Fergus County argus., 1902-12-17

you talk ABOUT anu nave you tnToWn
into the rtreet!'
"You don't dare to-" said I, "and II
you did the officer wouldn't obey you
He's here TO protect us and 10 sub.
puna you TO go to the trial. And you
do lie when you say you didn't sell
these clothes to viii Lawson, for I've
got the tags that were on them-got
them In my pocket this minute-and
the marks on them are the same as the
marks oil the clothes you've got on
your shelves. So the quicker you call
the officer In and give him history OF
the clothes the better II will be for you"
All the time was talking Mrs. Law
son stood there all OF a tremble. hold
Ing on TO my arm with both hands, as
though she was afraid meant TO fly
at the man and scratch his ugly face
and claw the truth out OF his throat.
The fellow looked at me. with his
snaky eyes nam ing with rage and hate,
though ! could see that he was scared
too.
You talk pretty strong for an old
woman" he said. "and when you've
finished your say you can take your
old clothes and walk out"
started for the door, and suppose
he thought he'd scared me out, for |
heard him chuckllng. but he soon had
cause TO change his mind for knock
ed on the glass with my umbrella. and
In walked the officer. The storekeeper
was taken aback. but he tried to put
on a bold face and asked the officer
II he was conducting a branch insane
asylum.
"Because II you are" he said. you'd
better take your patients to some other
shop"
"we'll see about that directly" said
the officer. but I've got little busi-
ness Ia do with you first" And he
read him the subpoena and gave him n
copy of 1t, all In printing and writing,
plain as you please.
"Of course I'll have TO obey the or
der Of the court" said the man. speak.
ing milder, but can't see what you're
getting at"
You'll find out soon enough" said
the officer. and we all started for the
door. But kept my ears open wide,
for expected to be called back. And,
sure enough. before we got into the
street the proprietor called to us to
wait and came up to where we were.
what is IL about the clothesT he
asked, keeping his evil eyes fixed on
Mrs. Lawson. thinking perhaps that
she'd be the easiest one Of the party TO
scare into an answer that might give
him something like u hint TO be guided
by. She did look pretty timid and
shrinking. but | gave her arm good
pinch and Whispered to her 10 be firm.
and she seemed TO take on courage.
"What Is IL about the clothes" re-
peated the man, "And what II did
sell them? It's my business TO sell
clothes and there's no law against It
that ! ever heard of. SO there's no
harm done is there?"
"Yes." said the officer there's harm
done, and a young man Is TO be tried
for his life on account Of you, and you
can make things right by telling the
truth, II you haven't forgotten how"
| could see by the changing express
sion In the fellows eyes that he knew
all about the arrest OF the poor boy
and had followed the case In the news
papers. and I felt like going down on
my knees there on his dirty floor for
saw, too, that he meant to tell what he
knew about it. looked at Mrs Law
son, and there were tears In her eyes.
"That old woman" began the man,
''said moment ago that she had In
her pocket the tags taken from these
clothes. Show me the tags, and Ill
talk fast enough. for the law can't
touch me for what I did"
handed the tags to the officer, and
he let the proprietor look at them, be.
ing careful to keep one hand on them
all the time.
"Yes," he said, defant-li like II did
sell this suit 10 a young man a. matter
OF three or -four weeks ago. But before
that and on the same night sold them
to another man, who never lived to put
them on"
Mercy" saldI. "why didn't he live
to put them ony'
"All In good time, old woman" was
the impudent reply. you'll soon know
all about IL If you'll give me chan Q.
This first customer bought this suit
and paid for II. Then he went TO the
back end or the store to put It on. /
saw him shift some articles, such ms
a knife bunch OF keys and little
change, from the pockets Of the pants
he had on TO the pockets Of the new
ones, but he seemed to change his
mind, for he took them out again and
asked to have the new suit done up,
saying that he'd wear the old clothes
home. But noticed that he put little
slip of printed paper into the watch
pocket Of the new pants and didn't
take II out again when he shifted the
other things. I remember thinking
about II at the time and intending to
call his attention to IL. but another
customer came In just then, and for.
got all about II. From that day up 10
a week or so ago never once thought
OF the matter, though I've been sorry
enough for my forgetting that little
slip of paper"
"That must have been the lottery
ticket" gasped Mrs Lawson. And
Will has been telling the gospel truth
all the time we've been doubling his
word. poor boy"
"Yes," said the man. II guess II was
the lottery ticket I've been reading
about In the papers-No. 0s,56I-that
drew $4,000 was fool not TO have
my mind about me and take II out Of
I - a.