Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-12
CHAPTER VI.
(Continued.)

Good night" he exclaimed curt
". as he sat down and set mis- cane
between his feet and rested his
hands upon it. He spoke hoarsely
and I remember the curious notion
came to me that he looked like our
old ram. The stern and rugge1
face of Mr.. Grimshaw and the RUSTY
gray of his homespun ana the
hoarseness of his tone had suggest
ed this thought to me. The long ST.
yered tufts above his keen, gray
eyes. moved a little as he looked
at nv uncle. There were deep lines
upon his cheeks and chin and fore
head. He wore thin, gray beard
under his chin. His mouth was
shut tight in a long line curVing
downward a little at the ends. My
uncle used to say that his mouth
was made to keep his thoughts
from leaking and going TO waste.
He had a big body, big chin, Dig
mouth, a big nose and big ears ana
bands. His eyes lay small in this
setting of bigness.
"Why, Mr.. Grimshaw, it's years
since you've been in our house
ayesi" said Aunt Deel.
81 suppose it is" he answered
rather sharply. II don't have much
time to get around. have to work.
There's some people seem to be
able to git along without It,"
He drew his breath quickly and
with a kissing sound after every
sentence.
How are your foIks?" my aunt
asked.
so to eat their allowance
there's never any trouble abous
that" said Mr.. Grimshaw. Il see
you've got one O. those newfangled
stoves" he added as he looked 1t
over. Huh! Rich folks can have
anything they want"
Uncle Peabody had sat splinter
ing the long stick of yellow birch.
I observed that the jackknife trem-
bled in his hand. His tone had a
touch of unnaturalness, proceeding
no doubt from his fear of the man
before him. as he said:
When l bought the stove l felt
richer than 1 do now. had almost
enough to settle with you up to
date. but I signed a note for a
friend and had to pay it"
"Ayuh! l suppose So" Grimshaw
answered in tone of bitter irony
which cut me like a knife-blade.
young as l was What business
have you signin' notes an given
away money which amt yours to
gfve-I'd like to know? What bust
ness have you actin like rich
man when you can't pay yer hon
est debts? I'd like to know that,
too?"
"If I've ever acted like a rich
man it's been when I wasn't look
in" said Uncle Peabody.
What business have you got en-
largin' yer family-takin' another
mouth to feed and another body to
spin for? That costs money. I
amt no objection IL a man can af-
ford it. but the money 1t costs amt
yours to give. 1t looks as If it be-
longed to me. You spend yer
nights readin' books when We ought
to be workin an you've scattered
that kind o. fooIishness all over
the neighborhood. l want to tell
you one thing, Baynes. you've got
to pay up or git out o. here"
ne IdiSCu HIS came duu SHOOh IL
in the air as he spoke.
ooh, l amt no doubt o. that"
said Uncle Peabody. You'll have
to have yer money-that's sure; an
you will have it if l live, every cent
of it. This boy is goin' to be a
great help to me-you don't know
what a good boy he is and what a
comfort he's been to u.s."
I had understood that reference
to me in Mr.. Grimshaw's complaint
and these words of my beloved un-
Gle uncovered by emotions so that |
l put my elbow on the wood-b
and leaned my head upon It and |
sobbed.
81 tell We I'd rather have that boy |
than all the money you've got, Mr.. !
Grimshaw." Uncle Peabody added |
My aunt came and patted nv
shoulder and said: "Sh-sh-sh! |
Don't you care. Bart! You're just !
the same as If you was our own
boy-ayes you be-"
81 amt goin' to be hard on We, 1