"Thar is only one item," said Captain Dick, slowly, "only one item,
that ez men,--ez far-minded men,--ez political economists,--it
seems to me we hez the right to question. It's this: Thar is an
item, read to you by me, of $2,000 paid to certing San Francisco
detectives, paid out o' the assets o' Roger Catron, for the finding
of Roger Catron's body. Gentlemen of Sandy Bar and friends, I
found that body, and yer it is!"
And Roger Catron, a little pale and nervous, but palpably in the
flesh, stepped upon the platform.
Of course the newspapers were full of it the next day. Of course,
in due time, it appeared as a garbled and romantic item in the San
Francisco press. Of course Mrs. Catron, on reading it, fainted,
and for two days said that this last cruel blow ended all relations
between her husband and herself. On the third day she expressed
her belief that, if he had had the slightest feeling for her, he
would, long since, for the sake of mere decency, have communicated
with her. On the fourth day she thought she had been, perhaps,
badly advised, had an open quarrel with her relatives, and
intimated that a wife had certain obligations, etc.
Pages:
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139