The Key West Citizen Newspaper, March 31, 1947, Page 3

THE KEY WEST CITIZEN Chapter 13 _ As Jeff Irskine on Star left the palatial Gentry estate be- hind, he found his'train of thought confused. Obviously tke copper magnate’s secretary, Ransom Fawcett, had a feeling of intense dislike for Jeff. His eyes had ardened rather than warmed with friendliness as Monica in- troduced them. Yet on what was his emotion based? Jealousy? Surely the fact that Jeff met Monica on a trafficless road and changed a tire for her was not enough to cause that. Or was his attitude formed from something Coulter had said? It was a puzzle but the antago- nism was definitely there. He wished Monica had not in- terrupted his talk with Gentry. He felt certain the industrialist had wanted to assist him without actually seeming to; yet just when Jeff was warming up to the pur- pose of his visit, Gentry had switched the conversation to the cigarette box as though it were of equal importance. The cigarette box . .. What was it Gentry had said about it? Malachite .,. azurite ... Quite a market for it now! Jeff pulled on the reins in his excitement so that Star took a side step and almost pranced into the jagged thorns of an immense barrel cactus. Instinctively the gelding had headed for the small adobe and the fragrant-smelling stall that he knew awaited him, now a tug on the right rein in- formed him they were turning in the opposite direction toward town. In McCloud, Jeff went imme- diately to the town’s small drug- store. Old Mr. Perry who ran it had refused to bow to time and the public, his store still sold drugs and nothing else. He'd have no truck with sody fountains and new-fangled trash, he in- formed traveling salesmen who thought him a good prospect, and }tles of alcohol, ammonia and hydrochloric acid with only a faint lift of his white eyebrows. “Making some mineral tests?” “I have nothing to go on,” Jeff said quickly. “Please don’t men- tion it.” “Wouldn’t think of it, boy. Talk between me an’ my customers is purely confidential, — business ethics ye know.” Linda was cultivating her flower bed and sensed his. excite- ment at once; she blew a golden tendril of hair back from her flushed face and scanned him anxiously. “What is it? Did Mr. Gentry tell you something?” “He may have,—I don’t know yet.” Her eyes grew enormous. “Sounds interesting and con- fusing.” He led Star around to his stall, calling back over his shoul- der “Bring that cardboard box of rocks around here and we'll find out,” N THE tool shed that was a part of the stable he rummaged around until he found his father’s old mining equipment. He cleaned the alcohol lamp and put it aside then searched for a few strands of platinum wire. After finding them he carried the whole busi- ness’ around to the new adobe room which was still unroofed. Linda joined him’ with the rock specimens, her face glowing with anticipation.* “Dad’s as excited as I am,” she said, “T didn’t mean to exclude him,” Jeff explained, “but these tests will give off fumes. I was afraid for his lungs.” “You are considerate, Jeff.” She said it so solemnly that he thought she was being sarcastic until he saw her eyes, then he smiled. “Well, we'll see now. i nothing will happen after all.” Selecting a rock specimen he spilled drops of hydrochloric acid on it. It effervesced violently. because of his integrity his phar-| Linda gave a small cry of sur- macy was still well patronized. He filled Jeff's order for bot- JOHN J. McCLOY Mr. John J. McCloy, former Assis- | tant Secretary of War of the United States and a well-known attorney, has been appointed President of the International Bank for Reconstruc- tion and Development. He succeeds , Mr. Eugene Meyer, who recently | relinquished the presidential office. | Your Horoscope MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1947—| The person born today can rise | to great heights and, other things being equal, will probably attain) to some comparatively high posi- life, and honor, and many friends, the life. It is a day of ability, firmly placed. tion in There are success influential station in executive whatever TODAY’S BIRTHDARS (Know America) | John J. McCloy, new president } of the International Bank for Re- construction, ex-assistant secre- tary of war, born in Philadelphia, | 52 years ago. James M. Cox of Dayton, Ohio, newspaper publisher, ex-gover- nor, one-time Presidential candi- | date, born at Jacksonburg, Ohio, 77 years ago. John H. Sorrels Memphis, Tenn., newspaper publisher, Scripps-Howard executive editor, born in Pine Bluff, Ark., 51 years ago. Dr. Leon Green, dean of the Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, born in Oak- land, La., 59 years ago. Rear Admiral John F. roth, born in Denver, 60 ago. Eugene Reynal, manager of the International Book Organization, former New York publisher, born in New York, 45 years ago. of Shaf- years Vardis Fisher of Hagerman, ' Idaho, poet-author, born at An- nis, Ida., 52 years ago. HAWK GETS SEIZED CUMBERLAND COURT HOUSE, Va.— When a big chicken hawk swooped down, dived under a corn crib and grabbed one of Ira W. Crutch- field’s chickens, Crutchfield dashed over, caught the hawk as it emerged and cut off its head with -a pocket knife. While the chicken was unhurt, Crutchfield) suffered five leep tal t prise .. “What doessthat mean?” ” sortment models. See the NEW ELGINS with Real ICE is Guaranteed PURE py Easter / W* are authorized distributors for the finest nationally- advertised watches: Elgin, Waltham, Hamilton, Lon- gines, etc. 1a Pollock S oyatiry Dura-Power === Arrived Today ta * “It means it’s probably mala- chite or azurite.” : Next‘he powdered a bit of the mineral, dipped his test wire in acid, touched the specimen and placed it in the flame of the al- cohol lamp. It produced a blue- green flame almost at once. He went through the other tests then,—-ammonia, charcoal and borax bead. On the final one, heating the specimen with hydro- chlorie acid, the fumes did not have the smell of rotten eggs which would have indicated one of the copper-sulphur minerals. _ Jeff wiped smoke and perspira- tion from his forehead; he was grinning. “It’s malachite all right, that’s what Gentry was trying to tell me. Linda, you’ve misjudged him —he’s a good egg after all.” She pouted doubtfully, “Maybe. Tell me, what is malachite?” “You've probably seen it often and not recognized it. It’s a cop- per ore, about fifty-five percent copper. It’s used in ornamental jars, jewelry and is very impor- tant in mining. Gentry says there’s a big market for it now.” Her eyes flamed until, they were as blue as the copper solution. “Then a vein of it on your land would be very valuable?” He smiled at her enthusiasm. “Except it doesn’t come in veins. Massive formations, crusts and nodules, usually with azurite.” “Well anyway, it’s valuable?” “Yes, quite valuable. If only these specimens, are from my property.” They went into the house and told Mr. Hardy. Jeff described the details of his meeting with Gen- try, then added “By the way, Linda, you and I are invited to a home-coming celebration for young Gentry tomorrow night.” Linda frowned but her father nodded. “I want you to go, my dear.” : “But I haven’t anything to wear!” she wailed. Hardy burst into laugher. “Hear that, Jeff? If you ever get mar- ried remember it ... It’s the eternal cry of the female; you'll hear it often.” - (To be continued) ———— Bulova, See our large as- of men’s and ladies’ 514 Duval Street See Our Store * Place Your Refrigeration — | on @ REAL ICE BASIS and You Will Get GUARANTEED Refrigeration Service is More Economicall L It Is PURE Healthy and Safe Thompson Enterprises, Ine. (ICE DIVISION) PHONE NO. 8 a ce cee een re mm ee - at KEY WEST, FLA. te 9 a Pa Waid