The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-27

nave nm 10 tnank, JuSC tue sdmc' along with Garry, for our blue prints and estimates. 1t was MT. Devereau whom he brought up here last night and in fairly good time, should judge, too, from the pace at which they set out. Garry turned him into the hill road, and he must have stuck to it blindly until he struck our fork" And, after longer pause, "The horse is Miss Allison's own pfoperty," he added quietly.
 Joe pursed his lips. Instantly at the mention of the girls name he felt him. self better equipped to understand both the lack of immediate action and the seeming preoccupied indifference of his superior which, in the face of the nights developments, would have been otherwise utterly unaccountable that morning.
 The probable nearness of him who had gone bounding away empty hand ed from the lighted shack was of far less moment than the possible identity of the one who had furnished the in- spiration of that night raid. And to Steve the need of assuring that tall girl with the vivid lips and coppery hair of Garry Devereau's safety bulk ed quite as important as did tho ad- disability of seeking Immediately an informal interview with Dexter Ali son, such as the latter himself had so genially suggested.
 -T happened to run into Harr1gan this morning" Fat Joe said in an uA- concerned manner.
 As disinterestedly as had Joe, Steve now drained his coffee cup and waited
 He was down to the cook shanty," Fat Joe rambled on. "It's an hour since he'd ought to have been out there with the powder squad in the north cut, and when asks hiIn if he was feelin' indisposed this morning he says no, but the supply teams was going out and one of the drivers had told him that was sending him along to help with the loadin'. He had such nice. frank open faced way of lying that I couldn't bring myself to correct him. I just let it stand that way and told him such was the arral cement" Joe saw swift satisfaction play across Steve,s face. "He had bandage around his head not much different from this one our friend hero is wear ing. But he said he was scratched by . twig."
 The room was very quiet for a breath. That thin note had crept into Fat Joe's tenor voice-thin and chill and menacing. And there as abruptly as' he had assumed it he flung aside his mask of disingenuous irrelevance. Fat Joe wheeled, put both elbows upon the table edge and leaned forward heavily. If was much as though he were setting himself to shoulder by sheer weight through the discourag- ing wall of indifference behind which the other was apparently withdrawing once more.
 "But as for me''-his high voice rang | Httle-"but as for me, well, always did pride myself that I could shoot some, whether it was by daylight or. darki'
 And the only result which that state ment achieved was an answering, med itative nod. Fat Joe subsided All that he could say had been said, and they finished breakfast as they had begun it, in absolute silence. lN
 Stephen O'Mara touched . match to the dry grains of tobacco which he had been jumping into the bowl of his pipe. He swung slowly around toward the inert figure on the bunk.
 "HeU sleep the day through, think" be said, "and the night per haps. But I'd advise you to look in on him now and then, just the same. He did us . good turn last night. It's the second good turn he's done for me, Joe. And now perhaps the chance has come to even up the score little. You would know, wouldn't you. Joe, just how many drinks to prescribe for g man who has been as-as i'll as Gar ry has?' ,I
 Fat Jse's face commenced to shine, and at that he was only beginning to understand.
 "Ain't the. doctcrT' he demanded aggrievedly. "You don't have to go no deeper into technicahties with me. And T told you last night anyway. didn't I, that 1t would have to be his last little celebration unless he was figurin' on longer journey than he's ever took before. Wen, I've handled so many cases just like his that there ain't even ? little enjoyable novelty in lem any more for me"
 Stove received the statement with another nod.
 'Thats it," he unused 'That's it ex- actly. It would have to be his last unless he is figuring on longer jour- ney than he has ever taken before"
 He crossed and leaned over the thin and motionless form of his friend. He laid one hand gently upon the sleeping mans shoulder.
 "He did that for me once. Joe," he spoke quietly. "He dropped his hand on my shoulder like that, and never forgot the weight of it. You watch him, Joe-watch him closely for awhile, because-because. you sec, . man does stray along once fn so often who's so badly bewildered and trail weary, so tired of trying and--and hurt ln soul that the thought sf such 2