Show money to burn by peter B kyttle n 8 0 by petr B kyna semi CHAPTER X continued 19 well there was nothing to do now save bave go through with the awful operation so with a flashing eye that belled aled his trembling soul he stalked into old anse Alo moods moodys odys lair and in a thundering voice demanded of chatas that astounded individual what the devil he be meant by refusing pay payment menton on one of his cheeks checks dont know a thing about it elmer old anse protested hu humbly abi Y alice goodfellow tends to all that she ehe was sick yesterday an nellie cathcart posted up the customers ledger I 1 reckon nellie knows why she che done it step over to her cage an ask her boy nellie looked up from her work as elmers face appeared at her window yes te 1 1 I did it elmer she confessed 1 I thought perhaps you had acted hastily in the matter and I 1 wanted to give you some time to think it over I 1 hoped you might change your mind before the check should be paid find and tell us to stop payment 1 I know what I 1 am about he replied quietly may aray I 1 suggest that hereafter you mind your own business and leave to me the minding of my own those signatures were perfectly regular and you know it I 1 want you to wire that los angeles angelea bank to send the check back to this bank for payment why nellie you must be loony to do such a thing I 1 sorry I 1 missed that one nellie replied complacently but watch me line out the next ball that passes over the plate run along now I 1 assure you I 1 have no desire to laugh in your face you big boob I 1 ills face turned white with fury disdaining further argument he left the bank abruptly while nellie wired the los log angeles bank to return the check tor for further examination of the signatures ot of the In Indor dorsers sera that night when hla his colored rc retainer tal rier jasper summoned elmer to dinner n er the latter found a fat plain en envelope beside his plate it bore a los angeles angelea postmark after reading its contents contenta elmers appetite failed him com completely petely he sat motionless staring wildly into space presently elmers fox terrier denly benjy becoming alarmed at his masters rigidity and silence came to the lattera chair and uttered a short friendly little bark elmer paid no attention to him so BO benjy favored his master 1 with a little bite on the shin whereupon elmer butterworth Buttor worth clarke rose in his agony and with a well directed kick skidded the surprised benjy fifteen feet across the room 0 the he fir first t thing N nellie cath cathcart cart saw as the curtain went up before her window at ten next mo morning ruing was elmer butterworth clarke ile he said very distinctly stop payment on that gatewood check please nellie nodded and elmer strode out of the bank nor diche utter ai another iother syllable nellie did not blame him in the least for there are moments when silence Is golden it was not an easy task to frighten elmer eimer clarke experts had tried that and failed nellie cathcart however had succeeded not only in frightening elmer but also in stampeding him a fact of which she was fully aware when upon returning from her luncheon she was informed byI by mr tIr critten den the cashier that elmer must be planning to take a journey since he be had just purchased two thousand dollars worth of travelers checks nellie left the bank and walked swiftly up main street to the public telephone office and sought a booth nellie speaking elmer are yon going away yes I 1 am elmers voice was lugubrious when five minutes from now im motoring to san francisco and will take the overland limited from there whither away elmer to muscatine Muscat lne iowa to look after my interests and you were going away with without out a word of farewell to me yes I 1 wasl was savagely 1 I had an idea I 1 deserve such treatment elmer you dont youre an angel elmers voice had a slight catch iri in it now well you could drop over to the lank bank for a minute to say goodby you ill not pick or on you 1 I know it nellie just the trouble I 1 require a lot of picking on im the wild ass asa of the universe well elmer darling im afraid im not well up on natural matoral bli history tory but it a characteristic of the wild lisa ass to run away when frightened 1 E imer elmer instantly lied to her tor for the first time oh im not frightened nellie I 1 what have I 1 got to be frightened about you act as if you are afraid of me not afraid of you nellie just a little ashamed to face you all im going away to well I 1 think I 1 ought to go away for a while for the good of my soul why dont you go to los angeles again Nel nellie liet I 1 please please I 1 silly old dear I 1 am picking on you after all im sorry ill not do it again tell me elmer have I 1 ruined your romance nellie why did you hold up that check the first time A womans comans instinct I 1 thought it if I 1 gave you time to reconsider you might change your mind and I 1 right elmer dear you did change your mind you As soon as you had time to think things over you stopped payment on the check I 1 right lie agreed lifelessly are you sorry now that you stopped payment no im hotl savage again 1 I thought you might be one cannot treat ones fiancee so casually and hope to escape unscathed elmer id feel badly at such treatment myself ashes not my fl fiancee ancee but you told me she was wag you jilted me tor for her surely you must have been quite certain of your ground before you disclosed your altered feelings toward me well ashes no fiancee of mine he protested doggedly then pray what Is she A 4 fr friend lend not any more an enemy perhaps elmer did you promise to lend her the money or give it to her she asked for a loan for how long did she offer any security no security it was a kathleen 11 loan VI 1 dont understand elmer 11 it may be for years and it may be forever he quoted from the celtic ballad but you agreed to make the loan you certainly I 1 send my check you did its too bad you send her the cash by express then your ex sweetheart have learned your silly secret and you now face the necessity for running away because youre afraid to face me again elmer darling I 1 very greatly fear youre just a little bit cowardly ile he was stung to the core of his being im not a coward he replied coldly 1 I have a distinguished service cross to prove that poof animal courage I 1 was referring to moral courage elmer saw he was outnumbered and outmaneuvered and if he would escape annihilation he must withdraw from the fight forthwith that sort of talk will never get you anywhere with me he warned her im quite capable of ht attending tending to my own business youve certainly been mismanaging it lately without my volunteered help you would be absorbing a thousand dollar loss right now and with that little gold digger on your hands be operating in red ink before the first of the year who told you she was waa a gold digger you did 1 I not in so many words but you stopped payment on your check which Is an admission that you suspect she Is a gold digger well my business and I 1 dont see any necessity for arguing the matter with you its a closed chapter my word youre an optimist what caused you to stop payment of your check some more of my business youre so immersed in your business you had the decency to thank me for saving you a thousand dollars and possible entanglement with an adventuress elmer in addition to being a little bit cowardly im afraid youre a a little bit unmannerly and a little bit ungrateful nellie he sald said huskily im guilty on all three counts im terribly sorry ordinarily I 1 that Is I 1 I 1 mean to you youre so flue fine I 1 I 1 nellie im not very happy and I 1 want to go away and forget it it im ashamed to look you in the eye TO BM BB CONTINUED |