The Alaska citizen., 1910-11-07
S3S GC S0 CSGG3cGE E
George Randolph Chester
 In Saturday Evening Post


 What do you mean" asked John son incredulously. but suspending his indignation for the instant
 This. said Applerod. that the entire Addition is hundred-acre mud puddle this morning. You could not sell a lot to a blind man Every cent that was in il IS lost The whole marsh was fed from underground springs that have come up through it and overfowed the place.
 Trimmer again" said Bir Bates, and slid of his desk; then he looked at his watch with a curious specula- tive smile
 But if il is all lost" protested Johnson. looking again at the note and pauslng in the making out of the check that he was writing. how do you come 10 get this? ?'
 He owed it to me asserted Ap plerod T wanted to sell out when first found that We were competing with Silas Trimmer, and young Bur nit kept me from it by an injunction He offered me seventy-tive hundred dollars for my interest once, but this morning when went to accept that offer he would only give me this five thousand. It's just two thousand five hundred dollars that he's robbed me of
 Robbcd," shrilled Johnson jump ng from his chair "Applerod, you weigh a hundred and eighty pounds and weigh hundred and thirty seven. hut l can lick you the best day you ever lived and by thunder and blazes, if you let fall another remark like that I'll knock your in fernal head of"
 Mir Johnson had no coat OH, but he felt the urgent need to remove something. so he tore off one false sleeve. wadded il up in a little ball and slammed il on the floor with great vigor. tore off the other one. wa1ded it up and slammed that town. Bill Bates. quivering with joy. ranS loudly upon a porcelain cleo tric light shade with his pencil and called: Time
 There was no employment for a referee however for Applerod with astonishing agility. sprang to the door and held it half open. ready for q hurried exit in case of any other demonstration. II was shocking to think that he might be drawn into an undignitied altercation and with a mere clerk, Also il might be dangerous
 Nothing doing. chum." said Riff Bates dissustedly to his friend John son, This bunch of mush-ripe ba- nanas ain't even quitter. Hes a neverb"ginner But you'll do fine. old scout. Come along with me l got T treat for you"
 MT Johnson. breathing scorn that alternately dented and inflated his nostrils. slowly donned his coat and hat without ever removing his eyes from Applerod. who, as the two ap- preached the door. edged uncertainty away from il.
 I've got 10 go out, anyhow" said Johnson. addressing his remarks ex- clusively to Mir. Bates. but his glare exclusively to Mir Applerod I'm going to put this check into the hands of MT Chalmers. so Mir Rob ert don't get cheated by any yellow !ivered snake in the grass." And he spit out those last dreadful words with sudden vehemence which made Mir. Applerod drop his shiny hat.
 When Bobby came into the office a few minutes later he found Apple rod. his hat upon his lap. waiting in one of the customers chairs with stiff solemnity.
 !" ny oi II SOu dl fOui utSh. Ap- plerod?" asked Bobby sharply. You have an immense amount of unopened mail, and some of 1t may contain che cks which will have to be sent back"
 Mir Bnrnit." said Mir. Applerod, rising with great dignity and throw ing back his shoulders. T consider myself no longer in your employ. have resigned
 Bobby looked al him thoughtfully and weighed rapidly in his mind a great many things He remembered that his father once said of the two men; Johnson has pea-green liver and is a pessimist, but he is honest Applerod suffers from too much health and is an optimist. and I pre- Sume him to be honest. but I never tested it." Yet his father had seen fit to keep Applerod in his intimate employ all these years. recognizing in him material of value. Moreover. he had advised Bobby to keep both men, and Bobby, today more than ever, placed great faith in the wis dom of his father.
 MT. Applerod," said he. 'I dislike 10 be harsh with you. but if you do not put up your hat and get at that hnnAlo Nf hol h1