News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1913-04-02

ring Bartlett to know who he was.
"To ask me for Billy" Bartlett had
at first decided, but changed his mind
as the youths gloom became appar.
emily impenetrable.
Bartlett's jaw was set squarely,
sternly his eyes cleaned angrily and
a small pulse beat in his cheek. He
handed the Watermelon the telegram
and watched him as he read it.
"Who are you" he demanded
hoarsely, when the Watermelon had
finished reading the message and re-
turned it.
melon slowly, a grim amusement in
his half-shut eyes.
"Jero-what?"
"Jeroboam Martini
But Batchelor," stammered Bart
lett, confused.
"Batchelor is in New York." re-
turned tho Watermelon. 81 just tele-
graphed him, c. o. D., where he could
find his blooming car. Don't sup,
pose the police had sense enough to
look for it at the hotel"
"a low, dirty trick" sputtered Bart
lett.
The Watermelon agreed. Typical
of the Street" he sneered. "Yah, it
fairly reeks with the filth of money,
your plan and mine"
my plan?" Bartlett flushed and
looked away. "Stung," said he hum
bly,, and crumpled the telegram in his
hand as he gazed moodily through the
open door to the village street, impo-
tent to refute the words of the Wa
termelon.
The Watermelon nodded without
any undue elation, in fact, not think
ing at all about Bartlett, he was too
entirely absorbed in his own troubles.
II suppose you are his partner
friend?" questioned Bartlett, after
moments painful readjusting Of ideas.
mo, | am a stranger. We met by
chance, as you might say. am a
tramp"
"a tramp" Bartlett's business cha
grin vanished before the rush Of his
paternal alarm and surprise. "But.
by heavens, man, I told Billy she
could marry you"
The horror in his tones angered the
into his face and his hands clenched.
well, why not?" he demanded. II
am man if am tramp"
"Bah," sneered Bartlett. A man?
A COW, rather, an animal too lazy to
work. l 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,
carefully, as he retold of the episode
of the swimming and the stolen
car, still leaning against the varied
assortment Of dress goods. 81 Dor
rowed these Clothes" he concluded,
"to 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
Sunday. You were stung, that's all.
l love Billy and she loves me. l hate
work, but for Billy l will work and
am going to work. l love her."
Does she know you are tramp?"
YES"
you haven't a cent, suppose.
mo, but can earn some"
1--WE lost thousands through that
dirty trick of yours"
yours. You originated it, you
know"
Bartlett leaned against the counter
beside the Watermelon and glared at
the floor. Neither thought to leave
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 some
thing more effective than verbal op-
position were used. He had never ex-
erted any authority over Billy and
knew that 1t would be too late to be-
gin now. Billy would only laugh at