OCR Text |
Show Clarke was Sam Haskins principal assistant and for his services drew a stipend of forty dollars a week a sum regarded in Pilareitos as truly princely. At the corner of C and Main streets Elmer paused before a vacant store. Above the portal a faded blue and gold sign informed whoever might have been interested sufficiently to wonder what local ' industry had on this spot taken root, withered and died, that once upon a time H. had here dispensed Choice Stall-FeMeats. Every morning of his life, en route to the Smoke Shoppe, Elmer Clarke was wont to pause before this dusty and forlorn arena of H. Wasser vogel's despair and In his minds eye make it over into Elmer Clarkes Smokerie, and Pilarcitos Sanitary Barber Shop and the Nonparlel Billiard and Pool Parlor. Elmer knew to the last nail exactly how it could be done, provided he could borrow five thousand dollars on the lot and bungalow he had inherited from his mother. Five thousand, together with his savings, would enable him to transform the deserted butcher shop into something that would draw trade from Sam Haskins Smoke Shoppe so fast that within a year the latter place would resemble the ruins of one of those Maya cities in the jungles of Yucatan. The trouble with n. Wasservogel, Elmer ruminated, was that he had too much overhead. He could have got along with half the space and subleased the other half. If I Morning, Elmer, a cheerful voice hailed. ne turned and gazed into a countenance that somehow appeared vaguely familiar. After the second look he recognized Ansel Moody, whom he had seen every day for five years. I didnt recognize you. Why, Moody, Elmer replied flippantly and disrespectfully to the banker. He had been the first man in Pilarcitos to call old Ansel to his face anything but Was-servog- el d ten-pen- THE STORY Hiram Butterworth, miser, decides to leave his fortune to a nephew, Elmer Clarke, of whom he has received favorable reButterworth tells his ports. lawyer, Absolom McPeake, of having swindled a man out of $40,000 forty years before, and arranges for payment with interest. Butterworth dies CHAPTER II Mrs. Matilda Bray, familiarly known in Pilarcitos as Old Lady Bray, who came on duty at seven oclock a. m. to handle the night letters arriving at the Pilarcitos telegraph office, closed her key, sat back and read with interest the message she had just received for Elmer Clarke. Will wonders never cease the good soul murmured and reached for the telephone. When It responded she asked to have Miss Nellie Cath-cacalled to the telephone. A long wait; then Miss Nellie said Bello. Nellie! What do you suppose has happened? This is Mrs. Bray of the Elmer telegraph office speaking. Clarkes uncle, Hiram Butterworth, died back in Iowa yesterday. You knew that, didnt you? Yes, Mrs. Bray. "Well, just this minute I took a night letter from a lawyer, directed to Elmer, of course, and Uncle nirams will has been opened and Elmers been left a million dollars Do you hear me, Nellie? A million dollars! Isnt it wonderful, Nellie?" Im very happy at Elmer's good fortune, Mrs. Bray. Elmers good fortune! Old Lady Bray practically shrieked the words. What about your good fortune? Have you just received the message over the wire, Mrs. Bray? Nellie Cathcarts voice was calm. This very minute! Well, then, Mrs. Bray, why not send the telegram to Elmer immediately and permit him to be the one to tell the world of his good fortune? But I thought why I I thought youd want to know it first I fear you think too much about other peoples . business, dear Mrs. The telephone clicked; Nellie Bray. Cathcart had hung up. Miserable, ungrateful little cat, snarled Old Lady Bray, and immediately called Rev. Mr. Claude pastor of the First Christian church, of which Elmer Clarkes mother now deceased had been a member. To Mr. Goodfellow Old Lady Bray in confidence this time related the news of what she termed Elmer Clarkes windfall. Mr. Goodfellow promised to respect her confidence and immediately returned to the breakfast table and told his wife and eldest daughter. Five minutes later his eldest daughter Alice telephoned Ansel Moody, president and sole owner of the Pilarcitos Commercial Trust & Savings bank. Mr. Moody was the treasurer of her fathers church, and as a banker he would naturally be interested in the prospect of a new