1
THE SUNDAY TKR: OMAHA, SEPTEMBER 21. 102i
The World Outside
By Harold MacGrath
THR MTOHff Till' FAK.
Aa advantar for lia.ge hia I
th tdaarr olrer uiada tg ColliMga.
vruod Jaramiah Bancroft, who hag
ut lalwrllad Ilia fa I bar a 1 1. OKU..
. tr I 'ah 1-1 Mia art, whtl rap.
rutiii lb ureal Advanltira enta
paay. Jarty. falling la n..la I ha
alrai.gar'a avil gian. a.u(la and
than Kr.l.ta, rani-.-rliig hla ovg
II hamdrura yaar. hia fathar
myaiprioua dual k of fright, ac
cording la. ranQrlawand iMmor.
ndum In tiia father's air, la.
raading, 'Paid Kanaady Is full"
Than out of Ilia alorm uinwa
baaulifal Naary How ma a. an ao
I raa. rln-dr-arhd and l"at. Jrry
OMrort h-r Iw III railroad atatl'n
and aflarwarij. tratl4 by agenta of
Mlawart, g.Mai la Kaar Vurk. whar
ha lata ladling aa "Jaraml in lol
linffawiiud." a poor youth. In nna
of alia own aaildinga. only lu find
Naa. r ad hr chum, J. any Mai
toy. alaa hn ruwma tha.-. Ha
aaada a datavtlv lu llolivla Is
arvh for Iraraa of tha irtairliua
"Kanardy." r "C. 1. K " Nn 'a
liuppr having bean baniabad by tha
Jaml.ir. J.ny aarritly ordara lila
agant la rax I ml lha all. t: than
ha, Kanry and Jnny atari out lor
d nnrr and a v'all In Ih rafra. Ha
aaaln mla lha a-ilar of ad
turra grid anno'in- ha fntanda la
tall ib orru-ag ml Mtawari'g
Kmrrald company, ft pralud to
signing Ik advantur contract
EIGTII INSTALLMENT.
Signing the Contract and After.
Bancroft discovered a distinguished-looking
stranger chatting
pleasantly w th Nancy and jenny.
The stranger was not seated
"O, Jerry! This is Mr. Craig;
Mr. Colling wood,' said Jenny.
The two men acknowledged the
introduction pleasantly, though
there was a Ivddcn resentment in
both minds. To each , the other
spelt d.mger.
"Sit down," sa'd Jenny, affably.
"Is that agreeable to you, sir?"
asked Craig.
"Why, certainly, sir," answered
Bancroft, uttering his first tie to
the altar of social amenities.
"We were talking about Miss
Bowman's puppy," said Craig.
"I love all manner of dogs," re
plied Bancroft
"In that case you and I can al
ways meet upon one common
ground."
Bancroft thought this over care
fully. It conveyed the hint that
there might be no other common
grounds.
"Mr. Craig gave me the puppy,"
(aid Nancy.
"And I have not seen him since,"
replied Craig.
Bancroft could not have ex
plained why, but this statement
lessened the tension of belligerent
thought If Craig had not seen
the puppy it signified he had not
yet called in Ninth street Still. .
"And now I may have to lose
him!" said Nancy.
"Mannheim would be glad to
keep him in the office at night,"
suggested Craig.
"Hut that's just when I want
Iilm," Nancy declared. "I'm almost
sorry you gave him to nic. The
only happy person is one who be
stows no love upon living things."
"That's the most futile philoso
phy there ever was," said Cra:g.
"You no more can help loving
something than you can deny the
air which lets you live. The human
being who denies giv:ng love to
something is a liar. But we must
find some wav of protecting Line
Foo."
Bancroft split his apple, which
had just arrived. "Won t you jo;n
us in something ?" he asked.
"No, thanks," answered Craig.
"I never eat anytlvng at night. I
just wander about, to chat with
people I know. I'm one of those
who have a horror for beds." He
rose.
"Say, Mr. Craig," said Jenny,
"don't forget my blowout t'morrow
night. Foster has given me his
studio for th" stunt. All the real
Bohcnies; no long hair for th' men
or bobs for th' women. Twelve
until 3. lobster Newburgh an'
colTee. All 'h' music th' police 'II
permit. Nobody In th' house 'II
object because we'll all be there."
"You can count on me." said
Craig.
Suddenly he held out iiis hand to
Bancroft, w ho found the grip warm
and friendly, and he knrw be was
gontp lo like the man, for all that
h'S wilt was set awain.st lik:n i .
