The Washington herald., 1916-07-30
FOURTEENTH STORY.

1t began on HallONV9 en-on the night
when Tom MOrrisSey finished his ap-
premiership and received d union card
as fuIl-fledged jour neyman printer.
With the card he had received job in
the big shop where is apprenticeship
had been served
1t was 2 splerdid job, too. for a boy
of twenty-a OBJ LEat would scare
away the bogey of p Overty which had
haunted Tom ever :: nee the day, two
years earlier. wne n his father had died.
leaving his only son with a widowed
mother and a pretty sister to support.
. Tom MOrrissey VGls hurryIng home
right glecfully, from the shop when,
rouniEg a corner. hu came upon group
OF boys who were dancing around i
Halloween bonfire. The blaze roared
right merrIIy. The boys greeted with
cheers each new men her of their group
who arrived with an armful of fresh
fuel
The cheers swelled to a howl Of de-
light, as two Young fellows ran to-
ward the fire from d side street. car
IyinE between them big wooden gate
they had deXterCUsly lifted from its
place in front of some unguarded
house.
AS the two gate stealers trotted for
ward ana c. st their burden on the fire.
Tom recogu. .zed one of them as Henry
RokesOu. .'Outh several years oNer
than hinzelf--sOn of the towns fore
most lawyer-p politician.
Tom also saw what none of the bon
fre-buiIders at first noted. Namely,
that a policeman n who evidently had
watched the gats robbers from dis
tanceD was runniu ug toward the merry
makers.
before Tom co-7Id call a warning.
the policeman charged down upon the
lads One of them yelled: Beat it,
a
The boys scattered in all directions.
into the darkness beyond the flare OF
the bonfire.
One of them-Henry Rokeson-
dashed across the street toward the
inyitt1glv open entrance to an alley
As he ran past Tom. his toe caught on
the edge Of the curb. and he sprawled
headlonE.
Tom stopped to lift young Rokeson
to his feet But the momen nts delay
had been enough for the policeman to
overtake him. The bluecOat nabbed
Henry by the collar. shaking him into
submission. In the same gesture he
seized Tom Morrissey.
IN the name of the law sputtered
the officer And if either of you re-
sist. I'll pull my gun on you. I saw
the two Of you pinch that gate"
You did not" denied Tom. indig-
nantIy. I'm just on my way from the
shop I stopped here. a second. to
You didn't see me do it," declared
Henry RCkeson. Il was on my way
home from my fathers office, when
noticed this fellow and another man
going toward the fire. with a gate be-
tween them. when
You saw me doing that" gasped
Tom inCredulOusly.
7 did" reiterated Henry. and I'm
ready to swear to il. /
Come along. the both of you
broke in the policeman You can tell
It tomorrow to the Judge. And" he
added, you won't neither OF you need
to tell his honor nothing at all Be-
cause I saw the whole thing and I can
swear to it."
you'll swear yourself of the force
II YOU make that charge against me, "
clustered Henry. DO you know who
am? I'm Henry Rokeson. My father
is Hinkle Rokeson.'
Sure he amt George Washington? 80
queried the bluecoat in elephantine
sarcasm They're all the sons Of in
floonenshI folks when We arrest 'em.
guess HinkIe Rokeson's boy wouldn't
by running the streets and swiping
gates. Come along"
At the towns single police station
(under the city halD the two boys
were arraigned before a grumpy lieu
tenant and then consigned to the same
cell.
Henry Rokeson. by means of a five
dollar tip to the doorman, had a tele-
phone message sent to his father
Tom Morrissey. not wanting to worry
his mother and sister, made no effort
to send word to them. He was often
detained at the shop-sometimes all
night-On Overtime" So he knew
they would not be troubled at his
absence
As soon as he and his cellmate
were left alone together in their
barred cubbyhole. Tom turned fercely
to young RokesOn:
What did you tell that lie for?''
he demanded. why did you say you
saw me steal the gate?"
What did you trip me for. as I
ducked past yoU?" countered Henry.
with equal ferCeness. And then why
did you grab me and hold me till the
cop could catch up with us?"
"I didn't" cried Tom. You STUN
bIed on the curb. just in front Of me.
I was trying to help you up. when
4 saw you do it," snarled the
other. And no ones going to play a
trick like that on Hinkle Rokeson's
son without getting paid back for It.
1t amt on the free list in this town
TO do a rotten turn to any one of my
fathers name You'll be sorry for
this to the last day OF your life"
Il tell You I didn't trip you upr'
persisted Tom. And I didn't try to
hold you. I"
The door of their cell swung open.
The lieutenant and the doorman ana
a well-dressed man in civilian clothes
stood in the dim-lit corridor outside
Tom recognized the civilian as Hinkle
Rokeson, whom he had often seen on
the street.
The erstwhile austere lieutenant was
positively wriEgling with embarrass-
ment as he addressed Henry Rokeson.
Mr.. Rokeson," he said, Officer
Harding made one Of his bonehead
breaks when he arrested you. He's
chuckle-headed dodobird. anyhow,
and a disgrace to the force I've
reprimanded him, good and plenty, for
the blunder he made in bringing you
here. And I hope you'n accept the