The Washington times., 1906-06-03

Blng In the lava desert forty miles
nom water; bat I'm going 20 stick Il
out 10 the end. You know that's been
nay style BUt If you'd tip me the
smallest kind Of a sign-if you'd just
say. Bob, 4 underst tand." why, Il
would make IL lots easier
was surprised. I don't know
what you mean. Bob said OF
course. you know that I'd do anything
under the sun 20 help you that 7
could But you've got me guessing.
All right. Tom was all he said.
and he went back 20 MS newspaper
and lit another cigar.
IL was the night before court met
when 7 found out what ne meant I
went 70 bed that night with that same
Old Aght-headed. nervous feeling come
back upon ne I dropped OF 70 sleep
a'out midnight When 7 awoke I was
standing half dressed IN one OF the
courthouse corridors Bob was hold
Ing one cf my arms. our family doctor
the Other. and Alice was shaking ne
and half crying. She had sent for the
doctor without my knowing Il, and
When he came they had found me out
OF bed and missing, and had begun q
search
-'-"IAi W lltl4llSs Sd4Q Lle OOCLOr-
All Of as went back 20 the house,
and the doctor told US some remark
able stories about the strange things
people had done while n that eondl-
ton I was feeling rather chilly after
nv trip out. and. as my wife was out
OF the room at the time, I pulled open
the door OF an old wardrobe that stood
In the room and dragged out big
Z a.
tUmbled out the bag OF money, for
stealing which Bob was 70 be tried
and convicted-in the morning.
90 How the jumping rattlesnakes did
that get there? yelled. and all hands
must have seen how surprised I was
Bob knew IN a fash.
You darned old snoozer.' he said,
with the old-time look on his face, 7
saw you put Il there. I watched you
open the safe and take It out, and I
followed you. looked through thu
window md saw you hide IL IN that
wardrobe
Then. you blankety-blaak flop
eared. sheeD-heaced coyote. what did
you say you took II foF3'
Because. said Bob. simply, 7
didn't know you were asleep
II saw him glance toward the door
OF Ihc room where Alice and Jack and
ZilIa were. and I knew then what IL
meant 20 be q mans friend from Bob's
point OF view
Major Tom paused, and again d.
rected his glance out OF the window.
He saw some one IN the Stockmen's
National Bank reach and draw a yel-
low shade down the whole length OF its
plate-glass. big front window. al
though the position OF the sun did not
seem 70 warrant such a defensive
movement against It's rays
Nettlewlck sat up straight IN his
chair He had listened patiently. but
without consuming interest. 20 the ma
!or's story II had impressed him as
irrelevant 10 the situation. and 1t
could certainly have no effect upon the
consequences. Those Western people,
he thought, had an exaggerated senti-
mentality They were not business
like They needed 20 be protected
from their friends. Evidently the ma
5or nad concluded And what ne had
Eaid amounted 10 nothing
May I ask" said the examiner, IL
you have anything further 10 say that
bears directly upon the question OF
those distracted securities7-'
"Abstracted securities, sirI'' Major
Tom turned suddenly in his chair. his
blue eyes flashing upon the examiner.
What do you mean. sir?"
He drew from his pocket a batch OF
folded papers held together by a rub
Der band. tossed them into Nettle-
wick's hands, and rose to his feet
You'll find those securities there.
sir. every stock. bond. and share of
EN- took them from the notes while
You were counting the cash Ex-
anime and compare them for your
self"
The major led the way back into tho
banking room. The examiner, as
founded. perplexed, nettled. at sea. fol-
lowed He felt that he had been made
the victim Of something that was not
exactly a hoax. but that left him IN the
shoes Of one who had been played
upon, use1. and then discarded, with
out even 80 mixing Of the game Per-
haps. also. his official position had
been irreverently iusgled with But
there was nothing he could take hold
Of. An official report Of the matter
would be an absurd.ty. And. some
how. he felt that he would never know
anything more about the matter than
he did then.
Frisidly mechanically. Nettlewiek
examined the securities. found them
10 tally with the notes. gathered his
black wallet and rose 10 depart
I VIII say he protested. turning
the Indignant glare Of his glasses upon
Major Kingman. ''th1t your state
ments-your misleading statements.
which you have not condescended 10
expIain-do not appear 20 be quite the
thing regarded either IS business OF
humor- 1 do not understand such mo-
tives OF actions
Major Tom looked down at him
serenely and not unkiSdly-
son, he said. there are plenty OF
things in the chaparral and on the
prauies and up the canyons that you
don't understand BUt I want TO thank
Won for listening TO a garrulous old
mans prosy stories. We old Texans
love 10 talk about our adventures and
our old comrades. and the home folks
have long ago learned TO run when We
BEGIN with once upon a time SO We
have to spin our yarns 10 the stranger
within our gates"
The major smiled. but the examiner