Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-25

him who bought that tombstone, but pretended
couldn't remember. / wasn't eoin' to be q
bloomin' sneak an BESIDES I guessed you'd
make il up TO me an pay me better than that to
keep me mouth shut. / knows a gentleman when
] sees one, an I reckoned it'd be worth a lot to
| you to be saved from bein' prosecuted; so
wouldn't tell him word, an he lorst his temper
an said either ] was a liar or else I'd bin paid
to say nothin, an if didn't make clean breast
Of it he'd prosecute me an git me six months
hard for t-an' he WILL too he was that savage
Six months hard won't matter much to me-
sir, | says, as it would TO you; but, all the same,
it's no pleasure excursion an won't do me health
no goodi and that's why looked into warn
you that the old gents on the warpath an sus-
poets you from what he said, an that I'm keep
in me mouth shut tight an feel the need OF hay-
in little encouragement
HE was scared badly, an ready TO do anythln
sooner than let me blow the gaff.
+" Tt was just lark he says. He's the man
ager of the orfce where I'm engaged, an there's
several Of us bin sendn' him anonermous letters
about the color of his hair bein' changed just for
joke, but it's made him mad, ] know, an II
he finds out for certain who did the tombstone
he'll never forgive mel shall have no end OF
warm time. There's three of us in walkin
distance Of him. an he suspects us all but he'll
never be able to find out unless you gimme
away
''I said indignant wouldn't think Of sich q
thing, so long he saw that j wasn't out O
pocket by it, which was more than poor bloke
like me could afford. / said was willin to be
prosecuted, an say nothin'. / said I'd told the
old gent I'd sold the tombstone to a widder lady,
but he didn't believe me.
"'He told me fiat he was pretty sure I'd sold
it to you, SIR says l, but swore I'd never been
to your door even, an if you stick to thats-wny,
there you are, he can't prove nothin' an he'll
have to prosecute me- Ten dollars he orfered
me for the truth. / give him good lie for
nothin', bein' dead sure you'd pay me the full
value Of it, and a trifle over for luck
"He was wallzin' up and down the room Almost
steamng with perspiration. He was that fright
ened of me sayin' anythin that he was ready to
do nearly whatever arst He put down five
dollar bill fust but when reminds him that the
old gent had orfered me much an would pay
twice that if went back an owned up, he says,
For hevings sake don't do that an he planks
down another FIVE like a lamb. didn't waste
no more time ater that gettin afraid o
the old gent turnin' up every minute, de beg
red me not to split on him, an | took me solemn
oath I'd not go near Mr. Morgan agen an "a
do nv fair best never to let him find me; an,~l
left him wpin' his forrid with handkerchief
an lookin' as if he'd used up all his larf an
couldn't never smile no more.
| "Outside the gate, / takes squlnt this way
| an that, maxim up mind which way ia go,
when ali of a sudden I spots Mr. Morgan comm
round the corner with spy, quick cove which
| reckon was his lawyer, an he was carryin
| what think was the tombstone done up IN pa
\ per an tied round with red tape, and they
was both talkin' as if they meant doin' business
"But it was no business O. mine, so dldn
; wait for 'em."