Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-05-16


way up. It's the rarest thing for them
to be short-handed-in fact, you're in
luck
1 thanked him, of course. I had
meant, if he let me off, to go to Enton.
But had no intention of going near the
mills or getting regular work of any
kind. However, 1 did not want to worry
him by telling him that preferred my
own way of living, especially as he
seemed so pleased with the idea about
the mills After supper he sat down
and wrote a line or two to the foreman,
whom he seemd to know well. As he
was writing it, the clock struck three.
"You will start at once" he said, 80 as
| to be there early. You won't be able to
work that day, after being up all night,
but you can begin work the next day.
| It's important that you should apply
early, before everything's filled up"
1 thanked him again, and asked him
to put me on the right road. What 1
| wanted was to get him out into the
| dark. He came out of the house with
| me, showed me which turn to take, and
| said good-by. Come and see me again.
| 1 have much more to say to you when
| the right time comes" i thanked him
and said good-by.
L walked until heard his front door
shut, and then I ran just about as hard
as I could go. 1 passed one policeman,
and he tried to stop me, but lodged
| him and got away. I was on the out
skirts of the village then, and once past
| him L had a lonely country road and
nothing to fear
| You see, while I was on my back I
| had noticed the parsons watch chain.
L took care not to look at it again, but
kept it in my memory. While he was
saying good-by to me in the dark got
an easy chance. The parsons gold
| watch and chain were in my trousers
pocket, and he never Lad the least
notion when 1 took it. My notion was
| now to get to Enton about five, and take
a workman's train on to Waterloo.
1 chuckled to myself. He'd called me
a g-inger-headed scoundrel, stopped me
swearing, spoiled my little game and
| given me thrashing, but had the bet
| ter of him in the end. There was his
watch and chain in my pocket, and in
less than four hours I should be hand
ing them over to Ike and getting three
| or four sovereigns for them.
AS walked along it gradually began
to grow light, and somehow or other
lost my spirits. 1 stopped chuckling;
the more 1 thought about the neat way
that had scored offthat parson the less
L felt inclined to laugh about that or
anything else. got angry about moth
ing. 1t may seem queer, but 1 was
angry with the parson for having stood
out there in the dark, close against me,
and given me my chance. I called him
all the names 1 could lay my tongue to
for his foolishness. Twas just as angry
with myself, though, for no sensible
reason. Then L began to get nervous
and took fancies, thought I heard steps
coming after me, and imagined there
was a policeman waiting to catch me
behind every big tree passed. didn't
enjoy that walk. I wished to heaven
that parson had taken me out by the
scruff of my neck and handed me over to
the police when he first caught me
though L don't know why I wished it
"Who wants this blooming ticker?" ]
said out loud, pulling it out of my peck
ct. ''Strille me if I don't pitch it ovel
the hedge and be done with it,"
But 1 didn't. 1 pulled myself to-
gether, and argued with myself. Ell
you can afford to throw money away
L said to myself, that's the first I've
l heard of it. You just plug on until yor
5 get to Enton station, and don't give
way to such Stiffness" It's easier tc
l argue with yourself than it is to make
/ y
but couldn't stop thinking. wished
had never com~near the vicarage.
wished 7 had got my shooter out an6
finished the parson on sight. 1 wished
l L had never been born, L wished I was
: dead. The farther 1 went the more
l down-hearted I got. 1 had never fell
, anything like it before.
At last / had done my nine miles ant
stood outside Enton station. / stood
1 there for about a minute, and then
2 made up my mind. 'I chuck this
E said, land take that forsaken ticke1
1 back to the parson again."
I was as tired as a dog when got t,
2 | the station; but soon as had mad.
up my mind that seemed to pass off.
made my way back good deal quiclze
4 than I had come. The sun shone ant
e the birds sang. and you could see w
e were in for rare fine day. I met SOM
E workingmen on the road, and passed
e good morning to them. I could hav
I said good morning to the very policemen
e that L had lodged few hours before
and not been afraid of him. felt afrait
t of nothing, and up to fighting any maj
of my own weight.
2 As drew near the vicarage I didn'
feel quite so chirpy- I had a nasty jo
t before me, but made up my mind t
u go through with it. They told me tn
o vicar had breakfasted early and wa
d in his study, and would see me there.
a The vicar was standing up when
g went in, with his hands in his breeches
pockets and that curious smile on hi