The Monte Vista journal., 1915-06-19

.R.l
Dat Grady solemnly spelled his pre-
,',,,on n kin smell it in the air plain
Wv smelt the rotten food in the mess
.soot that's causing it all And I'm
telling yvu now that there's no saying
uhsre i'm lead any more than l can
NIL where it'll end. Trouble and bad
s-ub-they been twins from the begin
ming Of time
Lee PAYNE tapped the table thought
nlv with his pencil. A young man,
no was not inclined to take the mat
Ter so seriously as the old foreman Of
Ira Monroes oil fields; still there was
M dodeing the fact that the men were
lotelv become sullen and apathetic In
,boir work, and a few Of them openly
lnsoent
"And you think the food at the bot
tom Of the mems actions?'
"Their stomachs is at the bottom Of
,-stomachs and lack of food" Pat
corrected.
But 1t can easily be remedied."
Then why amt it," Grady did not
wait for an answer, but pointed out of
the window silently toward a group of
lsborers loafing boldly beside the near
est biz tank. In the center of the
rroup broad-shouldered, swarthy,
beetlebrowed fellow was frantically
sesticulating to emphasize his re-
marks, remarks which the two men
in the office could not hear but which
caused their brows to furrow anx-
iously
Brown Joes at 1t agin," muttered
the foreman, as though to himself,
and he's got the right of it this time.
! tell you. Mr.. Payne. I'd rather have
rather sleeping with me than a
mouthy workman. Get rid of that fell
low and do it quick. Look at him."
Payne slowly nodded and turned
back to his desk.
He glanced at his watch and felt
little tremor Of anticipatory fear as
be noted the noon hour was upon him.
There had been open mutterings this
morning. II the food had not i'm.
proved for dinner. what would those
nutterings become? For a half days
ibor in the oil wells is not conducive
. making ones appetite dainty or
birdlike. The situation must be i'm
proved and that Immediately. II only
could gain little time.
As the whistle summoned the men
rom their work he waited for them in
ne shack, watching them being seated
the long table, noting the furrowed
pfows, the somber eyes, the signifi-
Eance OF their steady scrutiny of
bfown Joe, seated next himself. That
mere was something afoot he could
pot doubt.
inc cook entered. heavily laden
Nh couple of steaming platters.
mere was something savory looking
Dout mat steam, but the look was
speHed almost instantly by the ran
~ door that percolated through it.
AS the cook placed a steaming plate
s'ore brown Joe, the young superin-
,Auen' strained forward, every mus.
- "eAed 10 anticipate the trouble he
We" ihstinctively had reached a
'''is' But even as his fists balled
as hoarse cry of rage broke
WI vn rat Grady's throat, the swarthy
'"e!ed fellow looked at the unsav.
mess before him, lifted the plate
nj, 'uoush to sniff its contents, then
a. a II squarely in the cooks face
.s 'ne Fellow staggered back, dig
s, ."u.y at eyes and ears and nose
wipe the stuff away, Brown Joe
=, s' ~ Forward. But not SO quickly
IN. Ae escaped the heavy right-hand
,,s VI the foreman. Grady, quick
'h h advantage of the mans stag
w. 'a'N was Instantly upon him.
usa second Payne felt himself
Il W., w .ne spot, unable to grasp the
mod ",neahce Of what had hap
/, ~. AS he threw himself beside
m. swinging with both fists
,soon n 'unsed forward en- masse. In
., '"u the mess hall was a sham
p,lsa mars dishes, tables were
u,sl , aside like straws before the
Ma v, n.'oc'ty OF the enraged crew
lloved .he delight Of combat, Grady
artnl w MS advantage, infiictinl
ssrd,. punishment upon Brown Joe
B. in,o 'a Oh the fact that he was get
ppor,o. 'ne open, where the fellow,
n S would make easy work o.
hnblinss upon the messes of food
.y ,hs over the wreck of the hall
allou a,eW themselves upon him
lyme tries ".h up as In whirlpool
II lam o 10 hight his way through