The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-04-28

man, McDouga; behind him came
Alan. At sight of him the Zanzibari
sprang into action. He poured tin
OF hot water into the bath tub and
laid out an old flannel suit Beside
the suit he placed clean underwear,
fresh socks and, on the ground, pair
Of slippers.
Alan stripped, bathed and dressed.
The Zanzibarl handed him cup of
hot tea. BY the time the tea was drunk
the table was freshly laid and Alan
sat down to a steaming bowl of broth,
and dinner.
After dinner McDougal Joined him
for smoke. For full half hour they
sat wordIess. Darkness fell and
brought out the lights Of their fitfully
glowing pipes. From the mems camp
came subdued chatter. The men
were feeding. AS they finished they
lit firesa fire for every little group.
The smell OF the wood fires triumphed
over every other odor.
McDougal had met Alan first In
bare room at an African seaport. The
room was furnished with chair and
a table. At the table sat Alan, busy
with final estimates and plans for sup
plies for his little army. The interview
was short McDougal had asked for
job and Alan had answered, get out"
McDougal had repeated his request
and the rest of the story he told the
next morning before the resident mag
strate In the chair and Alan In the
dock
"Aweel, your honor, It was this way;
went into Mr.. Wayne's office and
asked him for worruk and he said, Get
out | asked him again and he said.
III give You two to get out-0ne--
Two and with that he cooms on to
the table and flying through the air.
| had joost considered that II was best
l should let him hit me first aimee that
| might break him with justice when
he struck me face with both fists, and
his knee In the pit of me stummick.
And that's all, your honor, savin' the
Katlr that | woke up to find watering
me and q rose bush, TURN by turn
ABBOTT"
II suppose" said the magistrate,
covering his twitching mouth with his
hand, that was the Katir signed
hospital pass for last night"
1T may weel be-" replied McDougal
dreamily. 1T may weel be-
''Well, MeDougal think this is a
matter that can be settled out Of
court"
McDougal held up a vast hand in
interruption. Begging your pardon,
your honor. therell be nae settling of
this matter out of coort between Mr..
Wayne and myself. Aimee is enough"
Justice and the prisoner in the dock
surrendered to laughter, McDougal
stood grave and unperturbed.
"What | meant" said the magis-
trate when he recovered. sis that Mr..
Wayne will probably give you job
ana call 1t all square"
That's It," said Alan.
Il asked Mr., Wayne for worruk and
IL It's worruk he Is giving me I'll nae
be denying II Is fair answer" replied
McDougal and forthwith became Ten
Percent Wayne's gang boss and under
study In the art OF driving men with
both fists and knee
McDougal knocked out his third
pipe 'sThe dell of country III this, Z
he said; lin the seas of ii life-pre-
server holds you up handy for sharks
and In the rivers does swimming save
your life? Nae. IL gives you meal
to the crocs."
They had lost black that day. He
had slipped from the bridge into the
water. He had started to swim to
shore aud then suddenly disappeared
| in a swirl
Conversationally. McDougal limited
himself to a sentence day in which
! he summed up the one event that had
struck him as worthy of notice, Hay-
ing delivered himself of his obserya-
tion for the night he lit his pipe once
more and relapsed into silence.
McDougars was a companionable ST
lence. Alan could feel him sitting
there in the dark, raw-boned aud dour
but ready at the word OF command
Ii was after eight when Alan called
for light aud drew from worn let.
| Ter case bIS correspondence luul u
runner from the coast had brought in
that day, He glanced over official COM
munications. blue prints and business
letters and stuffed them back into the
leather case. One fat letter, note
paper size. remained.
"McDouga.," said Alan, hush up
the camp-tell 'em it's nine o'clock"
McDougal arose and picking up a
big stick strobe over towards the men.
| The stick was. so big that he had never
had to use it. At the mere sight of il
the men desisted from clamor, dance
and horse-play.
Alan drew the fat letter from its
envelope and for the second time read,
| Dear Alan AS YOU see. this is from
| New York. We came down yesterday.
| All summer | have been watching for my
second self because I'm just about grown
| up now-outside. mean-inside is different
| sQmehQY-and three days before we left
'-