New-York tribune., 1911-12-17

which seems To- be loobin' after Mrs. Petit
son. the same lis usual. It's safer than II
was: bu, still It ain't place that YOU q
pick out us safe for q woman and Il HtiIe
girl. Twin alone. There's bad men plenty,
only they don't rampage So much.
DON'T ike it, said Dan TO me one day,
L he havin' taken sort Of fancy 90 me, SO
that he talks trccr than he does with others.
| wisht she'd 20 back with me. This am
no place for her.
"Go back where; | asks.
Back where she come from, he says,
short.
81 don't ask no questions after that; but
pretty soon ne speaks again like he was
ialkin' to himself It's my fault, he says,
thoughtful She amt to blame she d be
morc'n human if she was any different after
what happened, but | wisht she'd trust
| me. Well he says, sort OF Slghn, l got
10 watch over her, anyhow: its all can
do now
~P'raps YOU can dig the story out Of that.
| can dig six: but can't be sure which IS
right if any Of them is. Fact is, II has me
| beat all WAYS: for there's something that
don't fit in, whatever way ! ilggcr It out
| Hes out to her cabin frequent, as SAID,
| and ii looks 10 me. when I'm passln once
| like she's glad TO see him. The little girl IS
sure glad; for she runs down the road 10
meet him and jumps right into his arms
| But there's hitch sOmcWhcrcS, certain.
Where is it he wants her TO 60, and why
won't she GO, Well women is queer crit
tiers and don't most always know what they
| want; SD it don't bother me much 10 ilggcr
it out that she will 60 with him pretty soon.
| Looks like that's about as certain as any
| thing, spite Of what She says
|ONE day, when I'm passin', l see Jake
~ Pcndcr standin' at her door and talkln
TO her. Shes sayin no most emphatic to
something II don't make me feel easy;
for Jake amt fit comp'ny for no good wo-
man There was talk of runnin him out Of
the country on gcn'ral principles once; but
| that amt accordn' to the prestige ldcc,
which was to let him stay. KNOWN what
was comm to him if he broke loose. He's
been layin' low ever since; but he's man
| thatll bear watChin' all the time, SO | tell
| Dan about it. He's as black as thunder
when he hears il.
"This amt the first time, he says; but
| what can do; She won't listen TO my IN
| tcrfcrin' with anybody on her account, and
| he amt done nothin. SO far's know, to call
for it. She never see him drunk; SO she
don't know what he is
| "EIc seems 10 keep a little closer watch
over her after that; for there's always a
chance Of somebody gcttin' drunk and drop
pin in to See her. It's no Sunday school
class that we got there, even If II Is quictcr
on account Of this prestige business, and
she's a good loohin woman, considerable
under thirty. Did | tell YOU that? Well,
she is. That's what makes it more serious.
And there's plenty drinkin still, only the
| boys that carries the load is more careful
what hey DO.
Jake don't really liquor up for long
! time. KNOWN his own weakness and the
| danger Of givin way To- /, now; but at last
hc does He drinkiu' steady from early
in the afternoon, and gets To boastin' that
| the little woman which is Mrs. Pcttison-
| is his own property Then along in the
cycnin' he starts ont 10 See her. allowln'
| tina, She will jest about go along with him
| this time. The crowd he's with don't think
nothin' Of it, and don't care anyhow; but
bimc by one Of 'cm gets glimmcr of sense,
rcmcmbcrin what lake is when he's drunk,
and he starts ont to find Dan He finds the
| two of rs together
"Whcn Dan hears the story he starts out
| to say what ne thinks Of crowd thatll let
a drunken man tear loose like that, but
! there lin'f time orr lIutuf4p.. eu,uBl -, h,.