Did he care for Xanry? Did she
Care for him? Dreadful thought!
"Jeremiah," said Jenny, as he
cracked a ruddy claw, "du re goes
what we K'rl call a while man.
II you want t' pais in a crowd
without knit king your fumiybone,
watch th' way lie d it. (jot
oodles ' money, but he spend it
well. He's an all tighter, but he
never iijvi lu one joint mnre'n an
hour. He Revrr goes wuh his
own crowd an' he never with
ours, but -u tun ml' hun every
where, He drink hard, but i tuy
lai'lvl h drik Ih' point r he (t ta
il' at punk whl Ih woidf
"I'mih liliotij?" tlant rati sttgrtUd.
"IhVl hint, I'uiKtilinjt J ihn
lry III I t 011 "
ht fct . -twin ai tkJiHiUlil (
tmit?' ki:dl IN $)(. iL
"Wit tan t, ,mn km au'
got killed th' same night Suppose
lit hates i' go home on that ac
count." ' tie wasn't di inking tonight, rai
he?"
"Nope. Sober a a judge some
judges," Jenny modified.
1 lie waiter put the bill at the side
of Bancroft's plate. Jenny reached
out a hand.
"Dutch treats, Jeremiah."
"Never in this world. You're
teaching me something about this
night life and naturally I've got
to pay. Where do we go front
here?"'
"Rah,' rah!" cried Tenny. She
smiled at Nancy, who taw the
gamin's jeer.
Bancroft pulled out the $20 hill
he had deposited in bis vest pocket
apa nst the needs of the adventur
Then he took up the bill and ra.i
over the figures.
"Waiter!8
"Yes, sir."
"There's II overcharge here."
"What, sir?" The waiter took
the card. "Why, so there is, sir.
I must have taken the wrong bill.""
He hurried off.
Both Nanrv nnd .. --d
him and saw that he did trtt ap
proach the cashier a . utta.
rubbed out the excess charge, loit
ered for a moment behind a pillar,
then returned briskly. He picked
ur the treasury note and bed
off again. a
"Spl'-' didl" said Nancy "
one with the courage to refuse to
be cheated!"
"Jenny, Jenny," said Bancroft,
"I don't believe I'm going to like
this night life of yours. Do all
the waiters try that?"
"It was a tryout It gets over,
nine times out o' 1" Tw
for a lobster I could get for $1 nt
Jark's; 60 cents for unci. , o
coffee; $1 for endives; 50 cents
each for th' apples, an' then th'
waiter adds his, if he can. It's a
great life, if you don't weaken."
"What shah I tin him?" asked
Bancroft, now bubbling with fun.
"You ouht I' tip him over, but
give him 20 per cent o' th' ticket.
Then we'll toddle jjn."
The waiter returned. Bancroft
carefully counted the change; then
lu; looked up.
"How much shall I give you,
waiter, as a tip?"
"Whatever you say, sir." The
gray eyes their directness trou
bled the waiter considerably.
"Would SO cents satisfy you, con
sidering?" "Yes, sir." He sighed rclWodlv.
"Considering. Mistake will hap
pen, sir."
"Even with the best of Judges.
Take the SO and sin no more."
Nancy's laughter rang out. It
was the first time Bancroft had
ever heard her laugh freely. It
was a music comparable with her
sintnng voice.
"Was that all right?" asked Ban
croft, uneasily.
"Jeremiah, said Nancy, uncon
sciously falling into Jenny's
method of address, '.'you're a joy!
I wouldn't have missed this comedy
for, anything. Jenny, you'll have
your hands full. But I don't know.
That was altogether too smart for
a country boy."
And the three of them left the
restaurant, laughing freely, as
youth alone is permitted to laugh.
The seller of adventures watched
them until they passed from view,
and the melancholy expression of
his eyes remained even after he,
too, departed. Youth . , . I
The next morning Bancroft went
late to his breakfast; that is to say,
late for him. s;nce he was back in
his room at 8:30. Mrs. Jansen had
tidied it up between times, so the
room was habitable. Many things
were going to happen this day, and
for these he carried a sober counte
nance; but this sober countenance
was, for a minute or twoj touched
with sunshine. There came a knock
on the door, which he opened, to
find Nancy. (He never could rail
her Miss Bowman in thought.)
