The Dolores star., 1918-12-13
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
TRUE BLUE
BY WARREN LEE BARTON.
Observation-Disclosures,
1Cor TilhI. 1913. Wpsterp Newsraner rn,.n

an" VIZ b'ck Tor nome, heyi'
everybody would laugh at us. No.
III he all right In day or two and
ven strike fresh trail, see?"
mus spoke Roger Small, rich man,
son of Ch"sinrton. fifty miles distant. 10
ms hdes Achates. Zeb Walls. The,
were in an old barn and. lying on q
he'ii CT hay and covered to the chin
WIN ragged horse blanket, Roger
Win notified face, watched his chum
anu nurse hustle about.
The latter had set up light house
keeping. He had n smnlIsone.burncI
kerosene stove, n skillet and few
"'ler Kitchen accessories, a package OF
cereal. II bottle of milk and an old ten
POI. This WIS constantly simmerine
on the little oil burner and gave oul
IN aromatic steam.
"li see. you've got the measles,
S'id Ieb, "and all you Gun do for It !.
10 lie still and Keep warm so | Dor
r0Wcd the blanket without asking. anu
MS to the warm drinks you've got I,
hnve there's loads of pennyroyal IN
tie fields md that's the tea Your,
getting. | found II letter with n req,
lar and n special delivery stamp on II
ana cut them off and sold them for ten
cents ana bought the cereal"
on. Ecb Tie letter was intended TO,
some one"
Course II was. It's addressed to
woman ana some one dropped it be
fore il was mailed. III hunt her u,
and deliver it,"
l"u're true blue one. amt your
voiced Roger in grateful admiration.
Il try to he. You would run ava,
from home and. having none myself
was glad to Join You. Now your,
sick. think Id drop you?"
Ju"t then there were sounds of inl,
juvenile voices outside. Half Il dozen
boys peered in cairiously. ITS the two
fellers we heard about running away
IRON home" spoke their leader.
Keep out! This is hospital just
now, warned Xeb.
What do you mean?" was inquired
Just what say. My chum's down
with the measles and I'm nursing
him. and Zeb went outside with the
group.
Huh :" muttered one of them. "He's
lucky. Don't have to go to school
Wish't l had his sickness"
You do?" challenged Zeb, his eye
Frightening. Look here, any of you
fellows anxious to catch. the measles
so you don't have to go to school can
be accommodated at ten cents per. All
you've got TO do is to pay dime, come
in and sit by my chum for an hour or
two and afore day or SO you'll break
ont most beautifully"
Zeb laughed at his own conceit, but
the boys went away thoughtful. at
noon two of them reappeared with all
air of mystery and twenty cents be.
tween them.
Say" observed one of them, sheep
Ishly, "we'll take twenty cents worth
Of your measles between u.s.
"That's business" said Zeb. and saw
them seated beside his patient and pro-
ceeded down town to buy some delica.
cies for his invalid chum.
However infection did not occur
and the would-be victims missed the
opportunity of an anticipated vacation,
but the story got out. Miss Ina Blair,
schoolteacher. learned of the incident.
II never heard of such cold-blooded
diabolism y she, told. an assistant.
"This Zeb Walls must be horrible
wretch. shall see that he and his
chum leave town at once"
She was pretty as a picture and gen.
tie as dove, but for day or two had
been laboring under disappointment
and chagrin. Four days previous a
certain shy, but adorlng young man
had whispered to her at a tennis party
that he intended sending her very
Important letter next day. and 1t had
not come.
Zeb, making fresh infusion Of pen
nyroyal tea, was challenged from out
side the barn by young lady waving
her parasOl at him.
"Come here, you young reprobate y
she called Are you the wretch who
has been trying to scatter an epidemic
Of disease through the town."
"No'm," dlssented Zeb. 1--WE just
been trying to keep my chum, Roger
Small, comfortable"
well, you must move on and leave
here, or I'll have the authorities after
you. / am Miss Blair, the schoolteach-
err, and must protect my charges"
ooh, say" abruptly calculated Zeb,
"Ive got something for you," and he
hauled out the letter from which he
had clipped the stamps. Miss Blair
examined 1t with trembling fingers.
She read the Enclosure
"You dear boy" she cried, almost
hugging him. "Tell me where you got
it."
II found it." explained Zeb. "Was
1t stealing, taking the stamps1 Then
I guess I'd steal for the best friend
ever had, Roger Small" Miss Blair
led him On to tell all about his strange
doings, tracing in his fidelity fervor
that showed veritable diamond in