account of such magnitude. Moreover Miss Alice was Ansel Moody's bookkeeper and was aware that some months previous Elmer Clarke had approached her employer with a proposition to lend him five thousand dollars on his house and lot in C street At the time old Ansel had turned a cold ear to the request and Elmer had left the bank disappointed and angry. Now old Ansel told Alice she was a sharp girl and as she hung up the receiver she was aflutter with the prospect of a salary raise. Immediately upon hearing from ! rt 1 Good-fello- Alice Goodfellow, Ansel Moody telephoned to Old Lady Bray and or- dered her to withhold delivery of the telegram to Elmer Clarke for one hour. The banker was the telegraph companys principal customer and Old Lady Bray would have trembled for her position had she failed to obey his ' order. At half past seven oclock that morning Elmer Clarke left his home and set forth to the locus of his labors in Sam Haskins Smoke Shoppe at the corner bf Main andf F streets. Elmer ' Mr. Moody. No, sir, 1 didnt recognize you at first. You were smiling! Ha-ha- ! " old Ansel Ila! barked mirthlessly. Still holdin your little grudge, eh, Elmer? I still feel the old pain, Elmer reYoure a pawnbroker, plied candidly. not a banker. Most bankers lend some money on ability and integrity, but you want collateral worth fully GO per cent more than the loan, and even then you require a responsible indorseHa-ha!- ment." Germ-Processe- wont thin out! d often have heard, "Ill HOW time becauseyouof high speed customary thing, until Conoco drive at a Now an all-da- y You know that driving? It Germ-Processe- d was quite the , Why, Mr. Moody! I've The great man rumbled on. come to the conclusion that if you was to get set up in a swell place of your own, Sam Haskins trade would follow you, E.mer, like drunkards to a wrecked rum ship. Whenever youre ready, Elmer, come down to the bank an see me. Ill give you a loan of five thousand on your property in C Old Ansels face street an er took on a harried, questing look. You pretty sure you can git by on five thousand, Elmer? I wouldnt bite off moren I could chew if I was you, startin out, but er Well, I really ought to have ten hunthousand. I have twenty-fiv- e dred in your savings department. hunIf youll put that twenty-fiv- e dred into the venture, by gravy thatll show confidence In your enterprise, Elmer, an Ill give you an open credit hundred more. Thats of twenty-fivaint fair, it?. More than fair. Mr. Moody. Im afraid I was a little hasty with you that day, and this morning, but then Old Ansel raised a deprecating hand. Dont mention it, Elmer. A fellers bound to make mistakes. Ive made proof. . . at the Indianapolis and Altoona races at speeds up to 120 miles an hour and in numberless individual tests ... is history Your own experience will add to the weight of the proof. Motor Oil in this day of high You need Conoco OOW. Speed motors andhigh speed driving. You'll find it at the sign of the Conoco Red Triangle., .the proper grade for your car at 3 5 a quart. Day and Night O'Fuddle Old Van Slam has four musical instruments now. OMuddle What does he play on most? O'Fuddle His neighbors nerves. New Bedford Standard. Garfield Tea Was Your Grandmother's Remedy For every stomach and intestinal ill. This good herb home remedy for c onstipation, stomach ills and ed derange- of the system so prevalent these days is In even greater favor as a family medicine than in your grandmothers day. e em myself. Come see me when Mexican Trees list of trees common in Mexico includes: v. Yucca, zapote chico, pine, juniper, .oak, ahuehuete, magnolia, acacia, myrtle, mimosa, bamboo, Spanish cedar and logwood. . Travel with a Conoco Passport! , of your proposed motor trip or let . Send an outline us help plan your . crip. Get a Conoco passport, individually marked maps and other travel helps.. all FREE! More than 50,000 motorists used this service in the season just passed. CONOCO TRAVEL BUREAU Denver, Colorado. Giving a hungry man advice is Wrong Description as charitable as feeding ice about come aunt Little Geraldines had to visit her and she was talking to cream to a wax doll. Geraldine and her mother about her father, whom she never had met. Later, just as she was preparing to leave, the aunt mentioned that she had seen a little girl that looked like