Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 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. I9IO; by Winchell Smith tod Louis Joseph Vance CHAPTER XXIL BUT at the doorstep of the Methodist church Nat hesitated. \ The building was dimly Lighted, for it was choir practice night, and the door was ajar, but he couldn't bring himself toi enter. Raving and ranting with the extravagance of youth, he passed, through the village, out into the open country, and, in the course of an hour and a half, back, all blindly, circling back to the store, in the course of his wanderings, as instinctively as a carrier pigeon shapes its course for home. It was with incredulity that he found himself again in that cheerful, cherished, homely place. But there he was when he came out of his abstraction—there in those familiar surroundings, with Tracey's round red face beaming at him over the cigar stand like a lively counterfeit of the round red moon he had watched lift up into the skies, back there in the still countryside, just as be paused to turn back to town. »

He recollected his faculties and resumed command of himself sufficiently to acknowledge Tracey’s greeting with a moody word. “All right, Tracey,” he said abruptly. “Yon may go now. I’ll shot np the store.”

He looked at his watch and was surprised to discover that it was no later than half past 8. He seemed to have lived a lifetime in the last few hours.

“Thank you, sir,” said Tracey, with a gush of gratitude. “I’ll be glad to get off. Angie's waitin’.” . “Angie ?’ “Good evening. Mr. Dnnrnn ” i “Oh, Miss TuthillJ” Nat discovered that little rogue, all smiles and dimples and hlushes, not distant from his elbow. “I see you—l was thinking.”

“Guess we know what you was thinkin’ about,” observed Tracey, bringing his hat round the counter. “Everybody in town’s talkin’ about it.” “About what?”

“Ah, you know about what, and •w’e’re mighty glad of it, and we want to congratulate you, don’t we, Angie?” “Oh, yes, indeed, Mr. Duncan. It’s Just too Sweet for anything.” “0 Lord.'” groaned Nat. “I’m awful glad you done It when you did,” pursued Tracey, oblivious to Nat in his own ecstatic temper. “I guess I wouldn’t never’ve got up the spunk to—to tell Angie what I did tonight ’f it hadn’t been we was talkin’ Txmt your engagement to Josie. Then, somehow, it just seemed to bust right out of me. like I couldn't hold it no longer. Didn’t it, Angie?” “Oh. Tracey, how can you talk so!” “Then you’re engaged, too?” Nat in* quired. rousing, himself a little and smiling feebly upon them. “Yes. sir.”

“I’m glad to hear it. It’s great news. Now, run along, both of yiu, and don’t forget you’ll never be so happy again.” With what he thought an expiring

flash of humor be raised his bands above their heads. “Bless you, my children !” he said solemnly. “Now, for heaven’s sake, beat it!” Alone he went to the prescription desk and, opening one of the drawers, took oat the firm's books. After that for some fifteen minutes there was nothing to be beard in the store save Nat’s breathing and the scfatehlng of his pen as he figured out a trial balance. Brisk footfalls disturbed hip. He sighed and moved oat into the store to find Kellogg there, snare and easy, as always, yet with that in his man-

ner. perceptible perhaps only to a friend of long standing like Nat, to betray a mind far from complacent. “Oh, you're here!” he cried, with a distinct start of relief. **Tve been looking all over for you." • “I just got in." Nat brushed aside explanations curtly, Intent upon his purpose. “Harry, I’ve got something to say to you. I'm not going through with this thing.” “You’re not?”

“NTo, and that’s final. I was just on the point of drawing yoh a check for three hundred—that’s all my share fft the profits olf this concern so far—and my note for the balance. I’ll pay that op as soon as I'm able, and I’ll work like a terrier until 1 do. But, as for the rest of it, I’m through." j 'J “Oh, you are?" Kellogg took a cha|r and tipped back, frowning gravely. “But what .about your word to me?” “There’s nothing to that, - ’ said Duncan without heat “The word of honor of a man wbo’d stoop to a trick as vile aa I have doesn’t amount to a continental shinplaster. I'll rather be dishonored by breaking it than by ruining a woman's life.” “Very well, if yon /feel that way about it,” said Kellogg as coolly. “And you may keep your check and note; I wouldn’t take them. You can pay me back when it’s convenient—l don’t care when. But what I want to know is what you mean to do.” “I mean to do the only thing left to do. I’m going to shut up here and then see Lockwood and Josie and tell them the whole story ” “HmT Kellogg reflected, quizzical. “You’ve got a pleasant little job ahead of you.”

“I don't care about that I deserve all that's coming to me I owe Josie a duty. Why, It’s awful. Harry, to trick a girl Into caring for you and then to —to”—

“Break her heart?” Kellogg’s tone was sardonic. “That’s what I meant.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, my boy. Josie Lockwood doesn’t love you. She just set herself to win yon because you’re the best chance she’s seen.” Kellogg laughed quietly. “The system would have worked just as well If any one else had tried it” “

“Do you think so—honest?* Nat’s eagerness to believe him was undisguised.

‘Tin sure of it The trouble is that people will say you’ve thrown her over —there isn’t any one in Radville who hasn't heard the news by this time—and that's going to make the girl feel pretty cheap, but only for awhile. She’ll get over it and solace herself with the next best thing. And don’t forget—you lose a fortune.” “No, I don't.” Duncan disclaimed. “I never had it, and now I don’t want It”

“That’s true enough,” Kellogg ad mitted evenly "And I hope you’ll al a-ays feel that way about It; but believe me, you’ll find plenty of money a great help if you want to live a happy life.” “There are better things than money to make a man happy. I’ll pass up the money and try for the others.” “That’s true too. But when did you find It out?”

“Here—this last year. You know I had everything my heart desired until the governor cashed in, and I used to think I was a pretty happy kid in those days. But now I’ve learned that you can beat that kind of happiness to Harry’’—Duncan was growing almost sententious —“the real way to, be happy is to work and have your work amount to something and —and to have some one who believes in you to work for.” “Is this a sermon, Nat?’ “Call it what you tike. It goes, just the same. That’s what I’ve found out this year.” (To Be Continued.)

“IT’S JUST TOO SWEET FOB ANYTHING."