The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-10-23

Whe1 the clork happened to be
looking that way Eine-thirteen jump
ed 10 his feet with a cry. Il forgot
me Old lady" he said. clapplng his
breast-pOcket
What old lady?" said the clerk
The old dame as give me the let
ter. answered Nine thirteen airily.
pulling out the envelopes; she stopped
me when wuz gOin' past de house dis
mornin' an tole me to take dis an I
put it in me pocket an forgot an
here it Is" e-thirteen's hand was
going into his trousers as he spoke
he pulled out coins, mostly nickle@
amounting TO fifty cents. The clerk
was looking obviously at the envelope.
1t was addressed to Harlem. '.Dey
amt no answer. and here's de money"
91S said The clerks suspicious went
down He gave the boy a check and
he darted of.
Not TO Harlem. but straight down TO
the Equitable Building did he go as
fast as the train would carry him He
gazed with lofty scorn at the buttoned
Of1ce-b boy. L amt doln' bizness wild
you" he said. and pushing him aside
strobe into the inner o.fice where he
saw Mr.. Frederic Brown-Romayne sit
ting at q big desk
DE oil mans on ter ye-!' cried
Nine-thirteen. breaking in upon him;
yer MESA re come inter de station an
de blame fool read 1t out loud. an oil
Wright wuz in dere an heared It an
TUX it OF wild him. an he'll give Miss
Mabel hellr'
Young Brown-Romayne sat for q
minute. How have you come to know
all this and why have you come to me
now?" he asked.
Nine-thirteen looked sheepish. II
watched yer till / knew bout yer !
knOwed de oil man warn't in It kase
you never coined round wen he was
dere an wen he come inter de offs
an l seen he WIS on to yer. l come
down TO tell yer that de game wuz up,
an | done 1t cause cause" Nine
thirteen paused; he wasn't used to psy-
Geological subtleties. Miss Mabel
she's a corker" he added And the
remark was neither irreI erent nor in
relevant
Young Brown-Romayne saw the
whole thing In fash. He was n big
manly fellow, and he did just what he
would have done il Nine-thirteen had
been big and wore patent-leathers and
twice-around tie. He reached out
and shook Nine-thirteen's grimy paw
fervently. Then he said foul words
that bathed the soul of Nine-thirteen
in bliss: What shall We do?" he
asked.
IF l wuz you've. answered Nine
thirteen, judlciously-a Brown-Ro-
mayne never smiled" I'd git de bulge
on de ole jaw. I'd find Miss Mabel and
get married fore l seen him agin."
A sudden light broke into the young
mans eyes. You say she went away
with her aunt?'
Il amt dead sure, but 1 fought 1t
must bin de ant She looked like
carefully.
Brown-Romayne pulled out his
watch. Its two-thirty." he said;
her aunt lives in Brick Church
fancy Mabel has gone there to spend
the day with her. It's worth trying.
anyway. I'll do It You're brick.
Nine-t thirteen. l won't forget you"
His hand moved toward his pocket
No" he said. suddenly. rising aud
closing mis- desk. come along; 1 may
want you
1t was eight o'clock when Nine-thir-
teen went quietly into Station 81 that
night and, sitting down. swung his
feet nonchalantly.
Here you Nine-thirteen. give an
account OF yourself" growled the
clerk; you've been away since one
o'clock. Where in-have you been?"
Been bein' bes' man to Miss Mabel
Wright's weddin'." answered. Nine
thirteen. coolly. AN | couldn't git
back no sooner. cause de bes' man hes
to see de bridal couple OIL on deir we'd
din journey. Mine went to de Isle OF
Shoals. "he volunteered magnanimous-
ly Evening Sun.