The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-04-02

ing stolidity. You see. this'ere vii
lage happens to be Westham."
"Not Needingworth?" cried Joe
His face was the picture of surprise
Monty was utterly bewildered What
on earth was Joe driving at? Dc
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. if you say it isn't
1 may he wrong" said the publican
unamiabiy, with labored sarcasm
"Needingworth's a matter of four
miles farther"
You don't mean 1T! 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 if impa.
tience.
my fault?" echoed Monty, feebly
floundering in the dark, wondering
what Joe expected him to say.
Hang it. man you would walk, con.
found you!" cried the comedian, his
manner naturalness itself with its
suggestion Of rising irritabiity; you've
g1t the walking craze and 1 humored
you-some silly notion about seeing
the country, as though we couldn't
have seen all the country we wanted
and dashed sight NOR comfortably
too, from the motor Charlie Gabbitas
wanted to lend us!"
| This Mr.. Charles Gabbitas, whose
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 great sportsman,
and his name had cropped up in con-
versation at 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 if heat
ed!y to his bewildered 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 you land US here! Not at the
Wheatsheaf at Needing worth, where
a lovely dinners spelling, but at 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 curiously unim-
pressed. And Joe, ravenous and des-
rerate. felt that their chance of OBJ
tanning dinner depended Oh his con-
vincing the man that, in spite OF ap-
pearances, they were persons of I'M
portance; otherwise, Boniface would
certainly refuse to furnish repast
until he was assured of their ability
to pay; that wa sfairly evident by
his supercilious manner. His cold,
flshy eye seemed to rest with peculiar
malisnancy on Monty's fur coat, as
though counting the bald patches
on it.
And it 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.
Eyes, entirely my fault; and I-l'm
awfully sorry" said the heavy man.
feebly, doing his best to play Up 10
; Joe.
He could not help noticing what
heavy, hob-nailed boots the landlord
wore. Hungry as he was, Mr.. Her
bert Montague wished with all his
heart that they were out on the high
road again-that they had never EN-
barked on this rash adventure. The
landlord looked to him a man with / G
sense of humor. And when, after
they had eaten the dinner that evil
IDENTIFY Joe was determined the ,na,1
should provide. they explained that
the sum total Of their capital was
three-pence-half-penny-a SILVER ran
through Monty as contemplated ii
Joe was conducting the campaign
briskly.
| "Tm not going to stir an inch. Her
bert, we may as we'll dine here. Dc
you know, shouldn't wonder If, afte,
all, the mistakes mine. I expect thai
it was this inn all the time that Char
lie Gabbitas meant. and in some in
comprehensive way l mixed up the
names of the villages-not unnatural
perhaps. since I'm stranger; but
do think the telegraph people nigh,
have known better and brought the
wire here!" He turned round in his
chair. Landlord, what can you give
us for dinner?"
Bread and cheese" said the man
shortly.
He clearly did not warm to his Wis
itors. In spite of Joe's explanations
he seemed to entertain more thar
lingering doubts of them, which un
doubtedly the down-at-heel appear
ance Of his two would-be guests wen
far to justify.
Bread and cheese!" Joe echoed The
words as though he doubted If he hat
heard Alright ST said NO wantod din