The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-12-26
CHAPTER X.

next morning heHiiei ooiie
into the office and greeted Hill
yer and George with a smile
"Tn be hanged eff I don't believe Bot
Hanks has struck his proper element
he said. He's turned that old store
upside down already. Seed I'm burnin
a half bushel measure o. live cock
reaches jest now. stores all about had
to shet Their doors, thar was sech q
stencil. Bob's got his coat off an ur
to his neck in business. A Teller told
me Bob vas thar at 5 o'clock to open
up an swept out hisse'f. l sorter call
that a good joke On Lib. He's always
keepin' his eye peeled fer somebody tc
lend money to an overlooked his own
boy"
Half an hour later Hanks slouched
in and sat down in his accustomed
nlace at the stove. Kenner was eying
him c~uriously. n quizzical smile playing
on his face. Hanks swung his foot to
and fro, his un1ighted cigar in his hand,
till he caught Hillyer's glance, then he
grunted:
Thought you was powerful smart,
didn't your" he said dryly.
IT don't know as I did," replied Hill
yer. flushing a little.
IfleTf was SlltICt lOI Il lnoilitiia, NiiNA
Hanks said, '"Well, you'll see whar yore
moneys gone eff you'll keep a watch
out"
It'll be gone clean to the Indian Ter
ritory as soon as S~andford's packed up
his effects
Hanks grunted again. "You never d
"a done 1t eff you hadn't lowed I'd
make 1t good. but I'll tell you now
.-,.41J 80 1,t n AAnN an that drafted
note from me"
at never expect to-" said Hillyer,
smiling agreeably.
Hanks. you think, though, that I'd
never stand by an see a body lose by
a child O. mine: but this is different. I
was fetchin' up that boy accordin' to
my lights, an you come in an inter-
fered."
HE told me he was twenty-one,"
said Hillyer. still amused, land I saw
a chance to lend i'm some money.
That's all there is to it."
ooh. well, you kin afford a little
loss like that" retorted Hanks, IAN
when Bob's run through with the pile
I kin show everybody I was right in
the stand ! tuck with i'm"
As it was a busy hour, nothing more
was said on the subject. A ragged
farmer in a slouched hat came in to
ak to Hanks about m~ortgaging a mule
and a mich COW for the next years
supplies, and Hanks went out to see
the mule and hear a minute descrip-
ton of the cow-her age, weight, prog
eny and habits.
That afternoon, as George and the
merchant were closing the warehouse
TO go to supper, Kenner came along on
the way to his boarding house. "They
say old Lbs been hangin' round Bob's
store all day watchin' i'm like a hawk"
he informed them, with a laugh. He
cayn't hide his interest. AS soon as
Bud I'D make q sale the old man I'D
run up TO the cash drawer an count
the change an ask the cost of the
article. He's neglectin' his own mat
ters. I'll swear it's funny. Eff he's
talked with one mar today he has with
forty about Bob's venture. He wanted
to find out what folks thinks, an he's
literally astonished to find so many
believe Bob knows what he's a-doin'.
II seed i'm a-standin' in Bob's door
watchin' Bob an Heneker Brothers
biddin' agin one another to buy a load
o mountain chickens. ! spoke to Lib,
but he jest kept chawin' his tobacco,
so much absorbed he didn't hear me.
Then we seed the Teller start to drive
up to Bob door, an old Lib clapped
his hands together an said: BY gum!
Bob got emf But he sorter cooled
down when the chickens was unloaded
am he heard Bob had bid Is cents
apiece all round. He grabbed Bob as