| Show 4 t H jill service 0 joseph mccord CHAPTER XI continued 12 while old white still clanged its it last call to worship pinckney 9 rew emerged from the front door doo of the parsonage he wore a checked suit neatly pressed his hi shoes were polished to a faultless brilliancy A derby hat pulled well over the damaged ear bestowed i a final touch of smartness placidly unmindful of curious stares pink sauntered into the church if jonathan farwell never had urged pinckney to sub scribe to his own religious beliefs or their outward practice he was none the less touched by this sudden departure from an unvarying sabbath routine so much so that his dark eyes betrayed a quick flicker of greeting when they encountered pinks furtive gaze distinctly abashed by the une unexpected x tribute devoted himself to a cursory cursory estimate of the days gate his eyes roved farther afield than he was aware they were attracted to a red hat held for an instant A nod and a bright smile were his reward that brown dame and planted where he be would have to pass her on the way out the brady girl was sure to be somewhere here in the crowd the two of them were swapping letters right along no doubt quite to his surprise dale found that a letter to lee was a necessary part of each days program they were filled with brief accounts of work his plans f for or the future high hopes soon after his labors were started dale was moved to forward encouraging word to lee about our job doctor payne would be glad to put in a word with some of his mining clients when the time came there was one man he had particularly in mind the name was kimsey or kelsey some sort of an eupora tion engineer who worked all over the country it sounded rather encouraging cou raging dales dutiful reports to his fa father ther and an occasional free and easy scribble to pink might have come I 1 from different pens the first were slightly formal they dealt with courses and faculty associates expenses and general university activities when writing to dale dwelt upon athletics and the new field house with its big swimming pool he was keeping in shape by boxing twice a week thanks to you they accuse me of being a professional fess ional pink prized these missives highly and made shift to answer each one doctor john payne geologist was entertaining a visitor in his small office in a corner of the hall of science paynes heavy body relaxed in his swivel chair as he passed his fingers caressingly over his pointed white beard the nearby window stood wide admitting the soft april air it all sounds very interesting wade payne remarked 1 I only wish I 1 were a little younger and had some spare time lime id like nothing better than to spend a few months up there why dont you the man on the other side of the table asked the question with quick incisiveness there was an unmistakable air of affluence about him one of the fingers tapping restlessly on his chair arm was banded with a curious scarab ring payne shook his bald head good natu and smiled outings like that are for young bloods maybe so john but I 1 believe more than ever after talking today that this is worth looking into spending some money on heres what I 1 have in mind id like to run across a live man who can find his way around and work out an accurate survey I 1 dont want an expert they usually know too much at the start instead ol of paying a hundred or so a day to some fellow for a lot of stuff culled out of monographs id rather pay half the money to a kid who can keep his eyes open and his mouth shut dependable you know if I 1 decide to do it ill be gambling gambing h wi with t h my own money I 1 1 I 1 I see payne nodded thoughtfully well wade I 1 rather think I 1 have the man for you hes open for a position this spring good who is he one of our last years class hes been here this semester helping me out with some of ginghams Ling hams classes done very well too hes going to make an al A l 1 man for some concern sounds good to me mind if I 1 give him the once over 1 I wish you would I 1 imagine he is out in the laboratory now spends most of his spare time there if wait a minute ill see payne quitted the office offic and returned almost at once wi with th a t tall an Y ag man at his heels farwell I 1 want you to meet a good friend of mine this is mr wade K kelsey elsey of minneapolis dale started at the name kelsey so this was the engineer his chief had mentioned then aloud he said 1 11 I am glad to meet you mr kelsey what was the name again Kel dark brows knitted slightly as he withdrew his hand from the younger younge remans mans firm clasp and resumed his seat farwell sir oh yes sit down there dale payne indicated a vacant chair mr kelsey has been talking with me about some mineral prospects in northern ontario he is considering sending a man up there to make a report I 1 suggested that you might like t to discuss it with him if you anything else in mind for the summer indeed I 1 oh yes kelsey came out of his reverie with a start here is the section ive been talking about to the doctor kelsey shifted a V Z i q fa 7 g JJ A you se see eIve ive never had a real job dale explained modestly to kelsey when the subject came up large map so that dale might observe it more easily in terse sentences he explained that he and several associates were interested in a group of claims kelsey and two of the others had made a trip into the country shortly before the snow fell we were coming out along the Missi shed about here while I 1 was cruising a bit on my own the engineer continued 1 I picked up some pieces of float that interested me they come from any outcropping cropping out that I 1 could locate but I 1 would give a good deal to know exactly where they did come from doctor payne has just verified one of my guesses what do you think of this kelsey took a fragment of quartz from his vest pocket and laid it on the map dale examined it closely with the aid of a glass that lay near his hand my guess would be that it metallic sulphide kelsey sent a quick glance at payne youve taught him to be cagy I 1 see youre right young man no pyrites youre looking at its