The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-31
might nigh everybody does that


minutes later Anderson was once more
jogging on his way to Yigo.
There was the usual crowd Of loaf
ers in Cantrell Bros. store when the
mail carrier rode up to the porch and
dismounted ON the high platform.
Throwing the bride to his 10-year-old
brother and giving the pouch to Will
Cantrell, Late edged his way into the
group Of loungers to distribute his budg-
ct Of up valley gossip.
Cantrell went behind the counter and
disappeared beyond the low partition
which fenced off a sleeping room in the
end of the building. Behind the parti-
ton Inspector Jaffray was smoking a
cigar, sitting with his chair tilted back
at a comfortable angle against the wall.
But he came out of his listlessness with
jerk when Cantrell entered with tho
mail pouch.
"Open it quick-right here" he COM
mcnced. And in O moment he had
scanned tho address on every letter in
the small heap.
"It's gone. / knew it would be. Slip
out quietly and send your brother back
here"
When Bud Cantrell came in, tho in
spector handed him $40 bill. go into
the crowd ont there and ask il any one
can change it. Give Anderson o chance
to do it if he will. "
Cantrell came back almost immedi-
ately and gave the inspector four bank
notes. There were two twos, q one and
five, and Jaffray glanced at tho num-
bers before putting the money into his
pocket.
Hes our man. he said quietly.
'Go and talk to him and take him to
the door with you. When you see mo at
his other elbow, grab him and hold
him. Do you understand"
Cantrell nodded and sauntered back
into the store "Want to sec you min
ute, LATE, he said, linking his arm in
that of the mail carrier and leading
him toward the front door. On the step
Cantrell saw the inspector over Lafe's
shoulder and obeyed his instructions
literally. There was q fierce struggle,
like that of an unbroken horse when he
first feels the weight of man OF his
back, ending in the ratchctlike click
of the handouts, and then the prisoner
relapsed quickly into quietudo and sui
lenness.
Jaffray spoke to Cantrell II want
you to come with me. Well tako him
up to Layne's for the night
LATE suffered himself to be walked
away between them, and no word was
spoken until they reached tho porch oe
the farmhouse. There the inspector
placed three chairs and sat down to
question his prisoner.
"You may as well make q clean breast
of it, my boy" he said after LATE had
sulkily resisted for o time. eth 90
easier with you III the end, and I'll do
what can to get your sentence short
cned if you'll open your head and tell
us all about it. -
In the silence that followed this APP
peal there was q rustling III the laurel
bush at the end of the porch, and Jaffray
got up to investigate. He came back in
a moment, apparently satisfied, but this
was because he failed to SEQ little Joe
Anderson covering under the dropping
branches of the laurel.
you'd better open up, Anderson, !"
he repeated. We've got all the evil
dence we need; but, as say, TIL do all I
can to help you if you'll tell us tho
whole story.
Whereupon, being something less
than q hardened criminal, the young
1uountaineer broke down.
IT don't keer much what-all you do
with me, IS long as you git mo ont Of
here fore pawr TT Willie Godfrey
fms out, - he said. st reckon she'd say
things at new could forgit. Hit MI
commence with that thar ring of John
Corny's. You sec, done asst Willie, and
was a.wonderin which way I could
git n ring when that thar little box
dropped out thoo the holo i'll the mail
bag. knowed what hit was, Gaze John
he lowed to me he was a-lool1in for hit
didn't low TO keep hit, and only
opened the box to SEQ what for kind of
ring hit was. But that thar very evenin
l slipped hit on Willie's finger, thess in
fun, TN she lowed / done meant hit to
bc horn"
The sweat stood thickly on his fore
head, and he tried TO get his manaclcd
lialids around to his pocket for hand
lerchief. Jaffray helped him and said,
"Wcll, what then?'
IneH ulull naF3 scllSc enough TO
tell her the straight of hit, an after that
tho fence SEEM sort of broke down, and
and they's been other things come out
thoo that hole-money mostly"
How much?" asked the inspector.
Bout $780, countin hit all, reckon.
You uns'll find hit under the chimley
stono III tho room up at MAJ Wilze-
sons, whar been sleepin. -
II see. Yo1 were afraid to spend it,
I suppose. .
LATE hung his head. ST new thort
MUCK about bein afraid. Twas savin hit
ag'inst tho time when Willie'd let on
Ike she was ready"
'Oh!' Inspector Jaffray went into
brown study, coming out of it presently
80 say to Cantrell You can go now,
Bad, if you want to. can take care of
him all right. only wanted you to
hear what he had to say for himself. "
Cantrell went back to the store, where
In fouud 1itt1a Toe AnflarSoT, frvi,u 70