Page:Hard-pan; a story of bonanza fortunes (IA hardpanbonanza00bonnrich).pdf/218

206 dollar. He 'll make it for you same way as he did for Jerry McCormick."

"Now, colonel," said Mr. Betts, "there 's a chance for you. Here 's Mrs. Betts wants an extra dollar, and here are you, just the man to make it for her. No gentleman can resist the appeal of a female in distress. Send my henchman for ink and paper." He drew a stub of pencil from his pocket and began writing on the back of an envelop, reading as he wrote: "Colonel Reed, the multi-millionaire, will before the present witnesses sign a contract to make for the hereinbefore-mentioned Mary Louise Betts the sum of one dollar, the same payable on—"

He paused with raised pencil.

"What date did you say?"

The colonel rose. He was pale and almost gasping with anger. He had at last realized that these barbarians were making sport of him.

"I did not state any date," he said slowly; "nor did I—that I can remember—say that I would make any specified sum of money for any one here. But since you seem to insist that I did so, I will fulfil my obligations without any more unnecessary talk. Here is the dollar."

He drew a dollar from his pocket and flung it on the table with the gesture of one throwing a bone to a dog.

"Ladies," he said, bowing deeply to the two