The Detroit times., 1912-10-28

hand as he gazed modify through the
open door to the village street, inn
potent to refute the words Of the
Watermelon.
Inc watermelon nodded without
any undue citation, In fact, not think
Ing at all about Bartlett, he was too
entirely absorbed In his own troubles
I suppose you are his partner
friend? questioned Bartlett, after q
moments painful readjusting Of ideas.
mo, am stranger. We met by
chance, as you might say. am q
tramp
"A tramp" Bartlett's business
chagrin vanished before the rush OF
his paternal alarm and surprise. But
by heavens, man, told Billy she could
marry YOU"
The horror in his tones angered the
Watermelon. The hot blood leaped
into his face and his hands clenched.
We'll, why not?" he demanded. Il
am man If am a tramp"
Bah sneered Bartlett. "A man +?
A COW, rather, an animal too lazy to
work. suppose you stole your
clothes"
Both talked In low voices that the
clerk, who only restrained himself
from approaching by the exertion of
tremendous will power, might not hear
them. The Watermelon's face was
very white, and he spoke slowly, care
fully, as he retold the episode OF the
swtmming-hole and the stolen car,
still leaning against the varied as
sortment OF dress goods. IL borrow
ed these clothes he concluded, ito
keep you away from New York for a
week. That object may not sound
original to you, and It wasn't. You
were the one who suggested it to me
through the telegraph clerk last Sun
day"
That boy would take candy from
the baby" swore Bartlett gently.
You were stung, that's all love
Billy and she loves me. | hate work,
but for Billy will work and am GO
ing to work. I love her."
Does she know you are tramp
Yes"
You haven't cent, l suppose"
mo, but can earn some"
"How?'
Working"
"At what?"
Something"
"What?
Anything. Damn 1t, I amt incapa,
BILE of anything but sleep!"
'Tve lost thousands through that
dirty trick of yours"
Yours. You originated 1t, you
know"
Bartlett leaned against the counter
beside the Watermelon and glared al
h. yatt
the store, and even forgot the clerk
who gazed at them obviously from a
discreet distance and wondered how
many more kilograms they wanted.
Bartlett knew Billy. Billy said that
she was going to marry this man and
SO she would marry him-unless
something more effective than verbal
opposition were used. he had never
exerted any authority over Billy and
knew that il would be too late to
begin now. Billy would only laugh at
him But after all, he was Billy's
father, he loved the girl and had some
right TO object to her marriage with
tramp.
He glanced at the thin clever face
beside him and admitted that the man
had brains and apparently was not De
sotted or brutalized, merely indiffer-
emit, lazy and wholly unambitious; be
sides, very young, impatient Of re.
straint and the dull grind Of a poor
mans life.
Who are your peoples" asked Bart
lett TO gain time. lie must make q
plan to separate Billy from this i'm
pecunious sutton Authority was use
less. He must use tact, flnesse.
My father was minister" re
turned the Watermelon. Yours was a
grocer Billy told me. Families don't
count In America"
Bartlett nodded agreement. why
did you become a tramp"
Through inclination, not the whis
ky bottle. Not that am above get
ting full once in a while, cause
amt. Just, I'm not a drunkard. See
I didn't keep on losing jobs through
drink and finally had to take to the
road because l was a bum. took 70
'tramping because I hate TO work. II
takes too much OF your time. An OF