The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-10-19

llfltS, ADueE Steppeu tO lue Sdtc anu,
opening it. advanced boldly toward
Fulton.
With low grunt Of fear and sur
prise the latter turned and was about
to fee the spot when Abner uttered a
soft. reassuring laugh. Huh! scared
you," he chuckled. Il didn't mean to.
Abe. drapped my tobacco at the foot
O that oak an was down on my all
fours rootin' about in the grass like a
hog tryin' to find it. Which way are
you headed at this time O night? Late
fer you to be out, amt it?''
Il wasn't goin' nowhar," Abe replied
hesitatingly.
'At the blacksmith's shop in the edge
O. town this mornin' the feller that was
blowin' the bellows, Abe, said you'd
me. Was it anything particular you
wanted?'
Fulton blinked helplessly.
mo, IL didn't want nothin'," he
said haltingly. "Nothin' at all. was
jest wonderin' efs you'd passed along.
r. Tho voice died away.
Abe looked toward the full moon and
stood stroking the bristling. week old
beard on his chin.
''Oh. I'll bet you did want to see
me-" Abner said. You are Jest little
BACKYARD an slow to come to a thing.
Abe. used to be that way myself till
politics, tradin' hosses, an one thing
or other learnt me that it wouldn't do"
The man offered no denial, and of
this Abner made-a mental note.
II did want to see you," he blurted
out. Il hain't been right in my mind
here lately. Sometimes 1 don't know
what I'm sayin' or doin'. My wife has
noticed it an called my attention to it
several times"
'Ah. he is goin' to own up an claim
mental unsoundness," Abner reflected,
while sudden glow of hope suffused
him. Hes sharp enough to know that
it will strengthen his claim" Then
aloud to Fulton. he said: "a man amt
accountable fer what he does when
he's that way, Abe. especially eff he's
all keyed up in pity over somebody be-
in harmed or wronged-some helpless
person that he hated to see suffer-"
Fulton seemed so much absorbed
over what he was now bent ON saying
that Abner's words fell on closed ears.
II was havin' one O my worst spells
t'other evenin' when you was out look
in fer yo' hoss. I'd been feelin' so bad
that drunk a lot O. whisky just fore
you come. I thought that would clear
up my mind. but l tuck too much.
drunk mighty nigh pint, all told.
was jest gittin' under the influence OF
it when was talkin' to You. an after
you left l was plumb soaked. My wife
overheard the ramblin' way l was talk
in to you. an when l come in--or II
was the next nlernin', when my minG
was clear-she told me-she told me
she had never heard anybody say sech
ridiculous things in 'er life"
Ridiculous Abner's heart sank IL
sheer dismay over the unexpected stant
the man was taking. Ridiculous? Die
you say ridiculous, Abe"
Yes; an I've been tryin' to remem
Der what it was l did say that night
think, among other things. We talked
about-about"-
"Yes, we talked about Craig an How
ard Tinsey," Abner went on fiercely
for the course Fulton was taking had
upset one of his best hopes. you sale
you was sorry fer the boy-you sale
he'd done you favors, an you seemed
to think. though didn't fully agree
with you at the time. that Howard
was tellin' the truth"
Il may have said it." Abe went OF
insistently, keeping his desperate gaz'
on wheel cut rut In the road. whicl
he was neryously kicking with the tot
of his coarse shoe. Il don't git full
| often. but when do slobber over an
sometimes cry about the least thing
My wife said | cried about Howard
when l got to bed after you left tha
| night an said he was bein' treate,
wuss'n dog. That was odd, too, for
don't know thing about the case.
reckon Howard is as nice as the ger
eral run o. boys, but everybody know
he has hot temper an armed hisse'
hn' went lookin' fer his man."
"Yes. he has hot temper" ,Abne
was speaking at random in an effort t
get his bearings. Never before had h
felt his ingenuity put to such bewi
dering test. and his hope Of rescuin
| Howard was becoming less and less a
he realized the safe ground Fulton no,
stood upon. Was it possible that til
wits of a man of this low type coul
defeat his own?
I'm goin'~to quit drinkin', even fe
my health" Abe went On, the glare @
a half insane man In his eyes. "Yo
must "a thought was plumb Idle
that night, an must "a been actual
full O. liquor"
Il didn't smell it on you, Abe. | wa
bothered about my boss an the har
work me an Mary have on our hand
in the Office. You can have no idea ho'
awful it Is to be in sech tight place n
mem her are in
II remember a little bit O. what
said-jest sort O. like a dream. yo
know, Mr.. Daniel. I think maybe
talked abOut-about my cousin Sus
Thomas an her trouble. Bein' out
my head that way an thar bein' S
much talk about-about Craig's ba
reputation with women, reckon l g
she pore gal mixed up with him SON
way in my silly mind. She did hay
trouble like that. but young feller
: knowed about that used to run ;