The Irish standard., 1911-01-07

SSH! DON'T CALL ME THAT"
go. You know where you are now,
don't you: l heard YOU askin' for
horses. Well. YOU kite for the river.
Pm too fat to keep UP, but I'll kctch
you later on. Come. We can't get Oft
too soon.''
II can't leave until I've seen Miss
Randall" replied Kirby. With quiet
tinality. ~ have told her that ] would
wait for her here"
why, You gosh almighty idiot" ex-
plodcd Buncc. Don't you know Tom
RandaIrs liable 70 be here any minute
and a posse with him? If l could
track you out here from Moo Orleans,
no kin. KANT be? Amt you ever goin'
70 quit dom these reckless, fool
things? Surely you amt reached your
time of life without KNOWN what q
woman means when she says wait a
minute and she didn't even say that.
You KANT wait for her, tell you.''
I'D wait for her till the Lord quit
making minutes" replied Kirby.
"When she comes I'll go"
Once more Bunce hcIplessly appeal
cd to an. invisible audience for pity.
for compassion, Mt his thus being asso-
ciated with an utter lunntic.
lyon pore lost SOUL" he finally
groaned "Do you think I don't know
what's the matter with you? / seen
you look at her. What business have
you got hnngin' around lady, even If
you wouldn't git shot for just comm
here? What chance have you eot
with a lady anyway? Amt there wo-
men enough in the world? You know
no lady would hav, nnything to do
with our kind. You got no busincss"-
II don't hurt her If only look at
her. do II" snapped Kirby. whirling
upon his partner in sudden passion.
"My God, If n mans been outside the
walls for years you can't blnme him
for wanting to look Mt the flowers n
minute if he gets into the garden some
day. That can't harm them"
Gene. do you know you're crazy
yourself?" sadly pronounced Buncc,
with a shake of the head. "They say
them loonies do know It sometimes
too. tying me up here with folks like
these" he added, with vehement re-
proach as full renliza ton Of his many
wrongs overcame him. "You know
never had nothn' to say to no ladies,
and as soon us ever see one choke
up, and my neck gets hot and my ears
git red. introduced me as his secre-
tary." again appealing to the invisible
audience "Wnugh! Secretary! I'd
make h. of secretary, wouldn't
1? Come on, Gene. Pry yourself
loose from all this darn foolishness
before it's too late"-
"I've already given you my deci-
sion." interrupted Kirby, with some
asperity. "But Larkin. don't let my
affairs detain you"
Bunce. after farewell invocation OF
the heavens. resigned himself to the
Inevitable and, seating himself on the
garden seat, proceeded to pick his
teeth. while he fastened plaintive
and expectant eye on the distant
house.
The partners sat in moody silence
for some time until Mt length their
reveries were interrupted by the ad-
vent Of Judge Pleydell, Mr.. Randall
and M. Veaudry. The judge had but
returned from the steamboat landing,
and as he approached the occupants
of the garden seat his expression was
Of SO serious q character that Bunce,
ever on the lookout for. trouble. now
scented danger and. nudging his COM
panion. jumped to his feet. But kir-
by, though wary eyed. remained out
wardly cool and entirely self possess
ed and. embracing this heaven sent
opportunity of further aggravating bis
partner, promptly introduced the lat,
ter as my secretary"
! Colonel Moreau, SIR" began the
Judge, somewhat astonished at the fe'
rocity of Mr.. Bunce's bow, II have the
most astonishing piece Of news fol-