the real thing if you can show me where it came from originally it will do me a lot of good you too you mean sir that you are going to try and locate the outcrop ping if there is one 1 I am not but im thinking very seriously of turning somebody out on a still hunt and somebody who has a reputation for not talking I 1 think I 1 would prefer a man who know the territory and who known there the doctor here thinks you might fill the bill would you care to consider it id be glad to then I 1 think you and I 1 had better talk it over a little more if you are not busy after dinner drop deop over to my hotel find me at the hawkeye about nine say I 1 ill be glad to mr kelsey and thank you very much what do you think of him wade payne inquired as the door closed behind dale he might be the chap im looking for kelsey mused still staring at the door john do you know his background 1 I cant say that I 1 do his father is a minister I 1 believe lives somewhere in the east how much should I 1 offer him 1 1 I shall be rather surprised if he leave that to you this surmise of payne proved correct you see ive never had a real job I 1 dale explained modestly to kelsey when the subject came up dur during rin g their talk at the hotel if yo you t think I 1 can handle the work id much rather let you decide what it is worth whatever it is in ill try to earn it and I 1 think ill take the chan chance ce lp kelsey decided swiftly we can thrash out the details when the time comes there are a few things however wed better go into I 1 suppose you dont want to leave here until your work Ss Is finished 1 I would rather not when will that be about the first weak week in june I 1 think we ought to make it earlier however lets figure on that you should plan to come direct to minneapolis to see me start from there just where do you live in new jersey locust hill then have to come straight up I 1 think well outfit you and all that go in by way of fort william and lose very little time can you do that yes sir dale made the decision casion with equal promptness 1 I thought you might have to go home first kelsey said not necessarily I 1 will try to make a flying trip before that we are almost to the eastern holiday and I 1 think doctor payne will let me have a few days extra are both your parents living no sir only my father too bad when did you lose your mother when I 1 was a baby about two dale hesitated a little over his answer well farwell your name is dale it well cau call it more or less settled I 1 think ill see you in minneapolis if not sooner probably be hearing from me payne has my address he might even give me a recommendation en dation 11 dale laughed at the idea 1 I wish I 1 could tell you how much I 1 appreciate this mr kelsey au all right I 1 be surprised if you and I 1 might hit it off pretty well well see CHAPTER XII some three days later pinckney was interrupted during the washing of his luncheon dishes by an insistent ringing of the parsonage doorbell muttering d dark a r k threats in case the caller proved to be a book agent the house man wriggled into his jacket and pattered to answer the summons dale stood before him suitcase in hand and smiling broadly for the love of mikel pink shrilled unbelievingly K i d I 1 you blow from phinie phillie and points west the traveler laughed seizing the little e mans hand with a crushing grip Is father here sure sure he hes s upstairs got a funeral or so methin on missed him in a minute get thrower out did you not a chance dale already was bounding up the stairs tell you later he called back over his shoulder jonathan farwell had heard the voices and was in the upper hall one of his arms thrust into the sleeve of his long black coat dale this is a sur his hand came out I 1 1 I trust nothing is wrong no sirl Every things as right as can be father I 1 was going to wire you then I 1 thought id surprise you instead ive got a jobi he announced exultantly you mean that you have left the university oh no but I 1 have to report as soon as schools over and I 1 wont have a chance to get back here so I 1 thought I 1 would run out for a few days and tell you that is news where are you goings going farwell glanced at his watch hudson bay or not far from there pink said something about your going out yes I 1 have a funeral funer al this afternoon I 1 am af afraid raid I 1 must leave pow now chos dead Arly anybody body I 1 know miss emmons the burial is to take platie place in the country and I 1 will be away most of the afternoon perhaps you will go with me dales face fell his father must know that he had to see lee the first minute he could 1 I dont believe I 1 can manage it he began hesitatingly you see quite farwell answered shortly perhaps you will arrange to be be here for dinner with me why of course I 1 will father im anxious to tell you all about it dale followed his father down to the door feeling a trifle conscious stricken at this turn of events too bad but to spend the afternoon at a funeral lee even know he was in town he must call her at once and arrange to see her can you stick around here long enough to let a guy in on the e ex X cit ement pink demanded from the rear of the hall as soon as he heard the receiver click in its bracket surel im not going out for an hour you dont happen to have a slab of cake that I 1 could worry with before I 1 clean up do you cake how do you get that way A cake lasts two weeks instead of two days when youre gone ill one together this afternoon if I 1 forgot how howd a piece of rhubarb pie hit you try me there you are the chef announced noun ced as he produced a plate bearing a generous wedge of pas try tell me what its all about while youre wolfing ive got a job pink yeah not around here I 1 hope no its up in canada im going there as soon as schools over and some swell pie shucks Shuck sl 1 hope that jobs a long ways oil off and tough goin 1 why so cause it might knock some of the foolishness outa you wild country maybe so they tell me all woods indian guides and that sort of thing ill be going in a canoe a lot or of times making portages por and camping wherever I 1 can TO BE CONTINUED |
