Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1911 — THE FORTUNE HUNTER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE FORTUNE HUNTER

Novelized by Louis Joseph Vance From the Play of the i * Same Name by 1 WINCHELL SMITH f & tfa 9 9 Copyright, 1910, by VVinchell Smith and Louis Joseph Vance \ { ' CHAPTER XX. ■** ERH APS Pd better go.” Josie, fluttering with alarm and ■ a little pale, went quickly to the door. . Du neap followed her a pace or two. *‘l can’t leave just now,” lie stammered. “I don't mind one bit. 1 don’t want •to be in the way. I’ll telephone from borne. Good night, dearest!” On tip- 5 toes she drew his face down to hers and kissed him. “I’m so happy.” Half dazed, Nat stared after her until her lightly moving figure merged with the shadows beneath the trees and was lost. Then, with a sigh, be turned back to Pete. -1 The sheriff bad undoubtedly suffered at the hands of that militant person, Mrs. Willing. “Great Scott!" Duncan exclaimed as be examined the two inch gash ju bis bead "That’s a *-■**- *— » 9* • uuu, reie.” i *‘M’ wife done it,” Willing muttered 1 huskily. “Sb’ threw side ’r tb’ house j at m*. I ” ‘’Wife, eh?” The coincidence smote iDuncan with redoubled force. He shivered. “Well, she certainly gave it to you good.” He went behind the counter to prepare a dressing for the wound, which, if wide, was neither deep nor serious and gave him little concern for Pete. The latter ruminated on the event, breathing stertorously, while Duncan was fixing up a wash of peroxide. “She’ll kill nte some day,” be announced suddenly, with Intense conviction in his tone. “Oh, don’t say that.” Opposition roused Pete to n fury of assertion. “Yes she will, sure!” he bawled. Then hiri emotion quieted. “But I’d ’bout as soon be dead’s live with her, anyway.” “fim.” Nat got some absorbent cotton and adhesive plaster. “Been drinking again, hadn’t you?” “Yesh,” Pete admitted with a leer ot drunken cunning. “But she druv me to it” He was quiet for a moment “Mish’r Duncan,” he volunteered cheerfully, “you ain’t got no idee how lucky y’ are y’ ain’t married.” “Is that so?’ Nat returned with the dressings. “No idee ’tail.” Pete surrendered his

head to Nat’s miuistrarions “’Nd I hope y’ wou't uever tiuve.” “Bat I’m going to lie married, Pete.” The sheriff assimilated this information and became abruptly intractable. He Jerked his head away and swung round in his chair to argue the matter. “Oh, no!" he expostulated. “Don’t, Mish’r Duncan Don’t never do It Take warnin’ from me.” “But I’m engaged. Pete.” " \ “iiaksb no diff’ruusb—break it off!” His voice rose to a howl of alarm. “F’r Gaw’s sake, break it off—now, before it’s too late! Do anything rather that Drink, lie, steal, murder, c’mit suicide—don’t care tvbat, only keep single!" “Here,” said Duncan,, laughing, “sit back there and let me attend to your head.” He began to wash the wound with the peroxide “There; that’ll sting a bit, but pot long. But suppose, Pete. Pd get a lot of money by marrying?*' “No matter bow mush y’ get ’ain’t enough.” , ' “I’m inclined to think you’re about' right Pete.” \ f * “You bet I’m right. I’m married, ’nd 1 know." ,

Nat finished dressing tbecrit, smoothed down the ends of the adhesive tape and stood back pTfiatfs all tight now. Go home, wash your face and sleep It off. Let me see you sober in the morning." “Huh!” ’Pete chuckled derisively. “Ain’t goin' home t'night” “You’ve got to get some sleep—that’s the only wav for you to straighten up.** ' ‘‘Well,” agreed Pete, “then PII gri over to the barn ’nd sleep with the horse.” “Aren’t you afraid he’U step on yon?’ asked Nat. amused. “Maybe he will,” Pete replied fairly, “but I’d ruther risk that ’0 m’ wife.” He swerved and lurched toward the floor. “Thanks, doc. ’nd g‘ night,” be

