The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-11-15

BY Hugh Pendexfer
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bow ies.)

Inc heaVy, dark brow OF Mt. VIII
liam Bilks, alias "Slinkey Bill" bur-
glar, was wrinkled In pleasing medi-
tatiOn Of the past. Fol six months he
had been living quietly and happily
' On the proceeds of his last victim, a
general store upstate, where the pri-
vate safe Of an egotistical proprietor
had opened and disgorged its wealth
Ia most amiable n imaginable.
Mr.. Bilks had just been rejecting
now all safes always had had a fas-
cination for him, and how even as a
child he had felt a gentle curiosity to
pry open the doors and rummage
through the contents. Then, besides,
safes were his friends and gladly sur
rendered all at his skillful touch and
probing. He told himself he could
actually feel the force Of their invi-
tation, be it ever so mutely given.
But this reverie was interrupted in
the most unwholesome manner by the
BILE member of Mr.. Bilk's profession.
He viewed Mr.. Bilks with an i'll
favored grin for a few seconds,
paying no heed to the gruff invitation
TO take a chair. His waggish spirit
seemed to find something unusually
facetious in Mr.. Bilk's hoarse voice
and heavy face, and he chuckled in a
whimsical manner until the owner Of
the small room promised on his honor
10 toss him into the area-way, six
stories below.
"Wot dye mean by comm inter a
guys Dor an givin' him de ha-ha
like dis" snarled Mr.. Bilks. toying
placing his short-stemmed clay where
it would not get b. ken.
"'Scuse me, Bill, but Use just t'ink-
in wot a mistake de fly cops is maxim,
dat's ALL" a~pologized Mr.. Snyme.
'Oh, is dat all dat's troublin' youse?
Why, of course dey makes mistakes.
Only, I'd take it kindly in youse,
Snyme, if youse would always explain
de joke fore youse let yer face slip
like dat ag'in. Wot's de gag" and
Mr.. Bilks lit his pipe and tangled his
rough features into what was intend
ed for a smile of welcome.
Not much of n"ut'in', old pal" and
AIr. Snyme edged carelessly toward
the door; but dey do say youse
cracked de general store in Church
vile two nights ago"
Fer de love Of Say dat ag'in,
Beau! Dey t'ink l did dat job? Me?
Slinkey Bill, wot's ben mentioned by
do hast norc IN npnnaotinD mid ror
of de slickest jobs in de state!" And
Mr.. Bilks in horror and disgust laid
down his pipe and reached over one
thick palm to grasp the others arm.
Take it back, Beau, an say youse
was only f~oolin'," he begged. Let it
go as a joke an III forgive youse.
Ho, ho." and Mr.. Bilks croaked dis
mally. "If dat amt youse-out an
out. Never a time but wot youse got
a joke ter spring"
But l mean it, Bill" repeated Mr..
Snyme, smothering a grin. ITS gos-
pei. De inspector has men lookin' fer
youse all over, an not more'n a hour
ago dey raided de old crib. OATS
why I'm here, ter give youse de tip.
Better pack up an make a git-away."
"Wot?" roared Mr.. Bilks, dashing
his beloved pipe to the floor in his
rage, and causing his visitor to back
toward the door. 'Me git out! Go
an leave de boys ter t'ink I did dat
yeggman's job! Fer de love Of
Why, say, Beau, dey didn't even do
no drillin'! Think Of dat! Why,
when l heard how dey butchered dat
safe I could ha' set down an cried
wild grief"
well, dey say youse did 1t all
right, all right, an de inspector takes
his oat' he'll git youse fore night"
comforted Mr.. Snyme, emboldened now
to tip his chair against the wall.
Mr.. Bilks for some minutes gazed
modify at the floor. Then he OBJ
served to himself, more than to his
visitor, whose satisfaction was i'll con-
cealed:
An dey say I did it! Knobs
banged off wild a spike-maul! Five
slugs Of glycerin used. Safe all
blown ter pieces! Winders an furni-
ture wrecked an money burned an
spilled! An dey say l did it, Ell?
Well, well, wot's de use fer a guy like
me ter try an build up a name! Here
Use worked like a dog fer years, ]eav-
in de drink alone, an always tryin'
ter improve my mind. An jest as l
gifts where I can spend a peaceful old
age wild KNOWN dat Use a honor ter
de profeshion, up comes dis amochoor
job an it's saddled on ter me! Well,
Beau, one ting is sure-de boys won't
believe it."
Mr.. Snyme removed his hand from
his mouth long enough to cheer the
d~isconsolate Mr.. Bilks by saying:
sits a pipe deyIl all believe it was
youse, Slinkey. I tell 'em it amt,
but love we. dey jest points ter de pa
pers where it says youse was dc pro-
fessor, all right, all right"
Mr.. Bilks jumped to his feet, his
short black poll bristling In a fierce
rage as he growled:
"Tn de papers? AS bad as dat? Fer
dc love Of Why, a year ago dey
couldn't praise me enuff fer de Bride.