Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-04
5aIN O2GE1RANDOIPH CHESTER
copyrisht. 1919, ~ he Bobbs-r1errin CO.

little county seat with plenty Of loose
money"
.'Ten miles farther on" commented
the other. "Any particular business
thereY' Ss re
mo; just prospecting"
II wish you'd get OF and hely me
collect for my antiques" And the ex-
green goods man eyed wistfully the
large proportions and impressive APP
pearance Of his old friend Wallingford.
II don't mind if I; do.'' observed j..
Rufus carelessly, and he went back to
his chair for his hand luggage.
.
Lafayette Bunker, who was gaunt
and clumsy man Of queerly knotted
muscles, stood at the gate Of the old
Bunker farm and acknowledged his
identity with gloomy reluctance.
n came to see you about some an
tique furniture said Dollar Bill.
II don't want to buy none." imme-
diately. repudiated Lafayette. Il de-
clare I don't know where old Jona-
than got all the worthless trash the
house IL cluttered up with. When I
was here ave years ago he had two
chairs and Z kitchen table and a can
vas cot.''
"He got 1t from me- explained the
worm hole expert, rand here's the bill
for it. I'm william j.. Shuvit.''
Lafayette Bunker, who had not yet
removed his foot from the lower bar
Of the gate, eyed the document in ques-
ton with careless indifference, but did
not take It In his hands.
THAT amt no proof that Jonathan
owed 1t to you" he uninterestedly
argued. Course don't say he didn't,
but II he did you'll have to collect it
the next time you see him." and he
laughed silently, Ike man too sttngy
to share even joke.
''very well; I'll have to replevin the
furniture" announced Mr.. Shuvit. con-
cealing his anger as much as posi-
bic.
"You can do whatever you blame
please" granted young Mr.. Bunker.
THE furntture's mine, and I'm going
to sell 1t II I can find anybody fool
enough to buy It." and he snolled
away In the direction Of the disin-
tegrating old house, pausing to pull q
dead and decayed weed from the side
Of the walk
'-The worst Of It is I don't dare re-
plevin It," confessed Dollar Bill to
Wallingford. "The papers would get
hold Of it, and that would ruin my
business. I ought to have made sew
eral thousand dollars on this deal, but
in the shape the thing is I'd hive
been glad Is settle for 81 500 and take
the next train for Texas. Why, con-
found it, Jim, I haven't any furniture
left to sell. I used It all In stocking
up this place"
"You might buy it in at a very cheap
figure" suggested Wallingford. II
say" he called after the retreating
heir to the Bunker estate.
Lafayette half turned and bent upon
them impatient 'brows. "Huh? he
grunted.
"what will you take for that furni-
ture7"
The heir from Oklahoma came back
Immediately.
"What'll you giveT'
"a hundred dollars"
''Well, this morning I might have
sold 1t to You for that, but I've just
seen this mans bill, and It says the
furniture's worth fifteen hundred, so
that's the price. I amt looking for any
profit. I'm just . plain farmer"
Il know; I've bought apples from
them" chuckled Wallingford. Lets
rec that furniture"
'tCome right in," invited Mr.. Bunker.
Dollar Bill shuvit walked reverently
into the parlor Of the old Bunker home
stead and surveyed his own creations
with the worshipful pride Of born
genius. "Look at that Scrambleton
suit" he glowed. "Did You ever see
more beautifully threadbare upholster-
ing? Look at the mended leg on that
Stuart table! You can see that the
bottom Of the leg Is newer wood and
was glued on by dub. say. twenty or
twenty-five years ago"
walHngford looked about him with
the appreciation Of an artist. The dust
OF ages lay thickly on everything.
Mr.. Bunker strobe back to the
kitchen to suppress boiling teapot.
Shuvit led ]. Rufus into the dining
room, and upstairs into the bedroom,