Ellsworth American., 1914-11-11

\ I'm scared all over. im scareu.
Potter"
Hs looked more serious He bad
hardly expected 50 mucn frankness
In a moment | showed nim why, Pol
itics and excited men and deals and
his past. told him was afraid Of
them all. the last the most
But it's for Miss Lucy Belle. old
man--cant you see: sprouted among
the Pennsylvania Dutch and later
grew up In Iowa You know these
Kentucky folks You got to have fam
| Dy. And have the money. but little
Of the blue blood Lucy Bellies folks
we'll they're just like other folks. They
| Ike me. but--old man. can't you get 1T
need the position that a term down at
Frankfort would give. I'm not In the
game for good"
| week later be rushed into where
my men were finishing up car OF
/ handsome desks He was red and al
most frantic In manner.
"old man. I'm afraid they've got
mer' He looked unnatural and bag
gard ] did not break in. for be was
the man with the talk. They're on
1 the trail OF my old life"
! A week later the big crash came.
Potter's rival had heard the saloon
eight stories from the men Dick had
| whipped. IL was nice revenge. and
two OF them did a remarkably good
Job My old friend heard II all. but
kept Ii out OF the Citizen.
The bounding grew even more sue
cessful every day that passed. And.
worse. 1t was all true-terribly true
1t was the day before the primary.
I had been given consent to leave the
shop early. Ii was IA last try to stem
the tide that was slowly pounding
down the character and possible sue
cess of Dick Potter.
went to the usually quiet square.
II was talkative and boisterous.
As reached there Dick met me-
Tell Bill to hold the Citizen of the
press. Tell him I want to make a
statement and will pay him twice his
price Run. Jim
1t may sound high flown and all that.
but it's dead true. | say to you that
Dick potter's face. when | saw him
FIVE hours later. showed more agony
than | think you could crowd In ten
faces Ike mine
He had never lacked any luxury In
life but love Now the thing be want
ed most and needed most had been
bounded out of his life | have seen
reckless men with money-you have.
too-but not one was like Dick.
looked at the man Eve minutes
before he said word. and could not
urge him. Besides. | knew about
what was coming
"Jim." be said slowly and with long
pauses between some OF the words.
Il can tell what the longest walk In
the world is-it's to be within the
gates of heaven and then to turn
around and walk back"
He dropped his head in his hands.
and for just a little minute his voice
broke Gradually be got the old con-
troll and looked up
"Jim." he went on slowly. -tomor-
row the Citizen is going to print my
withdrawal and a complete story Of
my old life | say all my old life. !
wrote 1t. and it's all there" The hint
Of a smile touched his lips. II told
twice what that scorpion told 'em. I
wanted TO beat him some way. and !
knew more than be did" I took a
chair and slid It over near his But I
uyn ptod hor ~ rpnrv Il Provr v,,~ ,.rvx,
rps-as man would act-apd I told
her everything knew about Dick Pot
ter. 1t was pretty nasty In parts. and
1t took nearly four hours Then l re-
leased her from her promise to me. and
l tried the longest walk in the world.
| II starts at old man Winters front
| gate and ends"-he looked about his
new. handsome quarters-"here."
! was saying something-oh. some
small thing about beginning all over
or something like that | don't think
he heard word his telephone bell
| rang. and be didn't rise to answer. So
| slid OUT into the other room and took
down the receiver
1t was Lucy Belle. | knew the voice
called to Dick. but he didn't move.
Then l made some silly excuse and
ran to Potter | told him 1t was Lucy
Belle and what II might mean, but be
| wouldn't move. He said be couldn't
stand anything more I rushed back
10 the telephone and told Miss Lucy
be was sick.
But she knew Dick. and she begged
me to get him to talk to her, just for
moment By that time had got
to be so much Of liar that thought
could stand another little disgrace. and
| told Dick she was sick and needed
him for something.
II worked. Dick was there In no
time. He wanted to help.
l was rambling through some of his
new books when he came back to me
Honestly | thought he had gone mad.
His white face was faming red His
| mnvamapfa Wara aIarf on1 htS amos