The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-09-17

|
with such peace offerings to his family
and conscience. His wife might go
| without needed gown and he a coat,
put his children never without toys.
Seeing Abner at the fence, Mrs. Baker
came to the low door and stood bend
ing her head to look out.
! Il heerd at home,'' said Abner, that
Pole was over thar AKIN fer me. I've
been away to my peach orchard on the
hill.''
Yes; he's been over thar twice." said
the woman. Hes back of the house
some'r's settin' trap fer the children
to ketch some birds in. I'll blow the
horn. When l blow twice, he knows
he's wanted right off,
She took down a cows horn from a
nail on the wall, and, going to the door
on the opposite side of the house, she
gave two long, ringing blasts, which
set half dozen dogs near by and some
far off to barking mellowly. In a few
minutes Pole appeared around the cor
ner Of the cabin.
Hello, Uncle Ab,' he said. "Won't
you come imp
mo; hain't time," smiled the old
man. II jest come over to see how
much money you wanted to borrow"
Il don't want any O. yorn,' said
Pole, leaning over the fence, his un-
buttoned shirt sleeves allowing his
braWny, bare arms to rest on the top
rail. Il 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 off back
an forth, but nothin' hain't been done.''
"You say the hain't?" Abner's voice
quivered and fell.
mo. They both kept up Their sperits
purity we'll fer about ten days beca'se
that dang Atlanta chief of police kept
wirin' he was on scent O. Winship,
but day before yesterday they give in.
We was a-settin' in Niller'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
Miller come back an said she'd axed
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 hand an said she wanted to thank
me beca'se I'd been sech a friend to
Alan! Uncle Alb, I felt as mean as
egg suckin' dog, beca'se thar was Alan
fat O. his back, as the Teller said, an I
hadn't turned a hand to hep i'm. An
thar she was, the gal he loves an
wants, an is poverty standin' betwixt
'em. I couldn't say nothin', an I recl-
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 1 do? 1 made my bow
an slid. I made a Decline fer Murray's
bar an put two down as fast as they
could shovel 'em out. Then I tuck an
other, an quit countin'. l begun to
think 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. I 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. I felt like it was the
only manly way after I'd broke faith
with friend as true as he isl
'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 1 ever seed
strong man. It's my fault, Pole ses
he. I can see that Then him an
Miller both tried to git me to go up
stairs in that fine house an go to bed
an sleep it off, but 1 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 I jest want yore private
opinion. l don't want you to commit
yorese'f unless you want to, but I'd
60 more on yore Judgment than any
mans in this county. I want to know
eff you think old Craig is a honest man
at heart. Now don't say you don't
know an keep yore mouth shet, fer
what want to know, an all I want to
know, is how you feel about that one
thing"
Abner hung his head down. His
long thumb trembled as it's nail went
under splinter on the rail and pried
it off.
II see what you are a-drivin' att he
said. "YOu jest want to feel shore O.