The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-01-07
a.. !! .!!

IN A&e ass r
"Jeroboam Martin" said the Water.
melon slowly a grim amusement in
his half-shut eyes.
"Jero-what:"
"Jeroboam Nj rtin."
But B%atcheloY," stammered Bart
lett, confused.
Bachelor is in New York. re-
turned the Watermelon. 81 just tele-
graphed him, C. o. D.. where he could
find his blooming cal. Don't sup
pose the police had sense enough to
look for it at the hotel"
"a low, dirty trick" sDuttered 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 modify through the
open door to the village street, impo-
tent to refute the words Of the Wa.
termelon.
The Watermelon nodded without
any undue citation, in fact, not think
ing at all about Bartlett, he was too
entirely absorbed in his W troubles.
g" suppose you are his partner
friend?" questioned Bartlett, after a
moments painful r%eadjusting of ideas.
mo, / am a stranger. We met by
chance, as you might say. l 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
Watermelon. The hot blood leaped
into his face and his hands clenched.
well, why not?" he demanded. IT
am a nan If I am a tramp"
"Bah," sneered Bartlett. A man?
A cow, rather, an animal too lazy to
work. I suppose you stole your
clothes" $500
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-hole and the stolen
car, still leaning against the varied
assortment of dress goods. IT Dor.
rowed these Clothes" he concluded,
ito keep you away from New York
for a week. That object may not
sound original to you, and 1t wasn't
You were the one who suggested it
to me through the telegraph clerk last
Sunday. You were stung,| that's all.
I love Billy and she loves me. ] hate
work, but for Billy ] will work and
am going to work. l love her"
Does she know you are a tramp?"
Yes"
you haven't a cent, I suppose.
%"No, but I can earn some"
i've lost, thousands through that
dirty trick of yours"
yours. You Originated it. you
know" f.
Bartlett leaned against the counter
beside the Watermelon and gfafea 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 OPP
position were used. He had never iex.
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, fnesse.
my father was a 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 a tramp"
Through inclination, not the whis.
KY bottle. Not that I am above get
ting full once in a while. cause I
amt. Just, I'm not a drunkard. See?
I took to trampirg because I hate
to work. 1t takes too much Of your
time. An Office Is like a prison to
me. A man loses his soul when he
stays all day bent over a desk. Be-
sides, I don't like work"
Lazy" -,
Tes," snapped the Watermelon,
but a man. Il love your Billy-my
Billy, and I can work for her."