American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-06-15
Xxx.
The Touch of Dishonor.


! was meditaung my course over a
announced. He lounged into the din
ing room, drew his chair to the table
and covered a biscuit with camembert
with his usual ~inscrutable air.
Il think it is better he said delib-
eratingly, ito be an ass than a fool.
Have you any views IN the subject?"
None, my dear Buttons. | have
been called both by shrewd men,"
so have I, if the worst were known.
and they offered proof All, more and
more l see that we were born for each
other, Donovan. / vas once SO i'm
pressed with the notion that to be a
fool, was to be distinguished that !
conceived the idea of forming a Noble
Order of Serene and I%ncurable Fools.
worthy master, feeling safe from com
petition. News of the matter having
gone forth, many persons of the high
est standing wrote to me, recommend.
ing their friends for membership. My
correspondence soon engaged three
typewriters, and | was obliged to get
the post-office department to help me
break the chain. A few humble souls
applied OIL their own hook for consid.
Grafton. These l elected and placed in
the first class. You would be sur.
prised-to know how many people who
are chronic joiners wrote in absent
mindedly for application blanks, ear.
ing to be left out of a good thing.
United States senators were rather
common on the list, and there were
three governors; a bishop wrote to
propose a brother bishop, of whose
merits he spoke in the warmest terms.
Many newspapers declared that the
society filled a long-felt want. | re.
ceived invitations to speak on the
uses and benefits of the order from
many learned bodies. The thing began
to bore me, and when my official sta
tionery was exhausted | issued a fare
well address to my troops and dis
solved the society. But it's a great
qualification to me, my lear Donovan,
that we quit with a waiting list"
There are times, Buttons. when you
a TO divert me. I'm likely to be
very busy for a few days. Just what
can | do for you this afternoon"
Look here. old man, you're not
angry?"
mo; I'm rarely angry; but I'm often
bored"
Then your brutal ~insinuation shall
not go unrewarded. Let me proceed.
But first, how are your ribs?"
Sore and a trif1e stiff, but I'm com.
Portable, thanks"
"As | understand matters, Irishman,
there is no real difference between you
and me except in the matter of a Ger
tain lady. Otherwise we might com
bine our forces in the interest of these
unhappy Holbrooks."
You are quite right. You came
here to say something; go on and be
done with it,"
He deftly covered another biscuit
with the cheese, of whose antiquity he
complained sadly.
Il say, Donovan, between old sol
friends. what were you doing up
there on the creek last night"
Studying the landscape effects by
starlight. It's a habit of mine. Your
own presence there might need ac-
counting for, if you don't mind"
Il will be square about it. | met
quite accidentally as | left this
house, n she wanted to see her ia
Their. | took her over, there, and we
Henry. He was up to some
mischief-you may know what it was.
Something had gone wrong with him.
and he was in all kinds of a bad hu.
Unfortunately, you got the bene-
of some of it."
Il will supply you a link in the
affairs. Henry had been to see
his brother Arthur.
~Gillespie's face fell. and | saw that
was greatly surprised.
"Humph, Helen didn't tell me that
The reason Henry came here was
o look for his brother. That's how he
this place ahead of Miss Pat
Helen. And | have learned some
.hing-it makes no difference how, but
t was not from the ladies' at St. Aga
learned last night that the
Key of this whole situation is in your
hands, Gillespie. Your father was
iwindled by the Holbrooks: which
Iolbrook?"
(TO BE Continued