Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-07-26

soon us -AOuer arrived IN Town
"a on the morning Of his CONVEX
IN >ation with Mary while at his
81 early breakfast he went to the
othc~ Howard was there already and
Mt york on an editorial. The young
mans face was haggard. There were
dark rings around his eyes, and his
hands shook nervouSly.
II see you beat me-" Abner said in
an effort at lightness. You seem to
believe that the early mornin' is the
best time fer brain work."
Any occupation is better than none
right now" Howard said wistfully.
but there are times when brain work
is next to impossible Have you seen
Pole Baker this morning?'
Abner nodded. and Howard went on
hurriedly:
Then You know that I'm under sur
veillance?'
Abner nodded again. THAT don't
make any difference he answered.
Its only a form that has to be got
through with in-in sech matters. \
thing like this has to be saddled on
somebody, an the authorities are
they don't make some sort o pretense
o bein' on the job. At the proper time
We'll show 'em a thing Or two. The
idea OF accusin' man O yore stand
in'"-
"Stop! Let's get down to facts"
S,1, ;rI,t
his table into the old face bending to-
ward him. You know l re;a<l law for
awhile, Uncle Alb. Well, read enough
and associated enough with lawyers
and judges in my newspaper work in
writing up various criminal cases to
know that am In mighty tight hole.
I am bound hand and foot by circum-
stantial evidence. I'm afraid that no
lawyer in the world could free me. l
can see conviction of my guilt writ
ten In every face l meet on the street.
I see it in the way they all blink and
shrink from me as pass along" How
ard put his pencil down and raised
both his hands to his head and sat still
for a moment; then, as Abner was
about to speak, be went on bluntly:
Il am innocent, and yet my conscience
is not clear-not wholly clear. If it
were l think l could face it better l
did not kill Craig, but 1 would have
done it if 1 had had the chance two
hours after my fight with him. Now he
is dead feel different l wonder how
I could have been SO enraged by any
thing such a drunken, irresponsible
creature could have said or done. But
my conduct and furious threats will be
held against me. This is my punish
ment 1t IS tough, but l will have to
put up with it,
Abner was so wrought up by this
blunt utterance that he was speechless
His kindly mouth was drawn down at
the cornerA and his lips twitched. He
hung his hat up on its nail against the
wall that he might have an excuse for
about it than was necessary and went
on slowly to the water pail on an in
verified box near by and drank from the
rusty tin dipper, although he was not
thirsty. He felt Howards gaze follow
ing him and was hardly prepared for
what he said when they faced each
other again.
II don't feel so badly about having
to go to JAIL" Howard said, plunging
into the subject impulsively. Il don't
care ii they refuse me bail-and they
will, Of course. 1 don't care so much
for the fact that all this town and sur
rounding country consider me guilty
1t isn't that that I'm thinking about
that l thought about as I lay awake
last night. I'm thinking about you
sir. You put yourself out to buy this
paper simply to help me. You gave
me good advice all along, but l paid
no attention to it. Now, what has
come Of it? Why, with me in the
county lookup your investment will &C
to ruin; with me on the gallows or In
prison for life, people will sheer al
your judgment in backing a wild
harum scarum fool that you ought tc
have turned down long ago and would
If you hadn't been the best man in the
world
Almost with a rush Abner stepped
forward. He put his hands on How
ards shoulders. He looked into tn
young mans face while his own file,
with emotion. Don't, don't!' he al
but sobbed. you are too young t.
comprehend the most beautiful Of al
Gods vast spiritual laws. l must tall
plain. I've never had a son, Howard
Ever since l was young man sOme'r
In me has been screamin' out fer ia
therhood, tellin' me that to be fathe
was the hottest, highest height a ma
kin reach on earth. Some'n' else be
longs to the law O. fatherhood, an tina
Is sufferin' through love O. the chile
I've had experiences Of many sorts i
my life, but right now, my boy, lovi1
you as do an gloryin' in yore beaut
full young manhood an chance to cor
quer difficulties an as see you bowe
an broken under this thing l have
realization of my immortality-a sort
grip on it-that l never had before
This trouble O. yore'n seems to lift m
right out O. my body and dissolve IN
into the very spirit O. God. 1t seems t
me that all will end right somehow G
I fight hard enough an trust enough.
AT present I'm more like God
nature than l ever was, an, bein' so.
know, as God knows, you see, tha
wrong cannot last forever. I know al
other thing, an that is that all Coolies
folks sooner or later have to acknow
edge a great, all pervadin' spiritu:
H.