son of fallen out on the way from the Bigelow House to the train, but no one knew anything definite, and I wanted to get “the rights of it,” as Rad rille says. So 1 had dropped in at Graham’s on my way home from the office, as 1 often do for an evening smoke and a bit of gossip Then I started home. After a time 1 became aware that tome one was overtaking me. “Good evening. Mr Duncan.” I saluted. He stopped short, peering through the gloom. "Good evening, but—Mr. Littlejohn? Glad to see you. Aren't you late?’ “You’re out late yourself, Mr. Duncan, for one of such regular, not to

■y abnormal, habits—one who never misses going to church and Sunday •cboul. no matter whai the weather." He laughed lightly -Had a letter 1 wanted to catch the first morning train" “Then you’re interested in Sam’s burner?” \ “No, I’m not. but I hope to interest others Ob yes. Mr Graham told you about 11, of course. It just struck me that if a man of Bumham's stamp was willing to risk on the proposition he very likely foresaw a profit In it that might as well be Mr. Graham’s. So I’ve sent a detailed de neription of the thing to a friend in New York who’ll look into it for me.” He Was silent for a little. “Who’s Colonel BohuniT he asked aoddenly. ' “Why do you ask?” “I saw him this evening. He was passing the store and stopped to glare fn as if be bated it—stopped so long that I got nervous and asked Miss Lockwood (she’d Just happened in for a parting glass—of soda) whether he was an anarchist or a retired burglar. She told me bis name, but was otherinhumanly reticent” “For Josie?” 1 chuckled, but he didn’t respond. So I took up the tale 4rf the tret family of Radville. “The story runs.” said 1. “that the >ati— were one of the F. F. V.’s; fte they atekened Of »lavery‘. freed.

their slaves and moved north to settle in Radville I believe they came from somewhere around Lynchburg, but that was a couple of generations ago,.When the civil war broke out the old colonel up there”—l gestured vaguely in the general direction of the Bobun man son—"couldn't keep out of it, and naturally he couldn't fight with the

north. He won his spurs under Lee. After tbe war had blown over he came home, to find that his only son had enlisted with the RadviJle company and disappeared at Gettysburg It pretty nearly killed the old man. though he wasn't so old then, but there's fire in the Bohon blood, and his boy’s action seemed to him nothing less than treason ” “And that's what soured him on the world ?*• “Not altogether. He bad a daughter —Margaret. She was the most beautiful woman In the world” 1 suspect my' voice broke a little just there, for there was a shade of respectful sympathy, in tbe monosyllable witty which ;he filled, the pause “He swore she should never marry. a northerner, but she did I guess, being a Bobun, she bad to after hearing she must not There wero two of us thaff loved her. ' but she chose Sam Graham." be said awkwardly, “I'm sorry ” “I'm not She was right if 1 couldn’t see it that way They ran away, and so did L I went east but they came I back to RadviJle Colonel Bobun nev- . er forgave them, but they were very , happy till she died Betty’s their daughter, of course. Sam's not the . kind that marries more than once.” We reached our gate, went in very quietly, lit pur candles and with elaborate care avoided the homemade bur J glar alarm “By the way. did you get your invi • tation to Josie Lock wood's party. Mr Duncan*' I happened to see it on the hall table this evening."

“Yes.” he assented quietly, “it's to be the social event of the year. 1 hope you'll enjoy it ” “I’m not going It's against the rules at first—l mean business rules I’ll be so busy at the store, you know ” Alone. 1 was fain to confess he bas fied my understanding The rush of business to Graham's began . the following morning Dun ■ can's hands were full almost from the first, and Ik* l had to relegate such mat lets as making final dis|w>sition of his sftock and getting acquainted with it to the intervals between waiting upon customers Old Sam must have put up more prescriptions in the nest few days than he bad within the last five years. Everybody wanted to take a look at the renovated store, shake Sam's hand and see what the new partner was really like Sotheru & Lee’s was for some days quite desert ed. especially after Dunlin took a leaf out of their book, bought an ice cream freezer and began to serve dabs of cream in the soda

