The Dolores star., 1914-01-30

by gum" admitted u IN VoeD
he key. IL 1ts."
cHAprga KIM
Only - - Issl
Bartlett grinne1 anA semovo1 -
hat 10 wips h!s brow. Ths general
strovs not 10 show . guilty surprise.
Eniy giggisd ard Henrietta begaa -
live again.
The wstsrmslon held ost hi han6.
my hey. please. Kindly remove that
piece Of artillery iron The rosd and
We viii 20 on"
The man. covered with psfspiratioa
and embarrassment. handed back the
key. when the Browns como back.
shall We tell them you called?"
Certainly" said the general pcmp
ously. and In the exuberance Of the re-
action. he drew Q half dollar from his
pocket and handed II TO the fellow.
Kindly give that to Dick" said he
with the benevolence Of = grandfather.
Billy waved to the crestfallen two
md Henrietta gave them . gracious.
forstving bow.
Never again." said she. shall DO
wrong. The possibilities Of discovery
are too nerve-rscking."
"Father used to say" began the
Watermelon.
Ell bet your mother didn't talk
much" laughed Bartlett.
But the general had passed through
an unhappy half hour and had NO
heart for TESTING.
III you knew the Browns, Mr.. Batch
elor." said he. 1T was your duty to
have told Us So"
"Yes." said Henrietta. II have aged
ten years, and at my time Of life that
10 tragedy"
And Why" asked Billy, ~ you had
the key. didn't We 60 In by the front
door last night?"
The Watermelon stared from one &C.
cusing face to the other In frank sur.
prise. Even Mike with his fat wits
would have grasped the situation. Il
didn't know them" he protested
when can 60 In by . door. don't
choose the window"
But the key" objected Billy.
Dick and Lizzie" added Henrietta.
Their very ages" climaxed the gen.
eral.
1T was only . bluiY." said the Wa
termelon YEARLY. Il remembered
their names and ages from books
had seen around the room last night
and on the dresser. sort Of birthday
presents and things. you know. new.
er saw one OF them"
The general roared and loved the
boy. Henrietta leaned forward and pat
ted him on the shoulder. Wonderful.
wonderful. Holiness" said she.
Did you take the key on purpose!"
asked Billy. all athrill with admiration.
The Watermelon flushed. He had
taken the key u by any chance he
should ever be In that neighborhood
again. and the family away. he could
spend the night In . comfortable bed
instead Of under . hayrick. Besides
keys always came In handy. He didn't
look at Billy. He laughed and changed
his seat to the one between the two
girls.
when ] locked the front door. ]
slipped the key out without thinking.
suppose" said he. Besides. keys are
handy. When you are stony broke.
you can rattle them and make the 9TH
er fellow think maybe they're the
mon"
Now for breakfast" cried the gen.
eral Esily. never long forsetful Of his
meals.
Tell me-" begged Henrietta. what
would father say?"
Grace" said the Watermelon.
The general, as he informed Henri
eta 1t the hrst roadhouse they came
10 and ut which they stopped for
breakfast. was full Of the old Nick.
He felt that there might bs no limit to
his daring. he might 20 - far ~ to
rob an apple orchard and make no
attempt to repay the owner. that was.
II the apples were ripe. Henristta's
own Spirits were rising. One never
realised what liberty was until one
threw aside onventionality--not hon.
or. but conventionality. the silly. fool.
ish laws Of senseless ages. Billy a.
usual laughed 1t every remark. while
the general. the tramp and the nnan.
cier grew fairly brilliant beneath the
spur Of two pretty women's laughing
eyes.
The Watermelon. In his silk socks.
his soft panama and hns linen. was
too much In the habit Of taking fate
- he found II. without wonder or pro-
test. to marvel now at his change OF
fortune or to be disturbed or embar.
rassed ut the unexpected society In
which he found himself. Between him
and Bartlett was 0nl,. the difference
Of few millions. both lived By their
wits. and n one preferred to walk
while the other rode. II was merely .
matter OF choice-no sign Of inferior.
ity between man and man.
They atnnsaaA that nvsmtnn - =