Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-11-24
Craftsman

Nobody may ever know whathe's done
to bring this upon him. But those who
really knew the man, and suffered for
1t, can guess the kind of thins!"
Exactly" murmured Toye. rs
though he had just said as much him.
self. His dark eyes twinkled with de-
liberation and debate. How long is
1t, by the way. that they gave that
clerk and friend of yours?"
A keen look pressed the startling
question; at least, it startled Cazalet.
you mean Scruton? What ON earth
I made you think of him."
Talking Of those who suffered for
being the dead mans friends, guess
said Toye. WAS it fourteen years."
That was it."
But I guess fourteen doesn't mean
fourteen. ordinarily, il prisoner be-
haves himself"
"A little more than ten."
Then Scruton may be out now?"
Just"
Toye nodded with detestable
aplomb. "That gives you something
to chew on" said he. "of course, I
don't say he's our man"
Il should think you didn't" cried
Cazalet, white to the lips with sudden
fury.
Toye looked disconnected and dis
tressed, but at the same time frankly
puzzled. He apologized none the less
readily, with almost ingenious cour-
tesy and fu1lness, but he ended by ex-
planning himself in q single sentence,
and that told more than the rest of his
straightforward eloquence put to-
gether.
III . man had done you down like
that, wouldn't you want to Kill him the
very moment you came out, Cazalet?"
The creature of impulse was OF at
q tangent. "1'd forgive him II he did
it, tool" he exclaimed. I'd move
heaven and earth to save him, guilty
or not guilty. Wouldn't you In my
place." - 4"
Il; don't know" said Hilton Toye.
1T depends on the place you're in, I
guess!" And the keen dark eyes came
drilling into Cazalet's skull like
augers. - - -, ~:
F." II thought told you" he explained
impatiently. 1--WE were in the office
together; he was good to me, winked
at the business hours was inclined to
keep, let me down lighter in every way
than I deserved. You may say it was
part of his game. But l take people
as I find them. And then, as told
you, Scruton was ten thousand times
more sinned against than SHINING"
Are you sure? If you knew it at
the time"
II didn't. l told you SO the last
night"
Well, I mustn't ask questions" said
Hilton Toye, and began! folding up his
newspaper with even more than his
usual elaboration.
"Oh, I'll tell you!" cried Cazalet IN
graciously. tits my own fault for tell
ing you so much. It was In letter
from Scruton himself that I heard the
whole thing. I'd written to him-to-
ward the end-suggesting things. He
managed to get an answer through
that would never have passed the
prison authorities. And-and that's
why I came home just when did,"
concluded Cazalet; that's why didn't
wait till after shearing. He's been
through about enough, and I've had
more luck than deserved. meant to
take him back with me, to keep the
books on our station, if you want to
know!" The brusk voice trembled.
Toye let his newspaper slide to the
floor. "But that was fine!" he ex-
claimed simply. That's as fine an ac-
ton as I've heard of in long time"
1T it comes off," said Cazalet in a
gloomy voice.
Don't you worry. It'll come off. Is
he out yet, for sure? I.mean, do you
know that he is?"
"Scruton? Yes-since you press it
he wrote to tell me that he was COM
ing out even sooner than he expected"
Then he can stop out for me-" said
Hilton Toye. Il guess I'm not running
for that reward"