Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-10-05
CHAPTER xxvIII.--lcontinued.)

CHAPTER XXVIII.-- lContinued)
The labor bureau seemed more
hopeless than usual Inquiries at the
i august establishment where Bliss had
paid his half guinea were fruitless.
He went back to his lodgings tired
out. and for the first time omitted to
pay Mrs. Heath her weekly bill. He
threw himself upon the bed for few
hours, Ind then, some time before
dawn, RISE again and made his way
to Covent Garden. He was stiff and
tired and little sick.
Nevertheless, he made his way dog
Eedly enough among the market carts,
looking out always for job at load,
Ing or unloading.
At last it seemed to him that his
chance had come A dray, piled UP
with flowers and vegetables, was just
about to start when the driver, WHO
had been sitting for some minutes
with the reins in his hands, beckoned
to him.
want Job as unloader?" he in
quired I'm out BALKAN and Streat.
ham way. It's worth half crown"
'I'm on" Bliss replied readily.
'Shall I climb up behind?"
The former was on the point OF as
senting when two unsavory-looking
men emerged from puolic-hcuse a
few yards away. One of them-red-
( faced, truculent, the very type of the
loafing bully-shook his fist at the
driver.
"Now you," he shouted, "chuck
that! My pal Tins coming along
with you.
{ "All very WELL" the carter grumbled
'.'but rye just engaged another chap
I've waited for your friend Tim long
enough
..My friend Tim" the other replied
sis going to have that job or I'll make
mincemeat of you BOTH"
The driver pointed with his whip to
the broken-down, bleary-eyed loafer
who was standing on one side with
his hands in his pockets, listening to
the conversation.
.Ts that your pal?'' he asked.
cit is" the red-faced man assented,
sand II any ones anything to say
against i'm they'd better not say 1t In
my presence, that's all Up you gets
on the wagon, TIM"
II beg your pardon" Bliss inter.
vened. II am engaged for this job
The red-faced man, his mouth open
with a surprise which amounted to
stupefaction, turned around. 1t took
him a moment or two to grasp the
situation. AS soon as he did, how
ever, he pulled OF his coat with an
angry roar and threw it to his friend
Now then" he wound up after a
stream of lurid abuse "will you 'ook
II or will you take 'iding?' =
81 don't want to fight Bliss re-
piled: "but this Is my Job, and unless
/ am told to go by the man who en-
gagged me I shall stick to IT,"
The green-grocer maintained dis
erect silence. .H
airnedsa, blow at Bliss which would
have killed him If the latter had not
ducked. Then he overbalanced him.
self, recovered, and fetched Bliss
blow on the chest which nearly car
Yied him off his feet.
Bliss, who had very little idea of
how to use his fists, struck out blind
~, and by chance, caught the other
IMAM on the cheek.
The green grocer looked around.
STEADY, young 'unw he coun.
'eeled. That's Butcher Bill you're up
against. He'll kill you If you don't
mind. Perhaps you'd better sheer
loR.''
II sh9'nt," Bliss declared doggedly.
You offered me the job and want
|As
TVS only half a crown" the driver
reminded him, "and you'll get your
(Asad broken, and mine too, perhaps"
who's going to break it," Bliss
asked.
"r1l-we1l show you!" the man
(called Butcher Bill roared.
He advanced more cautiously this
thine, but with All manner Of evil things
shining out Of his bleary eyes.
Bliss olsnohed his teeth and his
lists. A sudden blind rage had seized
him. The Job was his. No one had
|any right to interfere, more especially
on behalf Of such loanng vagabond.
BY good luck he escaped his oppo-
lnent's onslaught. By good luck again,
although jiu-jitau tricks are Of little
use IN such fight as this, the latter
clipped on q piece Of orange peel as he
secured hold and fell into the gutter.
Bliss, whose head was Keeling.
GDfang q once onto the back of the
teayt.
Drive or" he begged the man.
It'll take him minute to get up
They drove OF, and for various
II he knows you can reed them.
reasons Butcher Bill declined to leave
his resting-place.
Bliss worked, unloading vegetables
at different fruiters' shops until he
was almost dead with fatigue When
the wagon was empty 1t was nine
o'clock in the morning and he was out
at Streatham.
"Drive you back II you like?' the
carter suggested.
Bliss nodded and threw himself
down on the dray, and, with his head
on pile Of empty sacks, he slept till
they reached once more the neighbor-
hood of Covent Garden.
you look about done," the carter
remarked as the pulled up outside a
public house. "I'll stand you pint"
Bliss. following his companion In.
side. was suddenly giddy. There was
some hot coffee being served which