Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-01

-
S. Alan had not, and Miller turned his
head to the open door. An old negro
happened to be passing, with an az on
his shoulder. ~ ..'.-=.. ~
leigh. there Uncle Nedg' Miller
called out.
me negro naa passed, OUT ne aearu
his name called, and he came back
and looked in at the door.
want me, Marse Rayburn?'
Yes, you old scamp. Get me
match or I'll shoot the top Of your
head off,
"An right sub; all right, Marse Ray
burn:'
you ought to know him." said MIL
Ter, with smile as the negro hurried
into the adjoining office. His wife
cooks for Colonel Barclay. He might
tell you If Miss Dolly's going tonight,
but know she is. Frank Hillhouse
checked her name of the list, and I
heard him say she'd accepted. BY the
way, that fellow will do to watch.
think he and the colonel are pretty
thick"
.'Will you never let up on that?'
Alan asked, with a flush.
~ don't know that l SHALL" laughed
Rayburn. 1T seems so funny to see
you in love, or, rather, to see you think
you are"
II have never said l was" said Alan
sharply.
but you show it SO blamed plain"
said Miller.
Here tits, Marse Rayburn. Marse
Trabue said you could have whole
box eff you'd put up wild sulphur ones"
Miller took the matches from the out
stretched hand and tossed cigar to
Alan. 'Say, Uncle Ned" he asked,
do you know that gentleman?' indi-
eating Alan with nod of his head.
A quizzical look dawned in the old
negro's eyes, and then he gave re-
sounding guffaw and shook all over.
II reckon l know his boss, Marse
Rayburn," he Uttered.
"That's a good one on you, Alan"
laughed Miller. "He knows your 'hoss.'
I'll have to spring that on you when
see you two together"
AS the negro left the office Mr.. Ira
bue leaned in the doorway, holding his
battered silk hat in his hand and mop
ping his perspiring face.
He nodded to Alan and said to Mil
Ter, "Do you want to write?'
mot any more for you, thanks" said
Miller. Il have the backache now
from those dispositions 1 made out for
you yesterday"
"Oh, don't mean that" the old
lawyer assured him, "but l had to
borrow yore ink just now, an, SEEM
you at yore desk, thought you might
need it."
"Oh, if l d." TESTED Miller, II can
buy another bottle at the bookstore
They pay me commission on the ink
l furnish the row. They let me have it
cheap by the case What stumps me
is that you looked in to see if needed
it. You are breaking the rule, Mr.
Trabue. They generally make me hunt
for my office furniture when l need it.
They've borrowed everything l have
except my iron safe. Their ignorance
of the combination, its weight and
their confirmed laziness are all that
saved it,
When the old lawyer had gone, the
two friends sat and smoked in silence
for several minutes. Alan was study
ing Miller's face. Something told him
that the news of his fathers disaster
had reached him and that Miller was
going to speak Of it. he was not mis-
taken, for the lawyer soon broached
the subject.
"I've been intending to ride out to
see you almost every day this week."
he said, but business has always pre-
vented my leaving town."
''Then you have heard''-
Eyes, Alan, I'm sorry, but it's all
over the country. A mans bad luck
spreads as fast as good war news. I
heard it the next day after your IA
ther returned from Atlanta, and saw
the whole thing in a fash. The truth
is, Perkins had the cheek to try his
scheme on me. I'm the first target of
every scoundrel who has something to
sell. and I've Teamed many of their
tricks. l didn't listen to all he had to
say, but got rid of him, as soon as l
could. You must not blame the old
man. AS see it now, it>was a most
plausible scheme, and the shame of it
Is that no one can be handled for it.
Your father will have to grin and bear
it. He really didn't pay fabulous
price for the land, and if he were in a,
condition to hold on to it for, say,
twenty-five years he might notA lose
money. But who can do that sort of
thing? l have acres and acres of
mountain land offered me at a much
lower figure, but what little money
I've made has been made by turning
my capital rapidly. Have you seen
Dolly since it happened?"