The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-10-12

l lain't never broke 'ina~of IT.
mo, l hain't noticed h loose boss o
any sort" the woman answered. May
be Abe has; he's just come from town.
Say, Abe"-She turned to look into the
cHbin-"have you seed anything o Mr.
Dunicls hoss?'
There was no immediate answer, but
a crunchins tread came from within.
and Abe slouched forward into the
doorway. Abner remarked certain
restless stare in the mans eyes and
fancied that he saw hunted look Of
despair in the almost brutal face.
mo, hain't seen no hoss." Abe said
Excuse me; smell my bacon a-burn,
in" Mrs. Fulton exclaimed suddenly.
ABE. give Mr.. Daniel a chair. I'll bet
he's tired
Abe went into the cabin and brought
out crude, splint bottomed chair, and
when Abner had taken It Abe sat down
on a wash bench near by
Yes, I think it is the indoor work
that does me up, Abe, '*Abner went on
glibly. "A feller that's lived on a
farm all his life makes a poor out at
Job like my new one. Il acted the
plumb fool when put good money Ii
that plant But you know, Of course.
that l was countin' on Howard Tins.
lev to run it fer me; but. Ia me, consid-
erin the plight the boy's.got hisse'f in.
that's all off. an I've got the bag to
hold. green as l am
The man tapped the toe of his ragged
| shoe with the battling stick. He swal-
lowed. glanced furtively at Abner and
cleared his throat. Presently, with Il
| wavering glance, he jerked out:
| Hell come out all right"
"Humph! say" Abner shifted
what makes you think<tha Abe?"
"Oh, because fellers IKE him always
come clear. Howard's got influential
kin. an he stands at the top. The
courts are q sort o joke an so is the
general run O. juries. a feller jest has
to have little pull in politics, few
dollars behind i'm an wear good clothes
| to git out O. anything" f.
Il wish you was right 1 really do"
Abner answered. ''Youain't as old as
| am by long sight. Abe" Abner's
tone had never been 50 confidential
and friendly. You ain1 seed as much
O. lawin'. Billy Barnett. as you may
know. is us keen practitioner as the
state has got. I've retained him, an
he's workin' with might an main on
! the case. but him nor me nor all the
law in the world can't do a thing as
long as Howard holdssout as he is
doin'.' $&
Holds out?'' For the first time the
glance Of the small eyes sought Abner's
inquiringly. "What do you mean by
holdin' out?"
/ Ahner seemed TO hesiates and when
he finally spoke it was as if lie had de-
cided that he might fall deeper into
confidence with Il man whom be
trusted.
why. Abe, just between you an
me. I'm afraid that the boys bullhead.
ed stubbornness is goin' to block all
our efforts in his behalf. You know the
law we'll enough. All of us know the
law we'll enough to know that the
courts are lenient when man comes
right out an admits that he done q
wrong thing I'm talkin' to you now
as friend an neighbor. In fact
I've heard Howard say lots O nice
things about you an' yore wife. an
l know you are interested in his wei
fare. an will hate to hear how he is
actin. But the truth is-the sad trutl
is-that he won't listen to reason. Tall
as we will. the boy sticks to his pla1
O. claimin' that he knows nothin' at al
about the shootin'."
We'll. maybe he don't!' burst i'm
pulsively from the man OH the bench
"A feler amt guilty till he's proved
guilty"
Abner's eyes cleaned.
I'm glad to hear you stand up fe
i'm. anyway. Abe" Abner went oi
suavcly: but. nevertheless, wouldn'
like fer you to talk to him on that line
Thar's too much evidence agin i'm
Yes. have-that Is, I've heard folk
talk. know all they are a-sayin'. l.
/ don't blame Howard. He-he'd be ,
fool to say he done it uness-uniess b.
: done it, no mutter what you an Bar
nett advise. Life's too short Huh. e
Howard claims he didn't do 1t. mayb
he didn't He's always treated III
l fair. The boy lent me some none.
once when | couldn't git it from al!
:. body else"
"Oh, yes, Howard has a big heart Il
= i'm, an this is killin' i'm. You onl
have to think about it, Abe. to sc
' how humiliated he must be. He wa
Jest gittin' firm foothoId in this ney
line. The papers all over the state wa
talkin' about him an his work. Dal
=, ley is right now gittin' on boor
which Howard set afoot, \ new raj
, road is comm. site has been select
ed an bought in the edge q town fe
: cotton mill with thousands Of spiI
= dies that will give employment
: mountain folks fer miles around. Bu
:. right in the middle of it the silly bo
> lets his hot temper git the best of in
l He has few words with feller tina
nobody liked an then waylays i'm i'll
, shoots i'm dead in his tracks, an, {
: course-well, he'll have to take hi
: medicine, that's all.
: II don't believe Howard done 1t.
=. Fulton blurtel. "because you say b
: says he didn't"
What you believe don't settle th
! matter" Abner said. as If contempt'
Gus of an opinion which seemed SO
. grounded. Howard can't prove notl
;. In at all to offset the evidence pill
up mountain high agin i'm. Lawyer