Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-06-17


of the Street" he sneered. yah, it
fairly reeks with the filth of money,
your plan and NINE"
"My plan?" Bartlett flushed and
looked away. "Stung," said he hnA-
bly,, and crumpled the telegram IN his
hand as he gazed moUdiIy through shs
open door to the village street., kzpe-
tent to refute the words OF the Wa
termelon.
The Watermelon nodded without
any undue citation, in fact, not thlak-
ing at all about Bartlett, he was 100
entirely absorbed in his own troubles.
Il suppose you are his partner
friend?" questioned Bartlett, after a
moments painful readjusting of ideas.
mo, / am stranger. We met by
chance, as you might say. am
tramp"
"A tramp!" Bartlett's business cha
grin vanished before the rush of his
paternal alarm and surprise. But.
by heavens, man, l 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
well, why not?' he demanded. Il
am man If am 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,
| carefully, as he retold of the episode
of the swimming and the stolen
car, still leaning against the varied
assortment of dress goods. Il Dor
rowed these Clothes" he concluded,
ito keep you away from New York
for 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.
love Billy and she loves me. | hate
work, but for Billy / will work and
am going to work. / love her."
Does she know you are tramp
yes"
'You haven't cent, / suppose.
mo, but I can earn some"
tive 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 thar
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 it would be too late to be-
| gin now. Billy would only laugh at
him. But after all, he was Billy's ia.
Their, he loved the girl and had some
right to object to her marriage with
tramp.
who are your people?" asked Bart
lett to gain time. He must make a
plan to separate Billy from the impe-
/ cunious sutton. Authority was use
less. He must use tact, f1nesse.
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 tramp"
Through inclination, not the whis
ky bottle. Not that I am above get
ting full once in while, cause
amt. Just, I'm not drunkard. Seei
l took to trampiEg because l hate
to work. 1t takes too much of your
time. An Office is like a prison tc
me. A man loses his soul when he
stays all day bent over desk. Be
sides, don't like work"
Lazy"
Yes" snapped the Watermelon
''but a man. love your Billy-my
Billy, and l can work for her"
(TO BE CONTINUED