Will Bigelow even dropped round and bought of the tobacco stock, frum iwu-fors up to ten-centers, and smokixl them with expressive snorts Tracey Tanner’s soda and cig-, arette trade was transferred, bodily to Graham’s from the first, and Roland Barnette gave it his patronage, albeit grudgingly, as soon as he found it impossible to shake Josie Lock wood’s allegiance. i say grudgingly because Roland didn't like tLe new partner and had said so from the first. But every one else did like him almost without exception. His attentiveness and courtesy were not ungrateful after the way things were thrown at yon at Sot hern & Lee ? s, w<p declared. ~ Duncan certainly did strive to please. No myu ever worked Ranier in a Radrille store than be did: And from the time that he began to believe there would be some reward for his exertions. that the business was susceptito being built up by the employment of progressive methods, he grew astonishingly prolific of ideas, from our sleepy point of view. The win dow displays were changed almost

dally, tdlx-g.n with, and were made.as interesting » possible We learned to go b»<-ks cut of our way to find out wuat GralHiii A Duncan, were ex plotting t'day. And daily i»argaia sale* were instituted, tow priced articles of everyday use. such as shaving soap. too:hl;njsie-s end the like, being sold at a? few rents above cost on certain days, which were announced tn ad-vani-e Ly means of baud lettered cards In the «=h* w windows, whereas formerly w*. had always been obliged to pay full list i<rh-es SHU earlier in his career as a business man be policed that tbe local pra«-titioneira wrote their prescriptions on <<dd scraps of paper. “That's all wrong.” Jbe declared “We'll have to fix in" And by next morning the job printing press back of the courthouse was groaning under an order from Graham A Dunean's, and a few days later evert phyririan within several of Ra-lv! i<- received'half a dokm r - • - f blanks with his name and address printed kt the top and the gd vice across the bottom. “Go to Graham's for the best and purest drugs and chemicals " Tbe backs of the blanks were utilized to request people living out of reach, but on rural free delivery routes, either to mail their pres,r pt ions and other orders in or have the physicians telephone them, promising to fill and dispatch them by tbe first post _ ’'/ For he had a telephone installed within the first fortnight and the next day advertised in the Gazette that orders by telephone would receive prompt attention and be delivered without detay Tracey Tanner be came bis deliveryboy. deserting his father's stables for the obvious advantages of S 3 a week with a chance tn learn the business Starting with a line of five and ten cent packages'-. of indigestible sweets. Duncan in rime made arrangements With a big Pittsburg confectionery concern to ship him a small consignment of pen:; 1 .and half pound “fancy” boxes of chocolates and bonbons twice a week And taffy pulls and fudge parties lapsed into desuetude. Later Sperry introduced him to an association of druggists, of which he became a member, for the maintenance and exploitation of the cigar and toba co trade in connection with thedrug business. Again, he treated Radvtlle to its first circulating library, establishing a branch in the store. One could buy a book at a mod‘-rate price and either keep it or exchange it for a fee of a few cents. Undoubtedly he made the business hum during those first few months, and after that it settled down to a steady forward movement. The store became a serial center, a place for peo pie to meet in time Tracey was promoted to be assistant and another boy engaged to make-delireries But this chronicle of progress has run away altogether with a desultory

pen. which started to teU why Duncan didn’t want to go to Josie Lock wood’s party 1 was long in finding out but not so long as himself. per haps, by which I mean to say that be was conscious of the desire not to go and determined not to without stop ping to analyze the cause of that desire more than very superficially. It hapi-enrd toward the close of the eventful day alrt.dy detailed at such length, that as Duncan was entering the bouse with a load of boxed goods he heard voices in the store—young voices, of which one was already too familiar to bis ears. He paused, wait Ing for them to.get through with thenbusiness and go. for he had no time to waste just then, even upon the heiress of his manufactured destiny. Betty was then working in the shop (old Sam having gone upstairs for a little rest, who was overwrought and weary with .the excitement of that day), and it was Duucan’s hope that she would' be able to serve the customers without his assistance. There were two of them, you see— Josie and Angie TuthiU—hunting. as usual, in couples. And while be waited. not meaning to'eavesdrop. but unwilling to betray his whereabouts by moving, he beard very clearly their passage with Betty \ He overheard first, distinctly. Betty resfionding in expressionless tones: “Hello; Angie Heito. Jaade.** . There ensued what seemed a slight- ■ /, r ’ -i < •. \ ' 1 !

