The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-02
By ELMORE. ELLIOTT PEAKE

II wish he'd try IT," said WOODY
with n click Of the square, sharp teeth
that looked as II they could bite.
"Good-by." He hesitated and added
in a tone for her ear alone: III win
I'll buy Hillcrest'
you'll win," said she with a flush.
A laborious tramp Of a mile and
half along the oozy levee top to tn.
hamlet Of Horeb Hill and thence a
seven mile drive in a buggy-of.en
hub deep in seep water-brought
Bonebrake to Niccopola.
Distant az was the river the in
habitants were plainly under no H.
fusion regarding their danger. Store
stocks and furniture were being moved
to upper stories and roofs converted
into corrals for chickens and hogs.
Darkies and those whites whose hum
BILE homes offered no second story as
refuge staggered along under huge
bundles. bound for the highlands
Bonebrake paid of his driver AMI
exchanged his boots for shoes, after
which he legged 1t rapidly toward the
ginnery with an accelerated heart
beat. Was Dudley Oakes's phone mes
sage to Dessay a fake? Had skinny
got his train through after all? Was
the hazardous expedition Of the Valley
Belle wild goose chase?
He turned the last corner. There
on the loading platform OF the GIN
merry. rank upon rank. bale upon bale,
lay the cotton. Dirty jute Jackets
and all, it was the most beautiful sight
Bonebrake had ever looked upon. He
ga
his hot brow with a scented handker-
chief and emitted a fervent Amen"
No one was in sight, but as he ap-
preached the Office the voice Of Ulick
McAnerty. evidently at a telephone.
blared savagely through an open win
dow:
Il tell you I know better. I've
had n string Of niggers watchin' the
track for the last twenty-four hours.
Sure! A foot or so is the
deepest anywhere. A train could have
come through any time easy.
What? Sorry? Yes know
you're sorry. l can hear your tears
spatter on the floor like buckshot.
But let me tell you something, friend
Cakes. I've got 100000 worth of cot
ton here that I might as we'll touch
a match to 4 you don't git that train
through. II / lose II somebody will
dance like a turkey on a red hot
plate. and it won't be yours truly"
Tell the houn dawg you'll send him
to the penitentiary.' interposed
fiery second voice.
"Or horsewhip him in the street."
added a third voice.
shut up. you fellows" roared
Click. What? Talk louder. Come
closer to the phone. I'm no mind
reader. In danger? Ger
tainly it's n danger Why do you sup
pose I'm bawlin my lungs out over
this cornstalk telephone line. Ell? II
they blow the levee 1t viii put this
Sinnery under ten feet OF water with
more comm. Sure. Sure.
Now. listen! II you git that train in
I'll treble the amount | promised YOU.
Treble II. T-r-e-b-l-e IL. Three times,
Ketch 1t? I'll"
From the sulphurous fusillade which
followed. with shrieks for central and
furious rafting OF the receiver hook,
IL was evident that the connection
had been broken. Bonehrake. with a
seraphic grin, discreetly stepped
around the corner Of tho building for
a nom mt.
When he reappeared a tall. gro
'esquely thin man in horse blanket
plaids and n square topped derby
vas standing on the platform staring
moroscly into space. Al the sound
OF steps h turned. revealing a long.
Ratchet face splotChed with eczema,
n compressed. beaklike cartilaginous
nose and pair Of prominent sea
green eyes pierced with tiny. pin
point pupils