The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-03-07
THE.SECOND
DANDY CHATTER

BY Tom Gallon.

and-so he believes-in an attempt TO
steal his sisters diamond necklace.
Compared with what has gone before,
these things are mere triies."
He laughed again, took a pull at his
beer. and shrugged his shoulders.
Let me see-what happened after
that? Oh, to be sure: | went round
to try and have a word with old Bet
". ! hated the thought that she
dear little mother of the old days
should think so badly Of me. felt
that could trust her to keep my Sc
cret If necessary. Then, after waiting
about for long time, that girl-Clara,
Harry called her-came out to tell me
that the strange man | had seen
through the window was from London.
and probably held a warrant for my
arrest. And then that jealous idiot,
Harry, must jump in, and come scour-
ing over the country after men, with
the policeman in tow. Well, | got
away that time, at all events
He sat for some time, with a mus
ing smile upon his face, stirring the
dust at his feet with the toe of his
boot. AT the moment he had clean
forgotten the danger which threatened
him or the necessity for further flight.
Dear little mother" he whispered,
how glad she was to see mellow
glad to know that her boy had come
back again. I'm glad | went back to
the place after the policeman gave up
the chase as hopeless. Heigho. | sup
pose | must be moving. Halloa,
what the dickens do you want?"
Some one had stopped before him,
some one with remarkably old and
broken boots. Raising his eyes rapid
" upward to the face of the owner OF
the boots, Philip Chatter gave a start
of surprise and dismay. The Shady
I'm, looking little more disreputable
than usual, stood before him.
Going rapidly over in his mind the
events OF the past few days, Philip
Chatter tried to discover, in the few
moments the Shady I'm stood silently
regarding him, whether or not he was
to look upon that interesting gentle
man as friend or as a foe. Remem-
being the two encounters with Capt.
Peter Quist-the scene in the upper
room at "The Three Watermen" and
the unwarrantable liberty taken with
the Shady 'Un's headgear on that oc-
casion for the extinguishiDg of the
lieht--Philip decided that the man
mad reason to be resentful. Accord
ingly, he waited for an attack, verbal
or otherwise.
But the Shady I'm, for some reason
of his own. was disposed to be friend
ly; feeling, perhaps, certain warm
ing OF his heart toward one in mis-
fortune-a brother in criminality, as
it were-he turned smiling face to-
ward Philip Chatter and held out his
hand.
"This ere Is the and of a pal-an
tumble pal, If yer like, but still pal
Strike me pink" exclaimed the Shady
I'm, in a sort Of hoarse whisper, but
wen 1t comes ter bread and cheese fer
swells like Dandy, what are we a-com-
in to, | would ask"-he flung out one
grimy hand in an appeal to the uni
verse-'I would ask what are we
bloomin' well comm tor"
Yes, 1t looks bad. doesn't it?" re-
ed Philip, still with a wary eye upon
I e other. But one must take what
the gods send. eh?"
We'll, they sends me a dry throat,
an nothing to wet it with" said the
Shady I'm, dismally cycling the beer
which stood on the bench beside Phil
ip, with thirsty tongue rolling round
his lips.
We'll, daresay We can remedy
that" responded Philip Go inside
and get what you want, and bring it
out here: should like to talk to you"
The Shady Tn Immediately van
ished through the doorway, and was
heard inside explaining that his
"guv'nor" would pay "the damage" In
few moments he emerged. bearing a
tankard and some bread and cheese;
seated himself on the bench, and fell
to with an appetite.
He disposed of his breakfast-if
one may so describe it--at an aston
i-hing rate, wiped his pocket knife on
his leg, and looked round, with a
smirk, which was probably intended
as an expression of gratitude, at
Philip.
"Tork away, guv'nor," he said, with
glance toward the open door of the
house
First said Philip. "tell me how
you come to be here"
"They took me, at the last moment,
for that ERE little job at Bamberton--
the job Of the diamonds. You was in
that, Dandy-wasnt yer?"
"Oh, yes-I was in It," replied Phil
Up. $50 I suppose that you-like my
self-are making your way toward
London?"
The other nodded. "The word was
passed for US to scatter; an I've bin
a-scatterin' all the bloomin' night
ave. must ave bin close on yer 'eels
most of the time. Dandy"
There was . long and somewhat
awkward silence between the two
Philip was debating In his mind A 20