The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-05
CHAPTER W.
The Die Is Cast.


 CHAPTER W.
 The Die Is Cast.
 Gs% 1BNER EetuFued to bis chair. He tA I-sefIted it back Soa its two rear lTX4 legs and chewed his quid. Tt
 is a big price, he said. sfYeu need new presses of up o>date make aaas more type an fxElres generally. It would talze another thousand to put it in runnin order Say, HfIlhouse, thar ain't no use beatia' the devil around a bush till it is plumb dug up by the roots. l don't tell all my bEsi- ness tg aiis!aoey, but I've. had notion q bt15in paper Inyseh- .
 .'You haveg The editor was gen timely surprised
 sfYes, an, while I can't be positive, I want to know here now, man to man no woman to be eonsulted-ef I'll plank down S7 500 in cold cash by 3 o'clock today may have the plant9A'
 Hi1fhouse flushed with eagerness, ana tlen his face became rigid, his : lips shook -.--s- z. g.sss s
 I was wondering sWhst my sFife',- .--H0ldl Ho7dts Abner rose and ;. turned toward the door We've talk ed enough about women for one day. I adn't maxim no proposftion to no woman nor to no man tied to ones apron strings or corset laces nDther, for. that. paafter-s.. YoH tell me, Hill house, man !tp nnaHs SsE hetheF it is a deal oe n0ts'
 Hfl4heuse was quite pale by this t1nez He walked to window and looked out on the street Abner from the corner of a Hatchf7l eye saw his shoulders rise eonEnlsively- The next moment the, editor faced hap-
 I'll take you up,v he sadd gHnody- 4.I1i give you tin oseloek to close the thing Bm going to AuEusta- She can stay here if slaeSsvszafs to, but I'm 90 ipg-sssexs
 NThafss the takr' -Az3ner shook hands with him s9 7zoH1inst buy you tool Let me have a pen and sheet O paper, will you2D
 H1ilhouse got the things, and Abner moved his chair to a able and wrote, his hand cranped, his eyes close to the wFft4ng He dipped his pen often, now and then drtVzng the slEszD point inbo fhe u4gtazed paper S41d4n1y he look d ID and smiled sheeaIzhly- <Fm a Tttrfy faIr lszpezeE @aM 90 z7E Do the head o' Ehe class .IaEne times ont O ten mt a spe4fR bee an' stay thar, to boot, but thar was one wuEz1 taaat I never could tel whether 1t WEES sG,eaE wffh 4e' or sefs-4he JEo4za is trensfwed'
 Hi1Ihouse wl1e was quEEe nerVoas and axezteA told hazn the cacrect form and Akner hnzshea wEffzng He wznt to the stoFe, EaEaed lput tho drawer assspw the grate and Hlfted haan1fuA of ashes eyer tue vet ink. and then, shaking the paper well, he extended it to inc ad1- 1ar, and as he dzd SO he took out. 1nnWf leather pocket1eok and extracted q heh dollar bdn, whlsh he laid on the fzaa2A HzIhouze glanced at the writ ing and then at the 1n11eY.
 ASRnat 1s fa1see he aAA1Hd nerys5nsly-
 ss 5EBt a receipt for $10ss Abner Szgsed. 1sI.m a great hand to pass a1ensg in any deal It sort O cllnches n thing Tou know sign that aR I'll MD ant aR Hete4 in the rest O the spon- wlDcdkx.a ~
 Bnt yon Aaid fyou wanted tin 8, U3elpc HHKhouse staEapzered hreso- 7zt1on stErasaa on his whole being
 HO4, yess that was oEHy q matter O 1oem. can git back quicker than that I've just got to go te the bank. This ten makes you safe, you see. Eff was mean enough to back down you could hold mo by law When you git with Joe down thar in that crackin' good bnefHnms syoA will leaan pl0Ee about DeeA e1E4ngxs Newspaper editors always seemed to me to be none or less Hzns cEdldren. Ek you had been in any other Itna. Htuhouse, yore wife Waoz.ad not have seeh a tight clamp on yone nose Ans tw1sk it 90 often. z
 %EsEy weH Hiilhouse bFeaEhad onE a sigh GO ahead. Alb; the die ls cast. I'll be my own boss this time fg she @z1es me for divorce 7
 As .A5ner vas passing Tarp's store A flew uliRutes later he met Mary 3ust coming out.
 sHellot" he said JoYiany 1Haze you finished up already? lowed fhe proprietor would hash up some pre- text or other to keep you in thar til dinner time. TaFp's got a long head nn i'm He knows it will help lis courtiR along for you to see i'm di- reetfn' all them. busy clerks Say, Mary, don't want to make you jeaI- gus. but I see Tarp has got a couple IS powerful nice lookin' gals helpin' i'm out That slim un that keeps his books fer i'm takes the rag off the bush.
 stShe sure looks mighty cute with them straw cuffs on an her little shiny heels cooked up on rung O that high stool. Tine sight O her hat hang Bns above his desk might make Tarp think 1t WozA 1aAk kGtter hanain' m