She was radiant. The beauty of
the Madonna was nowhere in evi
dence. It was the glowing beauty
of the Naiad, and the music of
fountains was in the voice of hrr.
"It is wonderlult" she cried. "It
ha made me so happy I The law
vers have agreed to Ut my kirp
Ling Foo. Why, I'd like to rntt '
down to their oltiee and kit them
hoth'"
"They would probably both die
of heart failure; tor I imagine thry
mutt be old codger. S Ling Kiki
tlavil That's fine. I wonder what
thai bid crab at Jenny il; bun
will .y?"
"I don't care what he sai. But
1 W4h to thank )iu."
"I hank mtCm tut oj flight in
hi tn.
"Yt h agiing thai I n
a Utter, I should nettr have
tlxHight u( it, but would ha at.
Cepled JaAaen'a Ju IU4U at U court
o4 UM appeal. My !
been agtfij for wotiyu g Dd
Jvk K a food lit.? Ul .glf
"Wuki(ntt AM ywtif
"Well, better than I expeclnL
Yob are very clever."
"Out of books. 1 am more sur
prised than you are that I came
through without knocking our
something."
She put a finger to her nether
lip, thoughtfully. 'U,,y din ,..11
say it would be agreeable to vou
to have Mr. Cra g sit with usf"
"Well, you sec, I chanced to re
member in time Jrnny's advice .
that a he take you a long way
sometimes "
"I wonder."
"About what?"
"If you will always be as you
are, if there isn't something hidden
away in you."
"There is something hidden aw ay
m all of us," he said, gravely,
"O, I don't mean th-' I ni'iin,
you may have been visiting that
village house, and that ywd ie
something other than you seem."
"On my honor, I w?s born in
that house, and have lived there all
my life. My good fortune lies in
the fact that I in not particularly
encumbered with 'that petty .dis
turbance of thought, embarrass
ment,' a an old philosopher put
it. But I did not know I could fly
so well until I had, tried my wings."
She offered her hand, with that
compelling smile with which he
was now so familiar. He took the
hand in his, held it until site drew
it back, and let his own hands fall
to li s sides.
"Do you know, I shouldn't have
been surprised if yott had kissed
it," she declared whimsically.
"I wanted to; hut if I had you
would have written me down a
liar."
"And why?" astonished.
"Because it would have set in
your mind the notion that I had
been accustuned to act like that,
that I had lived in a world where
men salute women's hands in that
fashion."
"I really don't know what to
make of you."
"You might . . . make me
friend."
"O, that! I shouldn't be chatting
to you in this manner if I hadn't
already accepted you as a friend.
But I'll always be a little afraid
to shake hands with you."
"And I'll always be a little afraid,
too that I might act upon your
suggestion,"
She gave a startled laugh, turned,
.and jan back to her room.
As she vanished, Bancroft whis
pered to the empty spaces of the
hall: "Come on, Dragon; conic
on!"
Bancroft ' stopped at Johnson's
desk.
"How did you like the show last
night?"
A touch of color flowed into
Johnson's sallow cheeks. "Young
man, if she is half as dangerous as
she is attractive, I have some fears
for your future. I don't suppose
it would be of any use to warn
you?"
"Not the least use. But always
remember, Miss Bowman doesn't
know that 1 have any money."
"And you'll be the last to give
her hints about it, I suppose 1"
Bancroft accepted the dig philo
sophically. However, to justify
himself, he recounted the advent of
Miss Bowman into his house that
stormy night.
"Do you mean to tell us. young
man, that she went away without
inquiring the name of her involun
tary host? A shrewd, clever wo
man like that?"
"It's the truth."
"Well, well; my advice to your
f.ither's son is not to trust too
fully in your p'n feathers. What's
to prevent her writing to the post
master and desuibing the house?"
"I hadn't thought of that But
I don't think she will, however."
He offered his hand.
"I only went there," said John
son, taking the full warm hand in
his dry one, "because of my con
sideration tor you, sir."
"I know it. Is Mr. Sncll in?"
"Yes. sir."
Sncll greeted Bancroft cheerfully,
"Is the pup rescued?"
"Yes." Bancroft sat down at the
side of the desk.
"Mr Johnson tells me that he
saw tfie young lady lajt niht."
"And has indirectly pointrd out
the road to hell. You understand,
don't you? I am young, Mr. SnelL
For the first time I am free. I
can't sit here and couni and recount
my father's money. I am doubly
fire, for as yet no one in lh.it house
amsperu ! have thi millions, 1
am to all apfH-arame ut inodent
Cinanitnor."
