Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-12-09
for both board and the boy is read,
for VOL, in aduanno -

for both board and the boy is ready
for you in advance"
The woman smiled.
You have a very forceful way
she said, "and 1 don't e how I can
refuse you. Come in and look at the
room and see if it will suit you. AS
for the boy, he's a good boy, but I'm
afraid you'll find it isn't worth all that
money. Anyway, I'll take care of it
for him. This way, sir"
MY name is Robert Brett.
madam"
II am Mrs. Martha Sterrett, sir"
@An' I'm Artie Howard, ladies and
gentlemen" said the boy. At which
they all laughed and the stranger
put his bag down in the sweet smell
ing spare room and his stay in the
Sterrett cottage commenced.
That night the stranger posted a
brief letter in the little Office that
took up a corner Of the leading gro
Gerry store
1t was addressed to "John Morton,
dealer in tackle. 81 Hunniker street,
New York City," and it contained this
statement: Fishing Unexpectedly
good. Big catch assured. Must take
time, however,
The next morning the man and
boy were up and out early. The man
bore a fine jointed rod that he had
taken from his bag and a box con-
tanning the latest paraphernalia of the
sport. And the boy carried a tooth
some lunch in a covered basket. They
were going to make atday of it.
The boy led the way along the will
low road and then branched off across
the fields, following the bank of the
creek.
The stream entered the gorge pres
emily and wound among the hills,
narrowing here and there, now catch
ing the sunlight and now gurgling
in the shadow.
As they approached the gorge a
heavy man came across the field and
passed the stranger and the boy at a
little distance. He had a gun lying
across his arm and he stared hard at
the two.
The stranger did not look around.
His soft hat was down low on his face
and he plodded beside the boy with
his eyes on the pathway. i
That's tn prodigal," whispered
the boy; eth one l was tellin' you
about"
Yes
eHe ave :ussa mighty hard look, .
said the boy.
Looks doa't hurt" said the
stranger.
"He's got a gun that would hurt
grumbled the boy.
But the stranger only laughed.
Sand where do you think the prod
igal was going?" he asked.
II dunno" the boy replied. "He
just seems to be scoutin' round. I
guess he carries the gun cause he
likes. it. There amt really much of
anything to shoot around here"
Doesn't he do any work On the
farme"
mo. The old man does the work
an Jed loafs around"
"And is there no particular place
where he keeps himself?"
."I've seen him four or five times
up back Of his house where the gorge
winds in. He was sittin' there lookin'
round, with the gun leanin' against
tn rock-an' when he saw me he
shook his fist"
4Not a pleasant fellow, the prod
igal?"
Nope.
They trudged along in silence.
Presently the man nudged the boy.
There is somebody watching US
from the bushes up there" he muir
INJURED. Don't look yet. It's the
prodigal. Throw a stone across the
creek and glance up when you throw
it.. Be careful"
The boy did as he was told.
Its jed" he whispered. HE must
have cut across and headed us off.
How did you know he was there?"
The man laughed.
Il saw the pebbles falling" he
said. 81 guessed the rest
The boy stared.
you're a good guesser," he said.
The catch of fish that day was very
small, but this did not lessen the
strangers good nature. The boy was
delighted at his flow of spirits.
@Id be glad to work for you for
nothin'," he told the man, and the
man laughed merrily. !
"You mustn't try to beat down the
market price Of labor, my boy" he
said. at will never do. 1 begin to
think that SO a week isn't enough
for such a bright and faithful lad.
In fact, l seem to see something more
coming to you. Pretty soon l hope to
tell you how you can earn it,"
The boy stared at him again.
Three dollars is mighty good pay
for boys around here" he gravely
said.
"And I'm well aware that you are
a mighty good boy" laughed the
stranger.
That night he wrote again to his
New York friend.
"The fish is shy and suspicious" he
wrote. I'm playing him carefully.
The next day there was another
long stroll. This time the pair fol-