Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-19

L
Il visit We would. Willie; seem like 1
cayn't look him in the face no mo- till We
90 He wouldn't take nothin' from me,
but he'll listen at YOU
Maybe" WAS all she would say but she
stood on the porch and watched him as
long ds he was in sight.
Granville was the first Office on the re-
turn route, and when the carrier went in
Win the mail the postmaster was busy.
Nnen he got around to the governments
business he made show of hurrying. He
was relocking the pouch when a farmer
hand.
Hold up minute. Mr.. Johnson-got a
letter to go in thar, an l reckon it'll have
to be registered
''Caynt take it now, nohow-mairs all
ready to CO."
''Shucks"' said the farmer, hopping his
race with bandana, done druy TO- mile
to get that thar letter off this mornin';
ait S got ten dollars in for that feller thai
sold me the mowin machine, an l lowed
TO hlm h, could count on hit shore TODAY"
CAN'T hep it, Mr.. Kilgore; like mighty
Wen to do you all favor. but 1 cayn't
hold the mail to register no letters now.
Orders is mighty strict"
Ihen Lafe spoke up. ''Thess put hit in
with the rest of en- he suggested;
might nigh ever body does Hathaway"
The farmer hesitated for a moment and
then concluded to risk it, and five minutes
later Anderson was once more jogging on
his way to Vigo.
the Cantrell Brothers store when the mail
carrier rode up to the porch and dis
mounted on the high platform Throwing
the bride to his ten-year-old brother and
giving the pouch to Will Cantrell LATE
edged his way into the group of Ioungers
10 distribute his budget of up-valley gossip.
Cantreii went behind the counter and dis
aappeared beyond the low partition which
ienced OIL sleeping room in the end of the
building. Behind the partition INSPECTOR
Janray was smoking a cigar sitting with
ms CHAIR tilted back at a comfortable angle
against the wall; but he came out of his
listlessness with a jerk when Cantrell en-
tered with the mail pouch
open 1t quick-right here, he command
ed: ana IN a moment he had scanned the
address on every letter in the small bean
Its gone-I knew it would be- Sin ont
quietly and send your brother back here"
When Bud Cantrell came in the inspector
handed him $40 bill Go into the crowd
out there and ask if any one can change If
Give Anderson chance to do it if he will -
Cantrell came back almost Immediately
ana gave the inspector four bank notes
mere Were two twos. one and five, and
Jaffray glanced at the numbers before mt
ting the money into his pocket
He's our man." he said quietly Go and
tax to him and take him to the door with
you; When you see me at his other elbow
grab him and hold him. Do you under.
stand?"
Cantrell nodded and sauntered back into
the store. Want to see you a minute. Lafe.,
NC S.tiu INNING MS arm In that OF the mail
carrier and leading him toward the front
door. On the step Cantrell saw the inspec-
tor over Lafes shoulder and obeyed his in
structions literally. There was a fierce
struggle like that OF an unbroken horse
when he first feels the weight of man on
ms back and ending in the ratchet-like
click of the handouts, and then the prison.
er relapsed quickly into quietude and sui
lenness.
.Iaffray spoke to Cantrell. 81 want Won to
come with me. Wen take him un to
Laynes for the night"
LATE suffered himself to be walked awav
between them, and no word was spoken
until they reached the porch of the farm
house There the inspector placed three
chairs and sat down to question his prison.
er.
You may as well make clean breast of
it, my boy he said. after LATE had sulkily
resisted for a time It'll go easier with
you in the end, and I'll do what l can to
get your sentence shortened if you'll open
your head and tell us all about it,
In the silence that followed this appeal
there was a rustling in the laurel bush at
the end of the porch and Jaffray got up to
investigate. He came back in moment
apparently satisfied, but this was because
he failed to see little Joe Anderson COVER
ing under the dropping branches of the
laurel.
You'd better open up, Anderson" he re-
peated. We've got all the evidence we
need but as 1 say, I'll do all 1 can to help
you if you'll tell us the whole story,
Whereupon, being something less than a
hardened criminal, the young mountaineer
broke down.
Il don't keer much what-all We do with
me, S long as we git me out O. here fore
pap 'r-'r Willie Godfrey fms out" he said
Il reckon she'd say things at 1 new could
forglt. Hit all commence with that thar
ring O John Corny's. Ye see, 1 done asst
Willie, an l was wonderin' which-a-way
could git ring when that thar little box
dropped out thoo the hole in the mail bag.
I W h9 W I'm, ha
ed to me he was a-lookn' for hit. l didn't
low to keep hit, an l on'y opened the box
to see what-for kind o. ring hit was; but
that thar very evenin' slipped hit on Will
lies finger, thess in fun, an she lowed l
done meant hit to be her'n.
The sweat stood thickiy on his forehead
and he tried to get his manacled hands
around TO his pocket for handkerchief
Jaffray helped him and said: well, what
them
Then didn't have sense enough to tell
her the straight of hit an after that the
fence seem sort O. broke down, an'-an'
hole-money, mostly
How much?' asked the inspector.
Bout $50, countin' hit ALL l reckon. YOU
uns II find it under the chimey stone in the
room up at Ma lam Wilkeson's Whar been
sleepin."
Il see; you were afraid to spend it, sup
pose"
LATE hung his head Il new thort much
the time when Willie'd let on like she was
ready
"Oh"-Inspector Jaffray went into a
brown study, coming out of it presently to
say to Cantrell: You can go now, Bud, if
you want to; 1 can take care of him all
right 1 only wanted you to hear what he
had to say for himself"
Cantrell went back to the store, where he
found little Joe Anderson trying to climb
into his brothers saddle The boy had
been crying and his face was streaked with
dirt and tears.
Mighty tough, amt it, Joey?" said Can
trell, lifting the hoy to the horses back.
"What-all was you 'lowin' to do with the
hawss?
Il thess gwine take him home,' said the
small one. gathering up the reins and
wrggling his bare feet into the stirrup
feathers; but Cantrell noticed that instead
of turning off up the lane to Ma'am Will
keson's the child kept the road toward the
Gap, urging the horse into gallop as soon
as he was over the rocky hillside beyond
Layne's.
Inspector Jaffray's guard duties during
the remainder of the affernoon Wara 0f q