The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-02

a bank II yo' pay 20 owl 'xpensesf"
Preliminaries were not often set
tied hastily in Arkansas City. espe-
cially when the payment o. money
was involved, and . day or two
elapsed while the old man strcve TO
convince the others that he should
not he called on for this expenditure, |
but Blaisdell and Bassett we q botlf|
frm In their refusal to undertake the
missionary work he desired. unless he
betrayed the cost Of II, and haalIy he
yielded. with bad grace. indeeta but
he yielded. and having obtained al
wad apiece from him the two started
away.
Several days Of watchful waiting
In the little saloon followed. aud SIR.
Winterbottom and Mr.. Pcarsail per.
ceived with unholy gles that the old
man was beginning to show signs of
extreme anxiety. Trade still Ian.
guished. The tide Of travel in that
part Of the world seemed to be ut It's
lowest ebb. and with q single excep-
ton no stranger appeared in the old
mans saloon.
Even he was a disappointment. 1t
Ii true that q three handed game WIS
started for his amusement and that
Pearsall and wint srb1ttom did their
best to relieve him from the respon.
stbility Of carrying surplus money
around with him. but as he unfor.
tunately had little surplus on
his person the result WAS far from
satisfactory.
Then Mr.. Owen Pepper dropped In
and from him the old man requested
information.
rs they any news on the river O.
what Blaisdell an Bassett is diddin'?"
he asked.
"Oh. I don't know" said Mr.. Pen.
per. "Mebbe faint what yo'd call
news. now. but I heer'd about To- DAVIS
g what they vas both on EN- settin'
Into a game on one O. the boats down
the river. They'd lone been playin'
then about three nights an 'cordin
to what l herd they was c'nsid'able
mon holdin' their own but I didn't
hear no p~'tic'lars. on'y they was two
or three experts settin' in with EN-"
Couldn't "a been down the river"
said the old man doubtfully. They
done went up g far 8 Helena, an was
gwine TO git OF hyar on the way
down."
"Oh, ! don't know" retorted Mr.,
Pepper. who seemed slightly nettled at
having his accuracy called in question,
"Mebbe they mought "a been gwine to
Helena, but l reckon they must "a
been thinkin' O. stoppin' over at New
Orleans on the way Time I heer'd on
EN- they was ~c'nsid'able ways below
Natchez. Mebbe they reckoned the
Cap'n was gwine to u'n the boat round
an tie up at Helena afo' finishin' his
trip he added with an attempt at sar-
lcasm, which under ordinary circum-
stances would ave reused the old man
10 wrath.
As 1t WAS, he glared at Mr.. Pepper
with a somewhat complicated express
sion. There was wrath in II. as might
have been expected, but there was also
bewilderment. incredulity and a meas
ure Of grief. the latter being possibly
excited by the betrayal Of the trust he
had reposed In the two emissaries he
had sent abroad. And he continued to
glare for a time. while Pearsall and
Winterbottom did what they could to
restrain their mirth.
Their utmost endeavor. however, was
insufficient to keep their faces straight.
and the old man presently perceived
their state OF mind. whereupon he
shifted his glare and Mr.. Pepper ap-
peared to find some amusement in the
situation.
For some moments there was an i'm
pressive silence. Then the old man ex-
claimed with Indignation:
"'Tain't no laughin' matter. Pears
like yo' uns can't see how tn hull
'ntire fabrication o. civilization is now
tott'rin' ont tn aidge q ruin. liza bic
TO- to go up In smoke an clapse with
a loud noise long o. them two hellyon's
gwine of with my money an startin'
up business 70 they WI sells. When
a man can put no trust into his own
side PARTNERS tn amt nothin' left in
religion, nor tn amt no sense try!n' to
do business. An yo' uns sets laughin'
like a mess o. wild asses o. the wilder
mes.
Here I be robbed o. my hard earned
winnin's INTO my old < an brung
down To the verge o the po'house alter
! havin' did all that laid into me TO to
uplft the c'munity an boost the
standard O. righteousness into a stir.
naked. rebellious generation o vipere
an ais yo' uns or find TO to do is to
l smoker"
So grievous and so genuine did his
distress appear TO be that even Pear
sails hard heart was a little moved
; and with a clumsy attempt at consola-
ton he muttered:
! 1T reckon Jim an Joe's liable TO to
play squar' with yo' all. Mon likely
Peppers lynn"
; The old man looked around sud
:. denly. but Mr.. Pepper was just going
t outdoors. As he went they heard him
; say. "Oh, / don't know"
!, II reckon not said the old mar
; sadly. "Ts lone seen things into both
on 'em what leads me to distrust thes
; havin' no greet moral principle 'thouter
the eve O observation is KEEP buttonet
, down on to 'em with the thumb o
8 vigilance. Onc't they gifts away firm
I. the s'roundin's o. decency an right
Twin they's both on 'em liable TO d.
t dirt"
Harsh as this Judgment was. Mr.
I Pearsall found himself at a loss to fine
1 ANYTHING convincing to IA in rebutta.
: and as for Winterbottom. though h.
said nothing, he Grinned as one wh'
appreciates a misdeed without con
i demning Il too bitterly.
Perhaps because the old ma. Eel
IT,. 4. had already said all there Was