"I was jut (h.ifing yott, boy,
You've yoi to urn; and while
you're growing ' Rl ta bum
you ie tiug-ei tut l tvr and l,4ik
Htr thiot tni rktir U tN
tUik All IK warning, in world
w4M not slop tun; td t ,.utd
U.t Il4 . t;i.vd."
"M II, I'm wa,m4 . , , aront
iiit
"In wkat yf
"S b, 1 fl I'd , i H
fact that I haven't any ambition to
do th iig. What I mean is. I've no
uibilioit to be a writer, or a paint
er, or an inventor; and if there was
any talent in me, thre millions
would blanket it What am I going
to do? I don't want to be idle."
"My boy, don't let that worry
you. There are many kind of
genius. It took a financial genius
lo build up kuch a fortune as your
father left you. It will take genius
to hold it. But run and play first;
it'a your right Throw a jlew
thousand away; and then step into
tlut empty (dike there and take up
your father's work. I repeat to
you, that the noblest creation on
lidd's earth is an honest rich man."
"As rny father was?"
"As your father was."
There was a pause.
"Mr. Snrll, I've got something
here I want you to read, to see if
it is worded right. I shan't listen
to any arguments about it. Some
thing that I've got to do."
"Ij-t me see the paper." When
Snell had read it through, he cried:
"Young man, what the devil does
this mean?"
"Exactly wiat it says there, that
anything I sign hereafter, outside
of this office, will be due to moral
or physical coercion."
"Are you thinking of signing
some document? Bring it here,
where it belongs."
"That's it; I can't bring it here."
'.'Well, then, don't ign it."
"But I mustl" ,
"A woman?"
"No, no! But will such a docu
ment as I've given you hold? What
I am about to sign, circumstance is
forcing me to sign. Nothing can
dissuade tne, Mr. Snell. If you
won't take charge of this, I'll have
to trust to strange lawyers."
"It'a debatable whether it wilt
hold or not; but this firm can back
you in court, and my testimony
would have weight What, in heav
en's name, boy, are you intending
to sign?"
"I can't tell you."
"Docs it concern your father?"
"I don't know, hut I suspect it
does. I'm in the daik, the same
as you arc."
"Something you've discovered
that touches Johnson's tale?"
"I haven't discovered anything;
I only hope to."
"Well, I'm tiuker-damnedt You'll
sign this document, whether l .pro
test or not?"
"Yes, sir." Bancroft began to
show signs of weariness.
"Very well. I'll have this typed
and witnessed."
"I shall want a copy."
"That, too. If you are deter
mined, why, there's nothing but a
wise old man's advice. When you've
signed this damfool thing, bring
it to me."
"I can't even do that, sir. Be
' cause on the face of it, it is a dam
fool thing."
"A contract of any kind, signed
by you and properly witnessed, is
active in law. The witnesses need
know nothing of the content. They
are witnesses that you signed with
out being forced, that you are ap
parently in your right mind or
which I have my doubts. Boy,
some crook may take everything
you have away from you!"
"No. I shan't sign anything that
promises to do that But this
instrument, as you call it. of mine
will tend to nullify what I sign?"
"If you can prove that you were
coerced. I don't like it at all," said
Snell, vehemently.
"Neither do I," Bancroft agreed;
"but I'm going through with it."
Sncll pushed a button, and to
the clerk who answered the call
he said: "Have this typed twice
and return to witness them. And
no comments. Bring the notary
seal."
"Yes, sir."
After Bancroft had carefully put
his copy of the astonishing instru
ment into his wallet, he held out his
hand to Snell.
"It sounds and looks craty, I
know; but I've got to have it set
tled, one way or another, for prare
of mind. I'll tell you this much.
It's only an instinct, and I don't
(relieve I've voiced the notion to
myself. I feci that there is in Ihis
world a man who hated fity father
bitterly, tcnibly; and I've got to
bnd out why, if my father was
the honest mao you say he was."
"He was the ltonrtrt Irian I
knew."
"You see, then, I've got to g
on."
"Since it It for your father's
sake, AnJ taoj go with you! And
remember, I'm always m.i lo 14(1,
you up in anylhifl4 you may do,"
and Snrll put big bands upon Han
crotYa alkxitdtnt .. (nt, ph(d
kirn toward tt d wr.
