The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-11-12


"You shouldn't TAKE up SO much OF
it,"
Slim attempted to take a seat on the
small gilt chair which was Jacks we'd
ding present to Echo. Polly caught sight
of him in time. Look out" she shouted.
"That chair wasn't built for a full
grown man like you
Slim nervously replaced the chair be-
fore a writing table. Polly welded her
broom about the feet of the sheriff.
who danced clumsily about, trying to
avoid her.
You're just trying to sweep me out
of here he complained.
well, If you will bring dust in with
you, you must expect to be swept tut, '
Polly replied, with a show of spirit.
Polly was shaking the mat vigor-
ously at the door, when Slim said:
81 see they buried Poker Bill this
mornin'."
us he dead?' It was the first Polly
had heard of the passing away of one
of the characters of the Territory. She
had expressed her surprise in the form
of an Interrogation, emphasizing the
he" a colloquialism of the Southwest.
Slim, however, had chosen to ignore
the of speech, and with a grin
! answered: "Ye-es, that's why they
buried him"
Polly laughed in spite of herself.
"What did he die Off" she asked.
AS Slim was about to take a drink
at the ola, he failed to hear her.
''Eh?" he grunted.
what did he die off" she repeated.
Five aces" vas the sober reply of
the sheriff, before he drained the gourd.
Polly put the broom back of the door,
and was rearranging the articles on
the table, before Slim could muster up
which was always uppermost in his
mind when in her presence.
Say, Miss Polly" he began.
"If you've anything to say to me.
Slim Hoover. just say i'll can't be
bothered today-all the f1xin's and
things saucily advised the girl.
well, what / want to say is
began the sheriff.
At this moment Bud Lane. laboring
under heavy excitement, burst open the
door.
Say, Slim, you're wanted down at
the corral" he cried, paying no heed
to Polly.
"Shucks!" exclaimed the disappointed
sheriff. whats the
"I don't lknow-Buck McKee-he's
there with some of the Lazy K outfit.
They want to see you"
Slim threw himself out the door with
the mild expletive: Darn h luck!"
Bud turned quickly to Polly. Did
Jack pay off the mortgage last week?'
he almost shouted at the girl.
Polly stamped her loot In anger at
what seemed to her to be a totally ir-
relevant question to the love-making
she expected: How do ] know" she
angrily replied. "If that is all you
came to see me for, you can go and
ask him. 1t makes me so dog-gone
mad
Polly, with flushed face and knitted
brow. left the bewildered Bud standing
In the centre of the room asking him
self what it was all about.
The sound of the voices of disputing
men hoated in from the corral. Bud
heard them, and comprehended its sig
r~incance,
TITS all up with me-" he cried, in
mortal terror. Buck Mckee has
e'irred up the suspicion against Jack
Payson. Jack paid off his mortgage,
end they want to NOW where he raised
the money. Well, Jack can tell. If he
can't. III confess the whole business.
l won't let him suffer for me. Buck
shan't let an innocent man hang for
what we've done"
The sound of footsteps on the piazza
and the opening of the door drove Bud
TO take refuge in an adjoining room,
where he could overhear all that was
happening. He closed the door as the
cow-punchers entered with Slim at
their head.