Show money to aburn ely by peter B kyne Q by peter 13 kans san alca THE STORY ithram alu tt e rw orth miser dies suddenly leaving hla his fortune of more than a million to elmer clarke nephew before his death hiram arranged tor for payment with interest of which he had swindled a man out of forty years before unknown to H elmer imer his sweetheart nellie cathcart bank toller teller Is heiress of the swindled man colorado charley c rook crook and his partner mae plan to pluck ulmer limer posing as a reporter named doris gatewood Cate wood mae callson calls on H omer elmer nimer elmer Is a candidate for school trustee nellla nellie spots dorla doris as an adventuress nimer llmer goes to los angeles and visits doris and her brother CHAPTER VIII continued 15 elmer arrived home in a singularly happy frame of mind lie ile had bad had a perfectly time in los angeles at ai parting doris had in tier brot brothers bers presence and with that candor and charm which so fascinated elmer insisted upon kissing him goodby then she had walked out to the car with him and shaken hla his hand in farewell she said she sleep a wink until she knew lie he had arrived home safely and lie he telegraph her the instant that happy end had been accomplished kimer elmer would lie ile promised tier her solemnly to that effect and he kept his promise ile he should have known better old lady bray handled that telegram made it a note of the ladys name and address and promptly circulated a report that nellie cathcart had better look out eliat a girl in los log angeles was after elmer clarke and r 3 in a fair way of landing him the theft of the queen bee from a hive could not possibly have upset a community of bees one half so much as the three reports on elmers los angeles activities upset Illar eltos the town buzzed with gossip and idle speculation if it had been pro elmer and antl anti elmer prior to that fatal trip to los loa angeles it was now pro nellie to the last man and woman elmer had been regarded the moment news of his inheritance had become known as first prize won by miss nellie cathcart now to have a stranger beat nellie out by a whisker in the last jump as 09 it were r to employ racing parlance set the town agog with excitement elmer arrived in Pilar eltos too late in the afternoon to take nellie to luncheon and as he was due that t night to conduct an initiation of a class of thirty neophytes into the local lodge of the woodmen goodmen of the world he had no opportunity of seeing her until noon of the following day dy by that time however he be had bad listened to enough bucolic badinage and impish queries regarding his gallantry in los angeles to realize that nellie cathcart must have listened to twice as aa much consequently lie he was somewhat troubled of soul as he ha drew up in front of the bank and waited for nellie toi emerge she came flashing him a radiant smile of welcome froin the top step where she paused to make deliberate appraisal of the new millionaire hla his chauffeur and his new car elmer stepped out opened the door and waved her in oh boyl nellie murmured breathlessly and popped in elmer darling its gorgeous so gorgeous that im grateful to be the second girl to alde in it first nellie help thrusting that one home and it went home too elmer flushed and looked as guilty as aa a pheap dog as lie he climbed la in beside tier her well there was but one thing tor toe do and that was to tell the truth shame the devil and let tho the chips fall falk where they might well ill tell you all about her le began but nellie raised a menacing finger dont elmerl elmer I 1 it necessary yea do not have to I 1 know you just happened to be riding along you me mel lie hy she bhe was walking she ahe recognized yoa and you u just hid had to be decent and give her a lift well have it your own way lie he replied gloomily but bravely only that the way you see id met f her before ashes a newspaper correspondent and she came up here to get a story from me on how it eela feels to be a poor man one day and aall a millionaire lion lio alre the next ashes lies a very charm lug ing girl and her name la Is doris doria pate i wood a correspondent for or the th american V warly aly of new york I 1 hap bened to tell her I 1 was going to los LO angeles to buy this car and she sug that if I 1 would telephone her hei shed let we me read her story before she matted mailed it east easl I 1 suppose she didat want to write anything to which I 1 1 might object oh 1 said nellie did she write a a nice interesting story y about you elmer ill be hanged it if I 1 know he confessed we forgot to look at it just as well you forgot elmer she write a snappy interesting story anyhow ashes as spurious as a lead dollar now how can you say such a thing about a girl you have never met meta elmer challenged saw you walking down to the depot with her the night she was in allar cites heard cleard a fragment of her conversation vers atlon heard tier her laugh noted her general makeup make mak cLup up all but enough for little nellie cathcart well ill admit she in your class nellie but nevertheless I 1 think ashes charming ashes bully company so much so that I 1 double crossed you and gave tier her the first ride after id promised you nellies gay gurgling little laugh set him at his ease now that ive made you suffer dear you may pick yourself up and dust yourself off im not miffed at you but I 1 could kill a number of people in this town today so could 1 I 1 I wish I 1 jumped into that campaign for high school trustee youre all that keeps me from leaving this town and never coming back I 1 hope I 1 get whipped to a frazzle in that trustee fight honestly I 1 do nellies hand came over and rested on his you go in and win she commanded the day I 1 catch you drag dirig your tall in this community Is the day you and I 1 are going mohave to have our first real disagreement leave pilar aitos as often as you like and have a good time ilme while you are away but come back to when I 1 begin to demand a detailed report on your doings it will be time for you to commence worrying 1 I dont think I 1 could stand that lie he confessed soberly nellie laughed no man of spirit would where are you taking me for luncheon out to jrp joe 11 well elmer nellie announced when they found themselves seated ive sold your house and lot on the terms you named if drop in at the bank after luncheon and sign the deed ill attest it and the deal will be closed in twenty four hours three cheers I 1 said elmer Neil nellie lep youre a smart girl when does the new owner desire to take possession of my house immediately 0 K ill take a suite at the hotel atta boy I 1 said nellie now lets talk about your campaign for high school trustee and organize that ive been checking off on votes trying to estimate your probable strength and it seems to me you have a fight on your hands watch my smoke said elmer clarke clarice because lie was so easy to handle nellie favored him with a loving look and with difficulty repressed an impulse to lean across the table and kiss chiv hiv dear blind straightforward straight thinking elmert elmer all she had to do to hold him in line was to show him a fight and then send him into it ile he had been fighting and winning since his twelfth birthday and it had never been an easy light fight ills path had always been beset with obstacles which he had successfully hurdled but far down that path nellie could discern one obstacle that must send him crashing to the ground yes nothing but death before he should reach that obstacle could save elmer clarke from having its his nose rubbed ju in the dirt and nellie had a vane curiosity to see how this man who had tasted victory would assimilate simi late defeat chagrin sneers gibes and the varied cruelties cruel ties of a world which tramples joyously over the fellow who goes down in the fight standing alone in a stricken field would elmer defeated acknowledge ledgeL defeat why nellie what are anu you crying about he demanded suddenly nellies sweet mouth trembled pitifully 1 I I 1 I 1 cant tell you elmer iw im jut s s silly shuts all 1 I 1 I any spunk please forgive me darling elmer was delighted most men are when they think they have observed lu infallible fallible evidence that the girl they love but arent quite certain of evinces signs of jealousy poor elmer thought she was jealous of doris TO BE CONTINUED |