The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1916-01-13
the life out Of good edible potatoes.
Pride which looks back only 80 far, to

Pride which looks back only 80 far, to
the plateau and the castle keep, which
refuses to see the valley below and the
fierce. long climb up. You never think
Of the old chap who started the game
originally and maybe died halfway up.
rough handed, rough hearted, rough
bodied not afraid Of work. Of battle"
paused, then went on:
Nobody has kind word for the
roots Of the family tree. l mean the
roots down in the ground. not the
trunk. Family pride! A punk to your
piff1e! Pride is good only when 1t
serves to make us stand on our own
two legs. Born and bred a gentleman
has done more harm
Man, am l cad after all?" Gran
ford looked hurt.
mo. boy: you're as clean and fine as
they make 'em, but want to get it
out Of your mind that work such as
you do is beneath you. Nothing Of
the kind. You wouldn't mind being a
military attache in Japan or in Ger
many, would you? No."
The other made no reply.
what is the diplomatic service, any
way, but spying in fashionable clothes,
multi and military You're working
along another arm, that's all, free to
come, free to 60, and not more than a
bakers dozen know what you are do
ing On the other hand. quit 1t II It
hurts you.'
II can't. You know very well that
I'm good for nothing else. I want an
income Of about $1,000 year. It's in
my blood to like cigars such as this
one is-luxuries. Do you suppose I'd
have gone into it at all IL 1t hadn't
been for that? Oh, Lord! I'm CRATE
full enough to you for landing me the
job. but It has made me mighty dis
contented with myself. To wander
from April till October over there, an
ordinary bloodhound in the latest fash
ion, keeping tab on every jeweler who
is generally as big sneak as l am
and sharing half the gains with him.
It's bad business. I'm getting so
that can't look a man straight in the
eyes any more"
How about the other side Of the
medal?'
"What?"
1.-THE real thieves?''
"Oh, that's sport! The odds are
even. give and take. That's the phase
which makes it possible for Inc to
keep up front when l shave myself.
They know exactly where they stand,
and few of them know that | know.
For the deuce of it is some of them
have found me out and have threat
ened me-
Crawford shuddered.
THAT'S the one reason why I'm home
now. I've got to lie low for awhile. A
bad crowd, because every one of them
has brains. On my word, | know
but three OF them. and there are TWEEN
ty working the racket. | wear a van
dyke over there; grow it before I start
and cut it off on the way home
Friends chaff me, thinking I'm trying
to foreisnize myself But the other
people mean no real harm. Why should
a rich country like this demand so
much intolerable duty? Aren't we
heavily taxed as it is? | tell you that
the general run of smuggling is nothing
more than a sense of reprisal. They
do not look upon it as thieving at all.
They are not bringing things into the
country to sell again.
Treason, treason!" murmured
softly.
"Bosh.'
well let it go as you say. But let
ME tell you what the real trouble is,
Gran. You don't know, but do"
Solemnly went through the mimic
ry of casting a line or paying out, of
striking, of playing and all that rig
marole SO dear to the fisherman's heart,
Crawford grinned.
"Homing dock" l went on, "and
Fox, Grenadier and the creek, Sand
bay, Long Island and Horseshoe! Eth:
And the call of the duck and the geese
and the foolish loon and the dip of the
hell diver, and the croak of the mud
hens in the rushes and the bald eagle
in the dead pine top. And don't for
get Pidgin island, with the bar that
goes northerly and the ledge where the
old sockdolagers lie in wait for club
and sinner and crab. Thirty feet Of
line straight down and the skill of a
sleight-o' man to beat 'em as they
break for the surface! What?"
II know more about that country in
one minute than you'd learn in twenty
years.
"Right-o!" admitted "And why the
dickens don't you skip town tonight
and stay up there till the middle Of
October? Get your tackle and hike,
boy"
II haven't been up there since a year
ago last June
"Wire old Uncle Billy. and tomorrow
ut this time you'll be eating boned bass
and green corn and washing it down
with the finest coffee ever brewed,
Lord, how wish | didn't have to
write yarns for a living. I'd 60 with
you quickly enough. But I've had my
vacation"