Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-08-02

black as the what'sits-name cave, or
else l can't sleep. And this light
came from the small electric stand on
the w~riting-desk. / could tell THAI py
the way 1t shone.
And just then the little silver gong
in there chimed three. jolly rum
hour Tor anybody to be up unless
they were having some fun or were
sick. So I raised nay head and called
softly:
"Jenkins-er-BiIlings!"
No &aswer. Reluctantly I swung
out arr stepped within the next
room Not a soul there, by Jove!
Then ] moved over to Billings door.
which was wide open for GOODNESS,
like my own. l could not see the
Swallowed alcove in which he bed
was placed, and SO I stood there hest
tating. hating awfuIly to risk the pos
sibility of disturbing him, don't you
know. And Just then my eyes,, rang
Ing sleepily across the room toward
the private hall, were startled by the
apparition of an open doorway.
Startled, all right! And yet, by
Jove, l vas in such a jolly fog, ! just
stood there. nodding and batting at 1T
for a full minute before l could take
1t in.
What l call devilish queer" l de-
cided. I walked Owe and stuck my
head out into the dark hall.
Billings! Jenkins!" whispered.
BY Jove, not a word! Everything
as silent as the tomb!
l didn't like it a btt-so mysterious,
you know. Besides, dash 1t, the thing
was getting me all walked up! l just
knew II once / got excited and thor
oughly awake, it would take me near
ly ten minutes to get to sleep again.
And, by Jove, just then the excite
ment came, for l got hold Of the fact
after l had stared at 1t a while, that
the door of my apartment opening
into the outer corridor was standing
ajar. Why, dash 1t, 1t was not only
standing, it was moving. Then sud-
denly the broad streak Of light from
the corridor widened under the I'M
pulse of a freshening breeze, and the
door swung open with a bang.
And then I heard my name spoken.
By Jove, I had been standing there
with my mouth open, bobbing my head
like a silly dodo; but, give you my
word. I was suddenly wide awake as
a jolly owl wagon!
Away down the corridor. by the
mail chute, a man was standing, read
ing a framed placard. Nothing parttc-
ularly remarkable In this, but as the
door banged he turned his head
sharply and ej%aculated:
Dammit! Now. that will wake
Lightnut!"
vas surprised, because I couldn't
recall ever having seen him before;
yet, standing as he did under the light.
I had opportunity for a devilish good
view.
He was a heavy set old party, rather
baldish, with snowy mutton chops and
a beefy complexion that was jolly well
tanned below the hatband line, you
know. The kind Of old boy you size
up as one of the prime feeder sort
and fond Of looking on the wine when
1t Is Oporto red. Had something OF
the cut of the retired India colonies
one ices about the Service clubs in
London-straight as a lamp post still.
but out of training and In devtlish
need Of tapping-that sort Of duck.
you know!
What a respectable-looking old par
ty might be up to, wandering around q
bachelor apartment building at three
in the morning. was none of my bust
ness. What's more, you know, 1
didn't care q jolly hang. But the
thing that dashed me was that just
I moved toward the door to close
it, he uttered my name again and
came straight toward me as though to
speak.
SO I had to wait, by Jove, for I
couldn't close the door In his face.
Awfully rotten thing to do-that, you
know.
Lost his 1oor and wants to In
quire," I decided.
And then rs he toddled across the
last yard and stopped before me. l
saw that the old chap was In his night
things-some darkish sort OF pajamas.
"By George!" he exclaimed with .
leer that showed his almost toothless
old gums. BET you never would guess
what I got up fort"
No, dash It, l didn't even care to
49, 49,