The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-11-11


There was something in the voice
that made Tom look at his friend curl
ously.
of course-or, that is, | suppose so.
They We're buggy riding when we left,
and you know how Bill stuck to a
thing. But what difference does it
make to you, Sam? Your wife-you're
married, amt you?"
NO.
Tom gave an expressive whistle,
then added simply, well, I'm sorry,
old, man, but after she said no you
ought to have braced up and tried to
forget it all''
.'She never said no." Sam blurted
out almost involuntarily. ut was you,
Tom, that l had words with her about.
l was jealous"
Then you were fool and deserved
all you GOT Tom snapped. I've won
dered how she could drop you for Bill
Bates. | see now. You gave her to
him.
Ned Brooks had looked away, as
though not to hear, but that he had
heard was evidenced by his turning
suddenly with:
''See here, fellows, what's the rea-
son we can't stop over and see the
town-part of it-for few hours to-
night?~
And lose our excursion ticketsY'
asked Tom.
whats tickets to seeing ones town.
RpCfdoc vxn yafohf ho ~ 20 Gv Ahox
up with the agent. Do you know
what night this is?' significantly.
October the-why, Halloween, of
course" exclaimed Tom.
ssYes, Halloween. Remember the
field beyond Matte vaughans house,
where pumpkins are always grown,
and how we did up Bill Bates?''
He grinned reminiscently, and Tom
broke into a loud guffaw. Even Sam
smiled.
"Bill Bates may have spunk in some
ways" said Ned, "but he's coward
all right when it gets dark. My, how
he did run that night when he saw
three pumpkins, with their big eyes
blazing all sorts of terrible things,
stealing toward him through the shrub
berry! He was on his way to call on
Matte that night, you know, and when
she heard of it she wouldn't speak to
him for a month"
at was mean trick" declared Sam.
'Of course it was" promptly, "just
like lots of others we did in those
days. They were like boils and had to
! come out. And | feel stirring with
in me now that says there is just one
more which must erupt before / can
settle down to quiet, peaceable citizen
ship. My proposal is that we go to
the good old field, which, of course,
has its annual contribution of pump
kins, cover our heads with the three
biggest we can find and pay a visit
to Bill Bates. If he isn't visible, we
will throw pebble against door or
window and draw him out"
"Maybe he isn't at home" said Tom.
"Our Bill Bates not at homer deri-
sively. 'Why, man alive, it costs
money to be away from home, and
Bill never did that but once in his life,
and then Matte was the excuse. That
was seven years ago. His home farm
was more profitable than the little one
| he bought in the next county, SO he's
there all right"
"And Matte with him. shortly
"I'In not going to brighten Matte"
with pumpkin heads?' peered Ned
"No, don't think you will. Why, Mat
tie Vaughan, or Bates, could meet a
whole field of such pumpkin heads as
we are and not culver an eyelash! It's
Bill we're going to annihilate. And if
Bills got Matte, as of course he has,
| it's dead sure he isn't treating her
/ right, and little Halloween visit may
the little missionary act and then toss
our heads over into Bates yard as SOU
venirs and skurry through the woods
| to the little station a mile above and
catch the next train. Perhaps we can
convince the conductor that our tickets
are valid on his train and so not lose
them. But, anyway, they're of second
airy consideration"
He leaned forward, peering through
/ the window.
"Only about four minutes" he added,
"and it's beginning to grow dark. What
do you say?"
NO." answered Sam decidedly. "Its
fool thing at best"
/ "Dare, dare and double dare-call
you coward If you back down." said
| Ned solemnly.
| Sans mouth twitched a little. 1t
was an invocation his boyhood had
never refused.
| ooh, come, Ned" he expostulated,
don't be silly"
"Dare, dare and double dare, Ned
repeated inexorably.
Tom laughed and nodded, then
turned to Sam and Joined in the dog
gerel, which Ned was repeating for the
third time
mo escape now, SAM" Tom chuc-
kled.
The train hapan fo c1aokon