Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-06-08

iety a criminal always experiences.
Kept him in continual state of un,
eaSiness.
His purpose in going to jenkins was
to discover. IL he could, without max
Ing his own presence known. whether
The man giving his name as Waite had
stopped there and whether or not it
was Robert Marchand The way he
had planned to 90 this was very sim
pie and at the same time comparatiye-
~ safe to h!:nsclf
He proposed to tie his horse some
where in the woods near Jenkins
house. then creep cautiously forward
under the cover Of the fences and
shrubbery until h. reached a position
commanding a view ef the house and
Its surroundings.
I lie was wei aware that il was a uni
'ersal custom among the people Of
Postum Ridge to st out in their front
yards after supper ON hot summer
evenings, and he felt assured that he
would find Jenkins and Waite so sit
ting IL the latter was there. In this
way he could satisfy himself as to
whether Waite was the man he faared.
then steal softly away again.
And If that man should prove TO he
Robert Marchand there was but one
thing for Melvin to do. and that was
to fee from the section He had that
all planned out too. He would return
to Turner's for his things claiming he
had received letter calling him back
home, and he would go that night
There would be no waiting FOR the
morrow, not an hours delay, IL Robert
Marchand was there.
| However. he vas saved all the trou-
Bile OF putting his plans into execution.
for as he passed along the road a mile
from his destination voice hailed him
from the woods. and. looking around.
he saw old III jenkins sitting on n log.
MY Lord, young Teller" Jenkins said.
but I'm pow'ful glad to see you shore.
been settin here for two mortal hours,
an l got TO thinkin thar want nobody
never goin to come along"
why have you been sitting there an
that timer" Melvin asked.
Cause l couldn't do nothin else
Reckon was dom Il for fun?"
why can't you do anything else?'
Cause / can't git a-loaOse from this
dad burned log, an l amt big enough
to walk Off with It,"
Are you fast TO the Logo"
WAL, sorter. guess. Leastwise 1
been kinder under that impression the
last two hours
Melvin rode over near the old man.
How did you happen to get fast to
the logT he asked.
why, was fixln to split II up for
rails Jenkins replied. IAN I'd drove a
wedge in. startin right smart crack
In one eend. Feelin sort OF tired. I
lowed I'd set down on the log to rest.
an like a burned fool set right on that
crack. I'd been settln thar little bit
when the fust thing knowed that mis-
able sneakin wedge flew out. an the
crack closed up. a-ketchin the seat OF
my pants an a-holdln me thar so fast
an tight that l couldn't move"
Melvin laughed. The situation was
so ludicrous that he couldn't help II.
He would have laughed IL Jenkins had
been dying. There was nothing funny
In the situation TO old Hi. however.
and when Melvin laughed It made him
angry.
Reckon you think it's burned smart
TO stand thar that away an laugh like
a blame fool at poor, helpless. suffer
in Teller critter, but bet IL l was out
of this I'd make you laugh out of 10th
er side OF your mouth"
Il can't help laughing" Melvin re-
piled. 'Thc idea Of a man getting into
such n pickle as that, It's the most
ridiculous thing ever knew"
WAL, you'd soon hear OF somethin
a doggone sight wuss ridiculous" Jen-
kins said. If was jest loose from here