The Holly chieftain., 1915-04-09

| b0s nO3 ~.
"Jeroboam Martini" said the Water
melon slowly. . grim Amusement In
his half-shut eyes.
| "Jero-what?"
"Jeroboam Martin"
But Bachelor" stammered Bart.
lett. confused.
"Batcheior IL in New York." re-
turned the Watermelon. Il just tele-
Eraphed him. C. o. D.. where he could
hnd his blooming car. Don't sup
pose the police had sense enough to
look for 1t at the hotel"
"A low. dirty trick" sputtered Bart
lett.
The Watermelon agreed. Typical
OF the Street." he sneered. "Yah. 1t
fairly reeks with the flth Of money.
your plan and mine"
my plan?" Bartlett flushed and
looked away. "Stung." said he hum
bly,. and crumpled the telegram In his
hand a. he gazed moodily through the
open door to the village street, impo-
tent to refute the words of the Wa
termelon.
The Watermelon nodded without
any undue elation, in fact, not think
ing at all about Bartlett, he was too
entirely absorbed In his own troubles.
Il suppose you are his partner
friend?" questioned Bartlett, after q
moments painful readjusting of ideas.
mo. am stranger. We met by
chance. as you might say. ! am
tramp"
"A tramp!" Bartlett's business cha
grin vanished before the rush Of his
paternal alarm and surprise. But.
by heavens. man, told Billy she
could marry you"
The horror in his tones angered the
Watermelon. The hot blood leaped
into his face and his hands clenched
well. why not!" he demanded. Il
am a man II am a tramp"
Bah" sneered Bartlett man?
A COW. rather. an animal too lazy to
work. suppose you stole your
clothes."
Both talked In low voices that the
clerk, who only restrained himself
from approaching by the exertion of
tremendous will power. might not
hear them. The Watermelon's face
was very white. and he spoke slowly.
carefully. as he retold of the episode
OF the swimming hole and the stolen.
car, still leaning against the varied
assortment Of dress goods. Il bor-
rowed these Clothes" he concluded,
TO keep you away from New York
for q week. That object may not
sound original to you. and It wasn't
You were the one who suggested It
TO me through the telegraph clerk last
Sunday. You were stung, that's all.
! love Billy and she loves me. hate
work. but for Billy will work and
am going to work. love her"
Does she know you are tramp"
Yes"
you haven't cent. suppose.
No. but can earn some"
1--WE lost thousands through that
dirty trick Of yours"
Yours. You originated 1t, you
know"
Bartlett leaned against the counter
beside the Watermelon and glared at
the floor. Neither thought to leave
the store. and even forgot the clerk,
who gazed at them dubiously from
discreet distance and wondered how
many more kilograms they wanted.
Bartlett knew Billy. Billy said that
she was going to marry this man and
30 she would marry him-unless some
thing more. effective than verbal op-
position were used. He had never ex-
erted any authority over Ri1lv an6
knew that 1t would be too late to be-
gin now. Billy would only laugh at
him. But after all. he was Billy's IA
ther, he loved the girl and had some
right to object to her marriage with
tramp.
who are your people?" asked Bart.
lett to gain time. He must make
plan to separate Billy from the impe-
cunious suitor. Authority was use.
less. He must use tact, finesse. !.
my father was minister" re-
turned the Watermelon. yours was
a grocer. Billy told me. Families
don't count In America"
Bartlett nodded. agreement. "why
did you become trampY
Through inclination, not the whis-
Ky bottle. Not that I am above get
ting full once In while, cause l
aint. Just. I'm not drunkard. See?
l took to tramping because hate
to work. 1t takes too much Of your
time. An offlce is like prison to
me. A man loses his soul when he
stays all day bent over desk. BE-
RiHaa I Nnnst lilxo ,v>-lo, lt.r77' .l7