Evening star., 1914-01-25
BY ROY NORTON


self. Strike you as rather lonely?
mot until you came" afably retorted Burmah.
"But suppose bad companys better than none, after
ALL"
"Thanks, grinned Lester, amused in spite of him
self. &" understand, from that YOU re glad m here
"Not at ALL replied Burmah lighting his cigar, and
apparently at his "Im only glad that you didn't
sooner, because I'm just about ready to go home
Lester smiled sardoncally, and deliberately took the
seat the Colonel had vacated, and Burmah sat as
motioness image, and striving appear unaware
of Testers presence
3I'd rather you didn't go until I've had talk with
you, Lester said lighting cigar for himself and talk
ing between puffs.
"Fre away then, invited Burrnah, still notionless.
a suppose, said Lester, with the same affablity,
@that I'm the only in Port Hatch that next to
you.
a rather think that's true, replied Burmah, entirely
without heat
@And rather think also that you the only that
had anything do with Port Hatch that saved anything
out of it."
Fright again!" declared Burmah. He turned his head
until he faced Lester and looked at him with his keen
eyes. "Do you know, Lester, he said, that sort OF
like you because you devillsh smart and lmpert
nent! Not that want to- that don't want to, but
Just because do"
Their eyes fought a duel for full quarter minute
but neither gave in.
"You think I'm a crook and swindler, don't you
Lestero" Burrnah asked
@Yes,- fearessly replied the younger man, q do"
Burmah did appear the least disturbed rather
he seemed suddenly thoughtful, and an evidence be
gan chewing his cigar in the old vigorous way.
81 sort of like YOU for that too-or ben unafraid to
say what YOU think he said, to himself, and for
some reason that he could in the least define Lester
strong and young he was felt that he had come into
closer contact with this masterul man. He was more
than ever convinced of it when Bur1nah suddenly
whirled his chair threw his cigar into the tray and
faced him with eyes that steely in their clarity
TAISO want to saw he said, that you're damned inn
pudent and young and that m goin to talk to you
about somethin' that you may remember sometime,
and that II make you little charitable Sit down!
Don't get excited. wouldn't talk if wanted to fight.
I've shot for less than you said to There's
why should talk to you Lester, except that
| like you after fashion
Lester, who had started to his feet with an angry
scow dropped back into the chair and frowned at Bur
mah wondering what this strange fat man would have
to say and Burnah quietly relaxing put the tips OF his
fat fingers together and talked If to the lamp sus
pended above whose soft rays fell downward over his
sparsey coated gray head. 1t then that Lester
discovered something in its shape OF suggestion
of power more definite air of strength, than he had
hitherto observed.
"My father" said Burmah, was solder. don't
guess you know what that is. It's who took up
land forty fifty years ago the West and dev
iish poor that he had to make hole in the ground and
cover with sod like the animals do, to keep himself
sheltered from Billiards and such. was born In the
bottom of the wagon that he drove to Kansas from
Southern Illinois. My mother died when was ten, and
all the education ever had what she taught me,
best she could there in that sod house Pop and bur
led her back and it winter and cried because
was afraid she'd be cold out there under the snow.
He stopped for moment; but his voice as level
as when he continued and he had given sign Of
emotion.
"'rhere fight the survey, and my father
and four Others tried to keep their land, when
Sherffs posse of fifty tried to put em off. There
was lot of shootin The rifles banged in sod house