Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-26

rail. II wanted to talk to you about
Alan an that bank bust up"
you've been to town, I her," said
Abner, deeply interested.
Eyes, an I've been with Alan an
Miller fer the last week tryin' to do
some'n', but we couldn't. They've been
sendin' kilograms by the basketful, an
JEFF Dukes has trotted his legs of back
an forth, but nothin' hain't been DONE"
''You say the hain't?" Abner's voice
qu1vered and fell.
mo. They both kept up Their sperits
purity well fer about ten days beca'se
that dang Atlanta chief of police kept
wirin' he was on q scent O. Winship,
but day before yesterday they give in.
We was a-settin' in Miller's Office when
the last message come from Atlanta.
They said they'd been after the wrong
man an that they'd give up. You ort
"a seed Alan's face. Miller tried to
cheer i'm up, but it wasn't no go. Then
who do you think come? Alan's sweet
heart. She axed to see i'm, an they
talked awhile in the front room. Then
4AAAAASA NoAAO O<ASA uA 6OAO SAC dACO
to be introduced to me. Jest think of
it! went in an seed she'd been a-cry-
in. She got up, by jinks, an ketched>
my land an said she wanted to thank
me beca'se I'd been sech a friend to
Alan! Uncle Alb, felt as mean as
egg suckin' dog, beca'se thar was Alan
fat O. his back, as the Teller said, an
hadn't turned hand to hep i'm. An
thar she was, the gal he loves an
wants. an is poverty standin' betwixt
'em. couldn't say nothin', an l reck-
on looked more kinds Of durn fool
than she ever seed on two legs"
"Well, what did you do?" asked Alb
ner, too much moved by Poles graphic
picture to speak with his usual light
ness.
"What did I do? 1 made my bow
an slid. made Decline fer Murray's
bar an put two down as fast as they
could shovel 'em out. Then tuck an
other. an quit countin'. l begun to
think l owned the shebang an broke
several billiard cues an throwed the
chalk around. Then Dukes come an
said he'd give me a chance to escape
trial fer misconduct eff I'd straddle
my boss an make fer home. l agreed,
but thar was one thing I had to do
fust. l had promised Alan not to
drink any more, an so I didn't want
to sneak away to hide it. l went to
Miller's house, whar he's stayin', an
called i'm out. told i'm I'd jest come
fer no other reason an to let i'm see
me at my wust. 1 felt like it was the
only manly way, after I'd broke faith
with friend as true as he is"
'"Too bad!' sighed Abner. ''I'll bet
it hurt Alan to see you in that fix"
"Well, he didn't complain" said Pole.
"But he put his arm around me an
come as nigh cryin' as I ever seed
strong man. It's my fault, Pole SEES
he 4 can see that Then him an
Miller both tried to git me to 60 up
stairs in that fine house an 60 to bed
an sleep it off, but I wouldn't.
come on home an got mad at Sally fer
talkin' to me an come nigh as peas
hittin' 'er In the jaw. But that's over,
Uncle Alb. What I'm in fer now is
work. I amt no fool. I'm on a still
hunt, an Isasiest want yore private
opinion. don't want you to commit
yorese'f unless you want to, but I'd
go more on yore Judgment than any
mans in this county. want to know
eff you think old Craig is honest man
at heart. Now don't say you don't
know an keep yore mouth shet, fer
what want to know, an all want to
know, is how you feel about that one
thing" " go i. 2; - "~
Abner hung his head down. His
long thumb trembled as it's nail went
under a splinter on the rail and pried
it off. - *'-~ ~'- " ~
'T see what you are a-drivin' att he
said. .sYou jest want to. feel shore o.
yore ground" Abner began to chew
the splinter and spit out the broken
bits. He was silent, under Poles anx-
ious gaze, for minute, and then: he
laughed ;dryly. 81 reckon me m you
has about the same susptciuns,' =, he
sal hat sp'int' saheen sworryinss me
| fersseydfalsna AN didn It let st end;
tharnuthsri 49,. ~
"a ii II i ny exclaimed Baker,
you say you didn't, Uncle Alb r s.ss
No; I got so Z couldn't lie down Mt