Evening star., 1912-07-07

want heap bettern the stuff you throw on it, half
of 'em would be in the nut shops and the other half
on the rock pile, believe mel"
WHATEVER else he might be, Chnk Nichols
" want thin skinned. He listens sort of
amused while I'm BLOWN off my blast and only
smiles sort of wise. @Perhaps,' says he. 4Some of
stuff is rather raw, I'll admit but it's as good as
we're paid for. And, after ALL where's the harm?'
thought the thing through; and his takin my rough
remarks calm makes me feel little cheap.
views. / amt knocsin' you in partic'lar, either
Maybe you're as good as the rest Of us.
THANK you. Professor says he grabbin my my
hand and shakin' it real grateful 4 knew you'd
don't pretend to be any saint, you know; but /
I'm human. And since l got to travelling on
the level I've been getting hungrier and hungrer
for look at that boy of mine. You'll help me out
won't you?S
"Why me?' says l.
Because you understand says he. aYou do
your boy in all that time? And Buddy is mine, you
know. I'm his father, and, even if I'm not much
account, have the same feelings that other fathers
have | want to see him close to- and hear ! him IN!
innocent little eyes. Just once, Proessor-just five
minutes with my boy!'
4Ah. say says |, don't 60 putting that up to
me, Nichols. I'm not the one to say whether
4But you can,' he breaks in. 4He needn't know
who am, or anything like that. He won't remember
And then can go away with something to work for,
when he needn't be ashamed to know who his father
is. Come, McCabe, can't you do that for me?'
It was the real thing, this help hail from Chnk
Nichols. There want any fake about it. It rung true.
Back of the cheap sport somewhere, underneath the
rickery and crookedness was man. | guess there al
ways is, don't you? And say, blamed had the heart
% turn him down!
aAl right, Nichols" says 1. aBut five minutes must
De the limit. No shenangan, either. You're comm
ust stranger, remember, and you're eavin the same
way. Pass your word on that"
Il promise, says he.
@Then come on saysI Al think can fix it up right
away
YOU see, knew that about the time could get out
to Rockhurst on the Sound little Buddy would be
from school, and that he be or less likely to
,e payin' somewhere around the yard. I'd centrally
hree four other kids rangn through the big grounds
:mbin' trees, payin' Indian; and if | didn't see
EN- could most always hear EN- for Buddy don't pick
out quiet kids as his runnin' mates.
So we hustes right to the Grand Central,
catches the foursix local. and inside of hour we're
okn the Post Road opposite the vefoot hedge that
shuts in the Preston place. At the carriage drive we
stops and sort of scouts around. But there's nothn
1On in the way OF youngsters
3He must be l1nockin around somewhere, says |.
Lets stroll in ways. No fear of rlnnin old
Rufus now, he always takes snooze about this time
If day."
It's windin -bordered drive with foot walk at
,ne side well lined with shrubbery. We strollin
llong slow with our eyes and open expectin to
ind Buddy curled up seat, or maybe perched in
rec; and sort of p'annin' out how I'd have to
oil him with the promise of some candy-when all OF
sudden there's rustic bush just ahead, and the
lext thing we knew we loosin straight into the
business end of long barreled revolver.
"Throw up your hands your dead men, pipes
thrill little voice from behind the gun.
COURSE, we felt foolish enough at don' it; but
= well, put em up prompt. And at that out steps
bold, bad highwayman about four foot high. He's
vearn' khaki knicsers, blouse shrtwaist with a
wooden sword stuck through the belt, and wide
trimmed old felt hat that I'd Grandpa Preston
It times. Over his face was black domino mask, and
IL there was familiar in SIGHT few wisps of