The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-05-12
By.
WILL N.
HARDEN
AuEbor Of
{" u's.sFscfsh''
Copyright. 1902. by
HARPER q BROS,
Who Publish the Work
In Book Form. All
Rights Reserved


man. Il jest come over to see how
much money you wanted to borrow"
II don't want any O yo'rn." sait
Pole. leaning over the fence his un
buttoned shirt sleeves allowing his
/ brawny. bare arms to rest on the tor
I rail. Il wanted to talk to you about
Alan an that bank bust up"
you've been to town, | heer." said
Abner. deeply interested.
Yes. an I've been with Alan an
, Miller fer the last week tryin' to dc
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'tY Abner's voice
quivered and fell
mo. They both kept up Their sperits
purity we'll fer about ten days beca Sc
that dang Atlanta chief Of police kept
wirin' he was ON a scent o. Winship,
but day before yesterday they give in.
We was a-settin' in Miller'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 CO. Then
who do you think come? Alan's sweet
heart. She axed to see I'm, an they
Miller come back an said she'd axed
to be introduced to me. Jest think of
1t! / 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 fi1end TO
Alan! Uncle Alb, felt as mean as a
egg suckin' dog, beca'se thar was Alan
fat o. his back. as the Teller said, an
hadn't turned hand to hep i'm. An
thar she was, the gal ne loves an
wants, an is poverty standin' betwixt
'em. l couldn't say nothin'. an reck-
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 do? made my bow
a
bar an put two down as fast as they
could shovel 'em out. Then tuck an
other, an quit countin'. ! begun to
think l 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. agreed,
but thar was one thing | had to do
fust. | had promised Alan not to
drink any more, an SO | didn't want
to sneak away to hide it. | 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 | felt like it was the
only manly way, after I'd broke faith
with friend as true as he is"
TOO bad"' sighed Abner. "1ll bet
t 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 ever seed a
strong man. It's my fault, Pole SEES
lie. i can see that Then him an
Miller both tried to git me to GO, up !
tairs in that fine house an go to bed
in sleep it off. but | wouldn't.
ome on home an got mad at Sally fer
akin to me an come nigh as peas
Iittin' 'er in the jaw. But that's over.
Uncle Alb. What I'm in fer now Is
york. amt no fool. I'm on still
lunt. an | jest want yore private
opinion. don't want you to commit
'orese'f unless you want to, but I'd
% more on yore Judgment than any
mans in this county. | want to know
f you think old Craig is honest man
t heart. Now don't say you don't
now an keep yore mouth shet, fer
What | want to know, an all want to
now. is how you feel about that one
hing"
Abner hung his head down. His
1ng thumb trembled as its nail went
nder splinter on the rail and pried
off.
81 see what you are a-drivin' at" he
aid "You jest want to feel shore o
ore ground" Abner began to chew
he splinter and spit out the broken
its. He was silent. under Poles anx-
Jus gaze. for minute. and then he
lughed dryly. IL reckon me n You
as about the same suspicious" he I
aid THAT p'int's been worryin' me
er several days. an didn't let it end |
mar nuther."
"Ah. you didn'tT' exclaimed Baker.
You say you didn't. Uncle Abr
NO: got so | couldn't lie down at
ight without the idea poppin' into
" head that maybe Craig had made
tool of Winship fer some minor crime
n had hustled i'm out o. the country
, he could gobble up what was In the
mix an pose as injured man In the
''Same beer. pine blank!' said Pole
lgerly "What did you do Uncle
By t
"Jest satisfied myself that Alan's !
oney --or some or it-wasn't cot o. !
cation, that's ALL 1
Il have my reasons fer believin' like
ou do.v said Pole.
You say you have"
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