The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-04-02

surly way. Monty felt uncomfortably
conscious that the man was regarding
| his boots with cold eye that was
Photographic In its observtion. One
boot was minus heel The heel had
worked loose during the last half mile
and Monty had been compelled to
wrench 1t on
Know nothing Of no kilograms
| the publican said again. You didn't
address II here"
Not address 1t here? But this IL
the Wheafsheaf, Needingworth?" cried
Joe.
Wei. / wasn't aware on II myself,
said the landlord. with his exasperat-
ing stoiidity. You see. this'ere vii.
lage happens 10 be Westham."
Not Needingworth?' cried Joe.
His face was the picture Of surprise.
Monty was utterly bewildered. What
on earth was Joe driving att Do
you say this is Westham?"
well. l was allus brought up TO
think SO, and I've lived ere since a
lad; but, of course, II you say 1t isn't
may be wrong" said the publican.
unamiably, with labored sarcasm.
"Needingworfh's matter OF four
miles farther"
"You don't mean II! Four miles
farther miles than mean to go. then.
Herbert, do you hear? We've bungled
things and It's your fault" turning to
his friend with much show II impa-
thence.
my fault?" echoed Monty, feehly,
floundering in the dark, wondering
what<Joe expected him to say.
Hang IL, man You would walk. con-
found you'll" cried the comedian. his
manner naturalness itself with It's
suggestion OF rising irritabiity: you've
got the walking craze and humored
you-some silly notion about seeing
the country, as though we couldn't
have seen all the country we wanted.
and a dashed sight NOR comfortably.
too. from the motor Charlie Gabbitas
wanted to lend u.s."
name Joe was borrowing somewhat
unwarrantably In his anxiety TO In
spire the landlord with confidence. was
one of the most prominent men In
Slaton. He was a great sportsman,
and his name had cropped up In con-
versation mt an hotel bar In Slaton in
Joe's hearing. But the owner Of the
name Joe had certainly never seen in
his life.
The comedian continued as II heat.
eddy to his bewiidered friend:
You won't deny that Charlie want.
ed us TO have his car. and that you
persuaded me to walk like an ass and
now yon land ms here. Not mt the
Wheatsheaf at Needing worth, where
lovely dinners spelling. but al an.
other pub of the same name four miles
away. It's enough to make a WAX
saint swear."
1t was an admirably played bit of
realism In Its way, but The bucolic
landlord seemed cnriously unim.
pressed. And Joe. ravenous and des-
perate. felt that their chance OF OBJ.
tanning a dinner depended on his con.
yincing the man that. In spite OF APP
pearances. they We're persons OF i'm.
portsnce. otherwise. Boniface would
certainly refuse To furnish a repast
until he was assured of their ability
to pay; that wa sfairly evident by
his surercilious manner His cold,
fishy eye seemed to rest with peculiar
malignancy on Monty's fur coat. as
though counting the bald patches
on It,
And II detracted from the PLAUSIBLE.
ity OF Joe's imaginative story that. to
the landlords certain knowledge. there
was not an Inn called the Wheatsheaf
at Needingworth. Like Mrs. Griggs,
the lodging house keeper. he suffered
from chronic lack OF trust In human
nature. Possibly. like her, he lad
cause.
Yes. entirely my fault: and lin
awfully sorry" said the heavy man.
feebly. doing his best to play 10 10
Joe.
He could not help noticing what
heavy. Eob-naiied boots the landlord
wore. Hungry as he was. Mr.. Her.
bert Montague wished with all mis-
heart that they were out on tho high
road aeain-that they had never en-
barked on this rash adventure. The
landlord looked to him man with O
sense OF humor. And when, ,yter
they had eaten the dinner that esi.
IDENTITY Joe was determined the ,aan
should provide. they explained tn.
the sum total of their capital xas
three-penee-hal SILVER ran
through Monty as h contemplated IL. |
Joe was conducting the campaign
hriskly.
I'm not going 10 stir an inch Her.
bert We may as well dine here. Ibo i
yoa knON sknstdn'I ,..nmfanr II nfaar