Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-10-03
) ABNER Z !;
: DANIEL !
By WILL N. HARDEN
: Author Of "Westesfelf'
6sprt1t. tso2. BY HARffR Bros. Who Pubasa d.
Woh b Book form. All R1ehts Reserved
By WILL N. HARDEN
CHAPTER XXI.
Author Of "Westeffelt"

RACKS. a mountain Iamlly ne knew
slightly had camped in the yard, Sleep
Ing in their canvas covered wagon,
and were making coffee over a little
fire. Pole wanted cup of the bever-
age, but he passed on into a grocery
store across the street and bought q
dimes worth Of cheese and bareback
crackers. This was his breakfast. He
washed it down with dipper Of water
from the street well and sat around
the store chatting with the clerk, who
was sprinkling the floor and sweeping
and busting the long room. The clerk
was >redheaded young man with a
short, bristling mustache, and a suit
Of clothes that was too large for him.
Don't Mr.. Craig stay around Finch
er's warehouse a good deal?" Pole
asked as the clerk rested for moment
ON his broom near him.
mighty nigh all day long," was the
reply. Him an Fincher's some kin,
I think"
ION his wife's side," said Pole. II
want to see Mr.. Craig. l wonder Of
he'll be down thar this mornin'."
"Purty apt" said the clerk. 'eFinch-
ers his best friend sence his bust up,
an they are mighty thick. I reckon he
gifts the cold shoulder at lots O.
places"
"You don't sayr'
AN Of course he wants somewhat
to go besides home. In passin' I've
seed i'm a-fgurin' several times at
Ftncher's G *. They say he's got
some notion O workin' fer Fincher as
his bookkeeper."
**Well, he'll have to make a Twin
some way" said Pole. !;
The clerk laughed significantly. =,
EFF 1t amt already nnedA" said ho'
with smile.
Pole stood up. II don't think that's
right" he said coldly. me nur you
nur nobody hain't got no right to hint
at what we don't know nothin' about
Mr.. Craig may a. lost ever cent be
had"
"1n a pigs valise!'' sneered the red
headed man. I'D bet my hat he's got
money-an' plenty of it, HUH" -.
''Well, I don't know nothin' about
It," said Pole, still coldly. AN what's
more, Dunn, 1 amt a-goin' about
smirchin' any helpless mans character
nuther. Eff knowed he had made by
the bust, I'd talk different, but don't
know it."
f<".Oh, I see which side you are on,
Baker," laughed the clerk. Folks are
about equally divided. Half is fer i'm,
an half agin. But mark my words,
Craig will slide out o. this town some
day an be heerd of after awhile a-git-
tin started agin some'r's else. That
racket has been worked to death all
over the country"
l~Pole carried the discussion no fur
ther. Half an hour passed Customers
were coming in from the wagon yard
and examining the wares on the coun-
tiers and making slow purchases. The
proprietor came in and let the clerk go
to breakfast. Pole stood in the door
way looking up the street in the direc-
ton Of Craig's residence. Presently he
saw the ex-banker coming from the
postoffice reading his mail Pole STEP
ped back into the store and let him go
by; then he went to the door again
and saw Craig go into Fincher's ware
house at the end of the next block Of
struggling, wooden buildings. Pole
sauntered down the sidewalk in that
direction, passing the front door of the
warehouse without looking in. The
door at the side of the house had
long platform before it, and on it
Flncher, the proprietor, was weighing
bales of hay which were being unload
ed from several wagons by the coun-
trymen who were disposing of it.
"Hello, Mr.. Fincherp' Pole greeted
him Familiarity. want any help un-
loadin'?"
s"Hello, Baker," said Fincher, look
Ing up from the blankbook in which he
was recording the weights. mo, 1 reck-
on they can handle 1t all right" Finch
er was short, fat man, very bald and
with round, laughing face. He had
known Pole a long time and consid
cred him a most amusing character.
~.How do you come on, Pole?'
"Oh, about as common. I jest thought
them fellers looked sorter lightweight"
The men on the wagon laughed as
they thumped bale Of hay on to the
platform. you'd better dry up," one
of them said. well git the mayor to
put you to work agin.'
"Well, he'll have to be quicker about
1t than he was the last time," said Pole
dryly.
Some one laughed Justify from be-
hind tall stack Of wheat in bags in
the warehouse. 1t was Lawyer Ira
bue. he came round and picked up
F1ncher's daily paper, as he did every
morning, and sat down and began to
read it.
Z. *'Now you are talkin'," he said.
'"Thar was more rest in that: job, Pole,
than any you ever undertook. They
tell me you didn't crack a rock"
{ Fincher laughed as he closed his
book and struck Baker with it play
fully pole was too tired to do that
Job" he said. He was born that way
81 Say, Mr. Trabue," retaliated Pole,
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