Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-10-23

u
gray hair, an mighty nigh always Will
/ = cigar in his mouth"
That's right" laughed Miller. "Nov
40 your work, and we won't forge
you. By all means keep him ava,
from meddlesome people,"
When Pole had left the Office ant
Miller had resumed his revolving chair
Mrs. Bishop addressed him, lookin,
straight into his eyes.
Il don't see" she said in a timid
hesitating way and yet with note O,
hrmness dominating her tone-.I dom,
see why we have to go through all this
rickery to make the trade. Eff the
land is good security fer the money
we needn't be afeerd OF what the mar
Will find out. Eff it amt good secur
ity, don't want his money, as fer as
i I'm concerned"
Il was jest thinkin' that, too" chimed
| In her husband, throwing a troubled
glance all round. II want money to
help me out O. my scrape, but 1 don't
want to trick no man, Yankee or what
not, into totin' my loads AS Betsy
says, 1t seems to me IL the lands with
the money we needn't make such q
great TODD. I'm afeerd 1 won't feel
exactly right about it."
The young men exchanged alarmed
| glances.
"Yoa don't understand" said Miller
lamely, but he seemed to be unprepared
Tor views so herettcal to financial deal.
ings, and could not finish what he had
started to say.
why" said Alan testify, "the land
! is worth all Wilson can make out of II
with the aid of his capital and the rail-
road he proposes to lay here. Father,
you have spent several years looking
up the best timbered properties and
getting good titles to it, and to a big
lumber company body of timber like
you hold Is no small thing. We don't
want to cheat him. but we do want to
keep him from trying to cheat us by
getting the upper hand. Rayburn
thinks If he finds out we are hard up
bell try to squeeze US to the lowest
! notch"
WELL" sighed Mrs. Bishop, "I'm
shore I never had no idea we'd resort
to gittin' Pole Baker to tote anybody
around like a hog after a yeer O. corn.
lowed we was goin' to make open
and shut trade that we could be proud
of an stop folks mouths about AL
fred's foolish dealin's. But"-she look
ed at Abner, who stood in the door
way leading to the consultation room
I'll do whatever Brother Alb thinks
Is right. I never knowed i'm to take
undue advantage Of anybody"
They all looked at Abner, who was
smiling broadly.
well, say git his money" he re-
Piled. with a short, impulsive laugh
git his money, and then, eff you find
he's staryin'. hand i'm back what you
feel you don't need. look on thing
like this sorter like did on scramblin'
fer the upper holt in wartimes. 1 re-
member shot straight at Teller that
was climbin' up the enemy's breast
works on his all tours. l said to N.Y.
se'f, Eff this ball strikes you right, old
chap, fore you drap over the bank,
yo're one less agin the Confederacy;
eff 1t don't, you kin pop away at me-
don't think l give i'm anything but a
flesh wound in the back, beca'se he
Jest sagged down little an crawled
on, an that's about the wust you could
do fer Wilson. believe he ort to hold
the bag awhile. Alf's hung on to it till
his fingers ache an he's weak at the
knees. never did feel like thar was
any harm in passin' counterfeit bill
that some other chap passed on me.
Eff the government, with all its high
paid help. cayn't keep crooked shin
plasters from slidin' under our noses,
1t ortn't to kick agin our lookin' out
fer ourselves"
"You needn't lose any sleep about
the Southern Land and Timber COM
pany, Mrs. Bishop" said Miller. "They
will take care of themselves. In fact,
We'll have to keep our eyes peeled to
watch them even if we get this loan.
Wilson didn't come up here for his
health"
"Oh, mothers all right" said Alan,
"and so is father, but they must not
chip in with that sort Of talk before
Wilson"
"Oh, no, you mustn't" said Miller.
I'm fact, think you'd better let me
and Alan do the talking. You see, If
you sit perfectly quiet he'll think you
are reluctant about giving such big
security for such a small amount of
money, and he will trade faster"
"Oh, I'm perfectly willin' to keep
quiet" agreed the old man, who now
seemed better satisfied.
Pole Baker left the office with long,
swinging strides. There was an en-
trance to the Johnston House through
a long corridor opening on the street,
and into this Pole slouched. The hotel
office was empty save for the clerk,
who stood behind the counter looking
over the letters in the pigeonholed key
rack on the wall. There was big
gong overhead which was rung by pull
ing cord. 1t was used for announc-
ing meals and calling the porter. A
big china bowl on the counter was filed
with wooden toothpicks, and there was
a showcase containing cigars. Pole
glanced about cautiously without be-
Ing noticed by the clerk and then with
drew into the corridor, where he stood
for several minutes listening. Present
~ the dining room door opened, and
Wilson strolled out and walked up to
the counter.
"What sort of cigars have you got?'
he said to the clerk.
s"Nothing better than 1O-three for a