It long dy, Danrroft
l nt mnw of ii fid ng the uita
ua and Uownt FdiK avenue. .iu
I it Mi th pnVUe library, .mt et
tl o ih p.ta be,
!fy . k wli.-n I fttn.
I've d.f vl K Ituluun ,nif!4
company and enlrred the nutrr
oflice. It was like any other of
lice a typewriter girl and au elder.
Ir book kcrx-r behind a grille.
Maps and diagrams hung front ilia
walls. He was finite (istoniahed iat
the steadiness of his nrrvct; it bid
been wbihiig away the lime that
had liked bim and nude bun
b'lgety.
The typistmiddle aged and kind
ly of countenance came to the
gate and inquired what his buu
nest was.
"I have an appointment with Mr.
Stewart."
"Are you Mr. Colling wood?"
"Yes."
"Co right In; Mr. Stewart if
waiting for you." She indicated
the inner door marked private.
Bancroft opened this and stood
on the threshold ... of he knew
not what I Battle, murder, and
sudden death or tomfoolery. 1 hat
was the maddening part of it.
Suddenly he felt himself profoundly
young and inrlTic'cnt.
"Lome in and draw up a chair,
Collingswood," said the emerald
merchant.
Stewart held out his hand, which,
Bancroft took with open embar
rassment. The hand was war n
and dry and powerful. But, behold!
the man smiled I There was
mockery in the smile; but it sug
gested to Bancroft old l'rofessor
Miller'a smile when the pupil
marched boldly into some mistake
he should have known better than i
to make.
On the desk, which was a roller
top, lay a heavy automatic. Slewartt
patted it
"Bandits; you never know where,
they'll turn up next," explained
Stewart. "But I never carry mores
than $J,000 or $4,000 worth off
stones. The market gobbles them,
up as they come. Just a moment,
and I'll show you some of the
stones."
He opened the safe and returned
with a tray of tissue paper packet.
He unfolded one of the packets
and displayed a score of beautiful
green stones that made Bancroft
recall the bottom of the troub
stream at home.
"Green things, eh?" said Stewart..
He shifted the stones, using a small!
pair of metal tweezers. "Half,
carat stones. I employ two cut
ters, Amsterdam experts; but
where they live is known only to
me. Look nice, wouldn't they, on
the white flesh of a young wo
man s arm? By the way, did you
find your umbrella at the hotel'"
"Forgot all about it I" Bancroft
admitted, still in a daze over the
manner of his reception.
"It was a rough night. I had a
puncture, half way to town," said
f,.,e,w3rt "See anything here you
hkd?"
"How much for the lot?" asked
Bancroft
Stewart made some computa
tions on a tab. "Twelve hundred;
my price to the market."
Tit take them," said Bancroft,
abruptly. He drew out his wallet
and counted out the sum.
"That's a tot of money to carry
about, young man" speaking to
cover his astonishment The bov
wss rfctually buying emeralds) He
refolded the tissue, and jecurcd it
with a rubber band. "There you
are, Mr. Collingswood. Does the
young lady know what is iu store
for her?"
"No," answered Bancroft. "But
I may offer them, later."
Inwardly he was fuming. For
his life, he could not broach the
rcal object of his visit. He was
buying these emeralds merely to
prolong the interview, hoping that
Stewart would give him some
definite opening: which Stewart
was determined not to do.
"Know anything about em
eralds?" Nothing."
"Interesting study," said Stew
art. "It is properly the green
bervl. The oriental stone
those dug up in modern rimes
are properly a green Corundum,
often magnificent. and mmlt
harder than the true emerald. The
difference is in the cleavage. What
I mean i. the little lines or anle
which reteinble cracks. Inter a
ester?"
"Very much,"
Stewart Ibea plot coded to g
into Ihe blMory of all green stoma;
which would have entertained
Bancroft at any other tune,
"Where it this none I your.?''
alrd Bancroft, ralbvr dr.pttairlv.
"Ner Hit Peruvian hotdt i ;
prubaMy a luiwtut of the lo.i
Spanish mines." Mcwart reached
in; a eubrty-hol and drew out a
card, "tio to this pi tee to hk
yovr stones set Vou will roi iml
half not. n wt;tii!iir on Iii'h
avrne. al lt liutta the price. An I
remember, tUy b.k Ml m
pUiiptim "
'I wrUt lotndltd, f. l ! i-l
hath H b I only a ta in'e-t
m4 kk M fcd 't Ih kl
t aa -a) ar fa Ja
