The Morris County chronicle., 1904-02-05

b'lieve | know whar $500 mebbe cud
| peraps be got"
you bet your sox," yelled the
strange voice in chorus, with other
shouts of approval.
"Of course, amt no bettin' man,
! went on Bill insinuatingly, "as a regu-
lar thing, but I'd gamble a few jist
here on this pint; if the boys was stuck
| on anythin' costin' about 500, it seems
to me likely they'd git it in about two
days, per'aps."
Here Robbie grunted out an aye OF
such fullness of contemptuous unbe-
lief that Bill paused, and, looking
| over Robbie's head, he drawled out,
even more slowly and mildly:
81 amt much given to bettin, as l re-
marked before but if a man shakes
money at me on that proposition I'd ac-
commodate him to limited extent.
[tHear, heart Bully boy!" yelled Hi
again from the door.l mot bein' too
bold, l cherish the opinion" [again yells
of approval from the cornerl that
even for this here gospel plant, seein'
the Pilots rather sot on to 1t, b'lieve
the boys could find $500 inside of Il
month. if perhaps these fellers cud
wiggle the rest out of their pants"
Then Robbie was in great wrath.
and. stung by the haunting, drawling
voice beyond all self command, he
broke out suddenly:
"Ye'll no can max that guild. doot.
"D'ye mean | amt prepared to back
it up:"
''Aye" said Robbie grimly
"'Tain't likely I'll be called on.
guess $500 is safe enough drawled
Bill, cunningly drawing him on. Then
Robbie bit.
100 aver said he in voice of quiet
contempt. "The twa hummer wull be
here and 'twull wait We long eneuch.
Use warrant ye."
Then Bill nailed him.
Il hain't got my card case on my per-
son." he said with slight grin.
Left it on the pianner," suggested
Hi who was in a state of great hilarity
at Bills success in drawing the Scottie.
But" Bill proceeded. recovering
himself and with increasing suavity.
"if some gentleman would mark down
the date of the almanac | cherish the
opinion [cheers from the cornerl ''that
In one month from today there will be
$500 lookin' round for 5000 on that
there desk. mebbe. or p'raps you would
incline to two fifty" he drawled in his
most winning tone to Robbie, who was
growing more impatient every moment.
''Nea matter tae me. Ye're haverin'
like daft loon. ony way"
You will make a memento of this
slight transaction. boys, and per'aps
the schoolmaster will write it down.
said Bill
1t was all carefully taken down. and
amid much enthusiastic confusion the
ranchers and their gang carried Bill
off to old Latour's. while Robbie. In
deep wrath but in dour silence, went
off through the dark. with his little
wife following some PAGES behind him.
His chief grievance, however. was
against the chairman for "alooin' sic
a disorderly pack o looms tae disturb
respectable fowk.' for he could not
hide The fact that he had been made
to break through his accustomed de-
Tense line of immovable silence.
But when he understood, some days
later, that Bill was taking steps to back
up his offer and had been heard to de-
clare that he'd make them pious
ducks take water if he had to put up
years pay" Robbie went quietly to
work to make good his part of the bar
gain, for his Scotch pride would not
suffer him to refuse challenge from
such a quarter.