The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-15

Jnere as or ola. lfreSOluIely ne rang
on again, and got a Wakefield con-
nection. No-thus the voice at the
other end-Mr. Monroe was away-if
1t was anything important better talk
! with Mr.. Norton-what was that? p
Miss Bessie?- Why, of course! She
! often talked over the phone. Fetch her
| quick? What was the hurry? Shed
come when she was ready.
Through the longest minute of his
whole life, Ned held the receiver
against his ear, noting the while how
the hubbub outside swelIed and sank.
He had chuckled over the success of
| his ruse-now he was full of a breath
| less apprehension, lest the fight of his
devising might end before he was
ready. But apprehension took flight
when Bessie said. in her soft mis-
chievous voice: II ought not to speak
! to you, Ned Lester-as badly as you
nave treated me!-but now that 1 am
here, what have you got to say?"
II love you! am coming Monday
morning to ask you to marry me-" Ned
said audaciously: BE sure you are
ready to say yes
why not say it now%' Bessie asked
saucily. Ned's head SWAN, but some
how he managed to answer: you
can say 1t now-and then"
Il thought you We're talking business
else 1 should not have come" Bes-
sic called back to him. and in fancy
ne could see her pout and the dear
toss of her head. Laughing at him
self he said, in his driest tone: IT
was-important business. Tell G.. w.
If he wants to hear something to his
! advantage not to sign a freight con-
tract until he sees me-"
"Pll tell him, but doubt If he will
accept any of your proposals" Bes-
sic said loftily, and rung off before
| Ned could reply. 1t was just as well--
Ned was too idiotically happy for sem
sible conversation.
Sounds of strife still accented the
murmurous babble outside. He slip
ped out of the back door and skirted
around the gazing crowd. The Proph-
ct had a bloody nose, and one eye
nearly shut, but was still Timber and
lusty-in no way scant of breath.
Bunch unsecured, unmarried, limped
the least bit, and also favored his left
when it came to hooks and punches.
Notwithstanding he put up a game
fight-everybody agreed that from
start to finish this was the finest
| Christmas scrap in the last twenty
years. Oddly enough belligerency
showed no signs of spreading. No
hacker of either warrior had lost his
temper over the chance of losing
something else. Still, as he watched
his two bantams, Ned's heart misgave
! him-he broke into the ring and caught
a shoulder of each.
You're the finest fighters in the
| country-you two" He said: "I'd back
you against fellows twice your size
But 1 can't stand by and see you kill
each other-and that's what would
happen if 1 didn't stop you. Now I'll
give each Of you big silver dollar
to shake hands and call 1t a draw
Cheers from the crowd drowned his
further speech. The fighters stared at
him in blank amaze, their jaws drop
ping. simultaneously they held out
their hands. AS their fingers closed
over the coins they asked with one
voice: "Marse Ned, which'n gifts de A.
crackers?"
"Both!" Ned said hastily; come with
me-" AS they followed him the Prophet
whispered loudly: "You's gwine gimme
mother dollar, amt We? Fer fightin',
We know? 1 sho' did hab dat Bunch
beat"
'Yes!-if my money holds out. I've
got to treat everybody" Ned answered
in the same key. Bunch, siding to his
elbow. said plaintively: "Marse Ned, Use
too we'll raised ter charge white folks
fer sech er I'LL thing as er fight-but
sho' as dat Prophet gifts mo'en me, I'm
swine tuhn in an wallop him tell he
CANT see straight"
Notwithstanding imminent bankrupt.
cy, Ned treated all round with the ali
and face of a conqueror.
The NJ. & V. got the Monroe ship
ments, at exactly half rates, but in
getting the business somehow lost the
services of it's efficient agent at Hill
hurst. Ned Lester sent his resignation,
along with his last expense account.
| Though he said nothing of the fact.
there was a strong impression at d.
vision headquarters that he was to be-
come, very shortly. a full partner in
all the Monroe affairs. Possibly that
was why the expense account went
through with bells on-Mr. Daw him
self writing back in regard to one
item: That four dollar fight to Sc
cure private use of telephone is alto
gether too low. 1 have marked it up
to fifty-it was richly worth it. If
| you scruple to take the money, put 1t
into something in the shape of a we'd
ding present from yours truly. And
| this brings me to saying, call on this
Office for passes for two, whenever and
wherever you want them-railroads
and republics are not always ungrate-
| full"
over Cleggett's telephone Ned an