Geraldine with a gentleman downtown, the Sunday before. Kidney Disorders Are Too Well, said Geraldine, it couldnt Serious to Ignore. have been me. I was downtown, all If bothered with bladder irright, but I was with my daddy all ritations, getting up at night day. and constant backache, dont take chances! Help your kidDr. Pierces Favorite Prescription makes neys at the first sign of disorder. weak women strong. No alcohol. Sold Use Doan's Pills. Successful for Adv. in or tablets liquid. by druggists more than 50 years. Endorsed r Dorit Risk ' Neglect by hundreds of thousands of grateful users. Get Doons No! No! No! Mary Your insults have no effect on me. You will not gain your point in that way ! Martin What do I want to gain? Mary You want to make me go to mother. But Ill send for her to come here. Answers. Sold everywhere. Doan's ills Correct Do you know how the rats got in Some who cast bread upon the wahere? ters hope that it will come back Naw. "I suppose thats right. cake; and sometimes it does. A DIURETIC FOR THE KIDNEYS Mean Insinuation My father was a man of mark. Couldnt sign his name, I suppose? London Tit-Bits. k (TO BE CONTINUED.) A PROCESSED MUAFf IN BASE MOTOR. OIL youre ready to shoot, and with a friendly wave of his hand he was off to open hank for the busihis little ness of the day. At the corner of Main and D 'streets Rev. Claude Goodfellow met Elmer, with a broad smile of brotherly love and appreciation. He cut around Reverend Goodfellow and continued on his way. Before he had reached E street he had been accosted by four .men and two women with whom he was not particularly well acquainted certainly not friendly. And he could not help noticing that they had gone out of their way to speak to him kindly and shake hands. They had never done that before, so Elmer wondered what he had that they wanted and eventually came to the conclusion that it must be his Elmer was the only lawn mower. householder in his block who owned a lawn mower which was kept in excellent running order. red-bric- GEkM oil wont thin out at high speeds; d know, too, that it actually reduces motor operating temperatures, because of the added "oiliness produced by the Germ Process. The other ments CONOCO Oil came along. speed brings no oil worries. 60-mil- e Germ-Processe- have to change oil early Germ-Processe- d yknow, Elmer, us bankers aint got all the' say bout that, old Ansel soothed him. We got to be careful. However, I been thinkin your proposition over since you was in the bank last an Ive about come to the conclusion Ill take a chance on you, Elmer. Well-1- You can drive all day at 60... and your No more COLIC pains . . . give Castoria Folks say they have done the best they know how when they have done only half the best The original family tree was of the apple variety. CHEAP POWER RIGS, stationary or portable, fine for Carpenters, Mechanics, Farmers, etc., can be made from OLD AUTO ENGINES, obtainable anywhere for a song, bv adding a $10 guaranteed Candec-Smit- h Automatic Governor. Send for circular. 8. G. WOOD, 1306 S. WESTLAKE AVE., LOS ANGELES. CALIF. Save this ad. TOUR CAMERA PICTURES in the night may be the Acry has colic. first that Made into Transparencies. structions. PHOTO ART, handy! This pure vegetable preparation brings quick comfort, and can never do the slightest harm. Always keep a bottle in the house. It is the safe and sensible thing when children are ailing. Whether it's the stomach, or the little bowels; colic or constipation; or diarrhea. When tiny tongues are coated, or the breath is bad. When theres need of gentle regulation. Every child loves the taste of Castoria, and its mildness makes it suitable for the tiniest infant, and for frequent use. Sunshine warning SAN Baby 25c for full in1619 GOUGH ST.. FRANCISCO. CALIF. No cause for alarm if Castoria is All Winter Long At And a more liberal dose of Castoria is usually all thats needed to right the irregularities of older, growing children. Genuine Castoria has Chas. H. Fletchers signature on the wrapper. Its prescribed by doctors! the Foremost Desert Resort of the West marvelous climate warm sunny dry invigorating days clear starlit nights air splendid roads gorgeous mountain scenes finest hotels the ideal winter home. Writ C re A Chaftmy PALM SPRINGS California W. N. U, Salt Lak City, No. 931. |