mumbled uud iuconunently collided with Roland Barnette. Roland whs wui-kmg under .a full head of steam apparently. Ols naturally sanguine complexion was several shades darker than the normal, and he was seething with repressed emotionexcitement, anticipated triumph, jealousy, envy and hatred, all centering upon the hapless head of Nat Duncan Plunging along with his head down, his thoughts wholly preoccupied with his grievance and its remedy, he bumped into Willing and caromed off. recognizing him with an angry growl The result of this was to stay Pete’s , departure. He grasped the frame of the door and steadied himself, glaring round at the aggressor. \ “ ’Lo, Roland!” he said, focusing his vision. “WHash masser?” Roland disregarded him entirely. “Say, you!” he snorted, catching sight of Nat “1 want to see you.” “Oh?” Nat drawled exasperatingly. He had uever had much use for Roland, and now, with hidden joy, he read the signs of passion on the boy’s inflamed countenance. Happy he fwould be, thought Nat, if Roland were fto be delivered into his hands that night lie owed the world a grudge just then and needed nothing more than an object to wreak his vengeance upon. “Well, I’ll stake you to a good long look,” he add sweetly. “Ah-h, don't you try to be so funny! You might get hurt.” Pete seemed to be suddenly electrified by Roland's manner. “Here!” he interposed “Wtaajuh mean by that?” And. relinquishing his grasp on the door, he reeled between the two and thrust his face close to Roland’s “Who’re you talkin'' to. an’way?” he demanded, truculent Nat stepped forward quickly and grabbed Pete’s arm. ’That's all right, Pete,” he soothed him “Don’t get nervous Roly wont hurt anybody” The diminutive stung Roland to ex ksperation. “Why, curse you!”— he screamed and promptly became inarticulate with rage. “Ah. ah, ah!” Nat wagged a reproving forefinger. “Naughty word. Roly! Careful or you’ll sour your chewing gum.” “Now, say! Do you think”— At this juncture Pete drowned his words with an incoherent roar, having apparently reached the conclusion that the time had now arrived when it would be his duty and pleasure Jo eat Roland alive. Nat saved the young man by the barest inch. He grappled with Pete and drew himself aside just in time. "Steady, Pet el” • be said quietly. “Steady, old man. Let Roland alone” “Awrb, 1 ain’t ’fraid of him!” spluttered Pete. * 1 ’’Neither am 1. Get out. won’t you, and leave him to me?” “Aw’right” Pete became more calm. “I'll leave him ’lone but all the same I wan’ it ’stinctly un’erstood 1 kin lick any man in town ’c-eptiD’ m’ wife. G’ night, everybody.” He gathered himself together and by a supreme effort lunged through the door and into the deepening dusk. “Well, Roly?” Nat asked, turning back. _ His ironic calm gave Roland pause For a moment be lost bis bearings and stammered in confusion. “I come ini to tell you that me and yon’s apt to have trouble,” he concluded. “Oh? And are yon thinking of starting it?” “Yon bet I’ll start it. and I’ll start it d—— quick if yon don J t leave Jdsle Lockwood, alone.” ' “So that’s the trouble Is it?” com 5i ■ - 3 si ■ 3

mented Nat thoughtfully. “Yes. that’s the trouble. From now on 1 want you to let her alone, and you'll do it, too, if you know what’s best for you.” A suggestion of menace in bis manner, unconnected with any hint of physical correction, caught Nat’s at tention He frowned over it. “Just what do you mean by this line of talk?” he Inquired blandly, stepping nearer. “I’ll teii you what 1 mean ” Roland clinched both fists and thrust his chic out pugnaciously. “I'd beeD a-goin' steady with Josie Lockwood for more’n a year before you come here and thought that on account of her money you could sneak in and cut me oat.” “Was her money the reason yon were I after her, Roly?’ “What?” Tile question brought Roland momentarily up in the windll *Tain't none of your business if it was!” he snapped, recovering “But here’s what I’m getfih' at.” He tapped his breast pricket with a sneer of bn colic triumph “Just about ten months age,” he continued meaningly, “they was a cashier skipped out of the Long acre National bank in Noo York, add they ain’t got no trace of him yet.” So this was why Roland had been bo assiduous a student of'the back files in the Citizen office! “Indeed?” “Yes. indeed. I had my suspicions all along, but didn’t say nothin’, bnt just today I got a description of him, and the description just fits, Mr. Mortimer Henry.” “Just fits Mr. Mortimer Henry? Bnt what has that”— “Ah, don’t you try to seem too dam’ innocent,” Roland snarled. “You can’t fool me!” A light dawned upon Nat. and laughter flooded bis being, although outwardly he remained imperturbable—merely mildly curious Rut his fin gers were itching. “So you think I’m the absconding cashier, eh. Roly?" “You kei-p away from Josie ’r you'll find out what I think ” Nat's placidity deceived Roland, who drew the wholly erroneous conclusion that he 1 had succeeded in frightening his rival. : and consequently-dared a few leugths further in his tirade. “Why. if 1 was to go tr Slr Look wood and tell him j you're Mortimer Henry, alias Nat can”“That will do.” icily “That will be all for this evening, thanks." “Are you goin’ to quit chasin’ after Josie?" ; / - . ' ■ = "I’ll begin chasing after you if you, don’t clear out of here.” “You better agree”— Just there the storm burst Ten see- 1 onds later Roland, with a confused impression of having been kicked by a mule, picked himself up out of the dust in the middle of the street and stared stupidly back at the store. “Here’s your hat. Roly," called Nat | Tossing him the hat Nat turned con- ! temptuously. He paused in the middle of the store and felt of his necktie- It proved to ; be a little out of place, but otherwise he was as immaculate as-was his wont j He reviewed tfie encounter and laughed quietly. “There's no cure for a fool,” he mused The telephone bell roused him from his reverie. He went over to the instrument, sat down and put the re- ! ceiver to bis ear. “Hello!” he said. “Oh. hello, Josie! What's that? That’s right bat I’m not used to it yet you know. Well. I’ll try again Now—ready?’ He schooled his voice to a key of heartrending sentiment “Hello, darling How’s that? Told your father? Told him what? Oh. 'about the engagement? Was he angry? Oh. he wasn’t, eh? What did he say? Wasn’t that nice of him!” Conscious of a slight ncise in the store, he looked up. A young woman hid Just entered. She paused just inside the door, smiling at him a little timidly. T vj Without another word to his fiancee Nat put down the telephone and hooked up the receiver. 1 “Bettyr he cried wonderingly (To Be Continued.)

“ONLY KEEP SINGLE, ” HE SAID.

THE MILITANT MBS WILLING.