The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-06-28
The Case of
Bert Carter,
Stacker
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By BARBARA KERR

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Copyright. 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate.)
$50 you're after our wild man from
Bornco, are you? Well, here he comes
HI Kid get a move on you; here's {
friend of yours from Hays, Kansas"
Sheriff BeardSley felt the good-hu
mored sarcasm In the boss tone. He
hud staggered Il bit; how did he know
what sort of fellows ran the Mine
Prop camp on the Narrow Guage? lie
had got Off at Mineral Hot Springs and
come overland with guide and two
donkcys maybe twas three,
Bert, Quickencd his pace, came for
ward frankly and held out his hand
"From Hays, d'd you say, jim? Well
I'm sure glad 10 see some one from
Hays, How's everybody? What did
you say your name is?"
"Shorln Bcardslpy," grinnlng rather
shcopishly into the boy's honest blue
eyes. "rm up here after Stacker.
Know anything about him?"
search mc,' replied Bert Innocent
~, at which the men laughed.
Bcardsley explained to Bert, who
made no comment except that they'd
counted on getting out some extra
props The trip would interfere.
But his camp comrades were out
spoken in their disgust: "Why, anyone
can see with half an eye that the kids
not more than twenty" declared the
Boss, who was too fond of Bert to take
It calmly. TITS simply Il cooked up
mess by some of those foreigners :;
they're combnC the. country for men
to make up their quota
The sheriff found himself nOdding-
then hastily: "WelI, | was sent up
here TO get him, boys; 50 I'll have to
take him along"
After two years in the mountains,
with only n day Off occasionally at
Salida, or Motret for supplies, Bert
was interested in everything except his
forthcoming trial.
"Of course II its up 70 me, TIT 30.
I've had some experience; killed more
snakes than any other man in camp.
If I'm busy and one gets away / Just
take walk till find one in his place.
Why? Because they frighten women"
The sheriff. on arriving at Hays, rec
commended bail for Bert till trial day;
In the meantime he Ioitered about the
village His f; ther and mother had
gone to South America year ago on
business; he had not been to Hays for
five years, as he went from school to
the mountains for his health. You'd
agree that he found It; six feet in his
stockings: hrOnZed as an Indian, with
an innocent, direct gaze that was a bit
dsconcorting till you knew him. SO
when the board called Cease Of Bert
Carter Stacker" he arose to his feet,
marched up front and looked them
sqUarcly I'm the eyes.
The three men looked at him with
honest admiration, hut Mary Marvin,
the secretary wanted Bert to feel that
she disapproved of him. She was the
pretticSt girl in the village, the stanCh-
est patriot and always ready to pun
ish slackers that came her way.
Bert could not help feeling her atti-
tude At first he was mildly curious
as to what peeved the pretty lady but
the more he looked mt her the sting Of
It got under his skin. He wanted to
ask he- outright what was wrong with
him
He told the board that he believed
he would be twenty-One the third Of
June, 1913, but in the absence Of fam
fly records, would swear to nothing.
He was interested to know on what
they based their accusation that he
was Stacker.
To the board this seemed fair
enough, but the way he said Stacker
made Mary want to jump to her feet
and scream: "Just as you might say
mother"
Since the board had brought him to
Hays at behest of gOssips, they must |
bring in his accusers.
Mrs. Ted Livingwood sworc that he !
was the same age as her Rachael; |
Rachael was twenty-three last June. |
Rail be obliged to her mother Snick- |
cred some one; twenty-three was get
Hing on toward old-maidhOOd, here.
Mrs. Ben Hopper swOre that he was
the same age as Tommy; twenty-one
in May: she knew. for the boys had |
many a time celebrated their birth
days by swimming in Big Creek. Bert
smiled. then chuckled behind his hand
boys birthdays were like Easter
feasts, when swimming was
he celebration.
Things were hopelessly tangled
birthdays Of towns contemporary chill
lren were told, as was time Of estab-
ishing line fences, buying Of live
stock, tearing down of old landmarks
but no corrobOrating testimony.
Mary was in a white heat: How
an he sit there like a lump on log
md the whole town wrangling about
lis age" she whispered.
The board was crazy with the futility
# it. when the old editor of the Free
Press walked in with a newspaper file