Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-02-25

| see you. . III his once. say Mr.
/ Terrill. to yuh think they can play
today? It's pretty wet"
10 Haley was sunk in the depths of
his big leather chair. He did not look
up as Ted entered. "Sit down." he
said Ted sat down and waited,
puzzled.
"As a wizard at figures" unused 10
Haley at last, softly as though to him.
self, I'm a frost A column OF figures
on paper makes my head swim. But |
can carry a whole regiment OF 'em in
my head | know every time the bar
keeper draws one IN the dark. I've
been watchin' this thing for the last
two weeks hopin you'd quit and come
and tell me-" He turned suddenly and
faced Ted. Ted, old Kid" he said
sadly, "whatn'ell made you do it
again."
What's the joker" asked Ted,
Now, Ted" demonstrated 10 Ha-
ley, that way Of talkin' won't help
matters none As said. I'm rotten at
! figures. But you're the first invest
ment that ever turned out bad, and let
me tell you I've handled some mighty
bad smelling ones, Why, kid, If you
had just come to me on the quiet and
asked for the loan of hundred or
SO. why"
whats the joke, Jo?" said Ted
again slowly.
This amt my notion OF joke"
came the terse answer. We're three
hundred short"
The last flicker of Ted Torriil's old
time radiance seemed to flicker and
die, leaving him ashen and old.
"Short?" he repeated. Then. my
God!" in a strangely colorless voice
my Cod" He looked down at his
fingers impersonally, as though they
belonged to someone else. Then his
haad clutched 10 Haley's arm with the
grip OF fear. 30! 10! That's the
thing that has haunted me day and
night, till my nerves are raw, The
fear of doing it again. Don't laugh
at me, will you? ] used to lie awake
nights going over that cursed business
of the bank-over and over-tin the
cold sweat would break out again, step
p | by step, until-~JO, could q man steal
and not know 1t? Could thinking of a
thing like that drive man crazy? BE.
cause II It could--if 1t Could-then-f
r Il don't know" said 10 Haley, "but
g it sounds darned fshy." He laid a
u hand on Teds shaking shoulder and
n was looking into the white, draw
face. Il had great plans for you. Ted
Il But Minnie WenzeIs got 1t all dowr
l. on slips Of paper. / might as vel
Y call her in again, and weli have the
Il whole blamed thing out"
Minnie Wenzel came, In her hand
q were slips of paper. and books witt
@ figures In them, and Ted looked anC
, saw things written in his own hanC
- that should not have been there AnC
he covered his shamed face with hi!
>, two hands and gave thanks that his
4 mother was dead.
a There came three sharp raps at the
. Office door. The tense figures within
jumped nervously.
-. Keep Quit" called 10 Haley, who
;. ever you are" Whereupon the doc
= opened and Birdie Callahan breezed In
~ Get out. Birdie Callahan" roaret
~ 10. You're in the wrong pew"
Birdie closed the door behind he
- composedly and came farther into tn,
- room. Pete, tn pastry cook, Just tell
~ me that Minnie Wenzel told tn da!
- clerk. who told the barkeep, who tol'
~ tn janitor, who told tn chef, who tol'
- Pete, that Minnie had caught Tet
=, stealin' some three hundred dollars
- Ted took a quick step forward
birdie. for heavens sake keep out o
this. You can't make things any bel
- ter, You may believe in me, but
Where's the money!" asked Birdie
~ Ted stared DIT her moment, hi
~ mouth open ludicrously.
- ''Why-I-dont-kno he artict
- lated painfully, Il never thought c
-. that"
- Birdie snorted defantly. 81 though
~, so. Dye know" socially, Il was Wis
- itin' with my aunt, Mis- Mulcahy, las
~ evenin'."
~ There was a quick rustic OF silk
~ from Minnie Wenzals direction.
~ Say, look here" began 10 Hale!
- Impauenuy.
- shut up, 10 Haley" snapped Birdie
- las | was sayin'. was visitin' wit
~ my aunt, Mis- Mulcahy. She doe
a. fancy washin' an ironin' for the swellt
~ An Minnie wenzel, there bein' non
~ sweller. hires her to do up her weddfr
~ linens. Such smears av hand eli
N bribery an Irish crochet she neve
- see tn likes, Mis- Mulcahy says. an
she's seen a lot. And as q specis
treat to the poor ovid soul. why Nil
= ME Wenzel lets her see some av he
=. weddin clo'es. There never yet wa
,9 woman who cud resist shown he
weddin things to every other woma