The Press., 1916-05-10

fUOM. lu6l lASl OuG muSL nave peGl whale of welt. He don't seem t be comin' round yet" Tinker let go his hold on the rop, and got stiff1y to his feet. His heav! brows were drawn together. His un der lip, a close observer might hav' noticed, was quivering. Have him lay there, for all mel he growled between set teeth, "'Ti no more than he deserves-the mutt He never half fought. He was scared scared, I tell yer. A son of min' scared of anything like Sandy Nc Donaldv'
 "Aw, hold on minute. Tinker, Steve began argumentatively. Tinke stalked silently to the door, opened it paused to calmly draw a big blacl cigar from his vest pocket, bite off tn, end and touch a match to 1t. He blew several thick smoke cloud, from his mouth before finally he spoke he turned to glare savagely across the room in the general direction of tn, bench. although he did not seem to b. looking at the figure with the rolled sweater under its head. "It ain't half so much of a jolt as wisht it was," he remarked icily, ant with a bang of the door he was gone.
 Smoking furiously, Tinker walked down the street to his home. It was nearing midnight when ht heard the puff and pound of a taxi a the curb outside. He clinched his hands and gritted his teeth as he lis tened for the familiar step on the lit tie porch. But instead of that quick light tread came a slower and a seem ingly much heavier one. Simultane ously the bell in the kitchen beyond began to purr madly.
 Tinker, with the cigar held at al angle between his teeth, strode into the hall and flung wide the front door. At the curb stood the taxi with its low pulsing engine, and on the porcl was Steve Flanders, his face very grave. Tinker set his teeth tighter giving the cigar between them a yet more aggressive tilt.
 "Joe's out in the taxi," Steve be gan. not wholly at his ease. we had hard time bringin' him round.
 "I know. how you felt, Tinker" he said in carefully lowered voice "when you left the club like you done tonight, with your face set and hot words on your lips. But you probably feel different now that you've had time to cool off.
 "Joe knew how you felt too. He knew it when you want there in the dressin' room when we finally brought him round. So maybe you'd better ge out to the taxi and sorter tell him you've cooled off, that you was sore and disappointed and a little mite nasty. but that everything's all right now"
 Tinker, standing there like a graver image, staring stOnily at the man be fore him, made no move to follow out this suggestion. Instead he half closed the door.
 What are you talkin' about, SteveY he demanded. 'I'm afraid ain't quite follered you"
 Good natured Steve Flanders looked at the older man with something like alarm. It was as if he was suddenly suspicious that Tinker was not who'll! in his right mind.
 "What am I talkin' about?" he re peated. "Why, your son.
 Steve got no further. Tinker's gray eyes shot him a glance that seemed te pierce him through and through.
 "Son?" beloved Tinker in an aw full voice. "Son? I ain't got no son not after tonight"'
 "Sh-h!'' cried Steve in alarm. "Husl up, for heavens sake!'
 He caught the older man by the arm pushed his way into the little hall ant closed the door behind them.
 His own eyes began to glow angrily stubborn drawing together of hit brows.
 "I thought" he burst out, you'd haG time to cool off. It seems you intend to keep right on bein' fool"
 Tinker's face twisted in anger, but he said nothing.
 "Ain't a man gotter lose sometimesT 7 Steve demanded Are you the sort ot a sport that can't lose any better than this ?''
 Ut ain't thatv Tinker groaned. "It's because he was scairt-scairt to death in his first real fight. I see it, and you see it yourself. He was afraid of get tin hurt-afraid of Sandy Mcdonald that he'd oughter put away without half tryin'. Why''-
 Steve pushed Tinker into the little parlor.
 You're wrong there," Steve declared "Joe's good boy, one of the best ever knew. I ain't the one to stand by and see his father throw him down like this. Hi admit Joe had oughter put Sandy away without a great deal o1 trouble, but what the real trouble was is that Joe's heart ain't in the game He ain't never wanted to foller 1t He's only done so, and done the best ht could at it, because you fair drove hin to it. He wants to foller some othel line, and that ain't nothin' against him neither. He told me so comin' up il the taxi just now."
 "Them are just lies to cover up wha he's ashamed to confess, but what see there tonight as plain as day." sai6 Tinker. He's yeller. He ain't no soI of mine! I'm done with him!'
 Steve's eyes shot sparks.
 ''You ain't goin' to say that of him ii you are his father He's the cleanes1
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