ly. awkward pause. then Josie. painfully sweet. “Did you get the invitatiba. Betty?” Betty mured into Dunean's range of vision, apparently intending to come and call him She turned at the question. and be saw ter smalt thin little body and pinched face en silhouette against the fading light beyond. He naw. too. that sbe was stiffening herse!f as if for some unequal contest. “The invitation?* she questioned dtfily. but with her bead up and steady “Why.” said Josie. “I sent you one—to the party, you know—my la wn feet next. week ” ..., 1 give the local pronunciation as it is. “Did you? - ~ “I gave it to’ Tracey for you,” per sisted the tormentor “Didn't you get iff Betty caught ar her breath inaudibly Ony Du: an eoald see rhe little spasm of mortification and anger that shook litt-T ■' AC“Oh. perttaps\| did.” she said shortly. “I—l'll ask/, Mr Duncan to wait on you " She swung quickly out into the hallway. slamming the door behind her an-J so darkening it that she didn't detect I tuncan's shadowed figure. And if she had meant io rah him she mast have forgot ten it. for an instant later he beard ter stumbling up the stairs, and as she disappeared he caught the echo of a smothered sob . He waited mot armless. too disturbed at the time to care to enter the store and endure Josie’s rabid advances.

and through the thin partition there came to him their sharp comments on Betty’s ungracious behavior. “Well!” Josie said finally: “Oh, come on. Don't let's wait any longer 1 don't think it's healthy to drink sody so soon .before -dinner, anyway.” ' Angie giaicT-d significantly at Josie, saying: “And. besides; we only feinted to hear”— Their roices with their footsteps diminished. Duncan allowed a prudent interval to elapse. entered the store and began to bestow the goods he had brought in While he was at work the light failed. Fie stopped for lack of it just as Betty catne downstairs. “Hello!” fee said cheerfully. “Know where the matches are?” “Yes.” She moved behind a counter and fetched him a few. “At© you most done?” she inquired, not unfriendly. as he took down from its bracket one of the oil lamps. “Hardly,” he responded, touching a light to the wick and replacing the chimney “It’s a good deal of a job” Yes" He replaced the lamp and in the act of turning toward another caught a glimpse of the girt's face, pale and drawn, her eyes a trifle reddened. And with that common sense departed from him. tearing him wholly a prey to his impulse of pity “Oh. thunderr he told himself, thrusting a hand into his pocket “I might as well be broke as the way 1 am now " He produced the scanty remains of his “grubstake.” • “Miss Graham”— “Yes?” she asked, wondering. “Could you get a party dress for thirty-four dollars?” Thirty-four dollars.”’ she faltered. He discovered what small change be had in his pocket. It was like him to be extravagant, even extreme. “And fifty-three cents?” he pursued, with a nervous laugh. “Heavens!' the girl gasped. “1 should think so!” ’ “Then go ahead!” He offered her the money, but she could only stare, incredulous. Til stake you.” “Oh. no. Mr. Duncan.” she managed to say. “Oh. yes!” He tried to catch one of the hands that involuntarily had risen toward her face in a gesture of wonder. “Please do,” he begged, his tone persuasive, “as a favor to me.” But she evaded him. stepping back. “I couldn't take it; I couldn't really.”, “Yes. you can. Just try it once and see bow easy it is.” be persisted, pur“No. 1 cast.” fihe looked up shyly and shook her head, that smile of her

mother's Tor the miuueut Illuminating her face almost with the radiance of beauty “But i—l thank you very much—just the same.” “But I want you to go to that party.” “You’re awful kind,” she said softly, still smiling, “but I don't care to go now. I” “Don’t care to go! Why. you were insisting on going a little while ago.” “Yes,” she admitted simply. “I know I was. But I've been thinking over what you said since then, and I—l’ve made up my mind I’d be out of place there.” “Out of place!” he echoed, thunderstruck. “Yes. I’ve concluded I belong here in the store with father.” She half turned away. “And I guess folks is better off if they stay where they belong.” (To Be Continued.)

ONE WHO SEVER MISSES CHURCH OR SUNDAY SCHOOL.”

TBACET TANNER BECAME AN EMPLOYEE OF THE NEW STORE

BETTY WAS WORKING IN THE SHOP

ANGIE GLANCED SIGNIFICANTLY AT JOSIE.

HE OFFERED HEB THE MONEY.