The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-08-16
The Case of
Bert Carter.
Stacker
IN

By BARBARA KERR

per 6yndcate.)
$50 you're after our wild man from
Borneo, are your Well. here he comes.
Hi! Kid, get move on you; here's a
friend of yours from Hays, Kansas"
Sheriff Beardsley felt the good-hu-
mored sarcasm In the boss tone. He
had staggered bit how did he know
what sort Of fellows ran the Mine
Prop camp on the Narrow Guage? He
had got Off at Mineral Hot Springs and
come overland with a guide and two
donkeys-maybe twas three.
Bert, quickened his pace, came for
ward frankly and held out his hand.
''From Hays, did you say, jim? Well,
I'm sure glad to see some one from
Hays. How's everybody? What did
you say your name is?"
"Sheriff Beardsley," grinning rather
sheepishly into the boys honest blue
eyes. 'Tm up here after a Stacker.
Know anything about him?"
Search mel" replied Bert Innocent
~, at which the men laughed.
Beardsley 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
1t calmly. "It's simply cooked up
mess by some of those foreigners;
they're combing the country for men
to make up their quota"
The sheriff found himself nodding-
then hastily: swell, I was sent up
here to get him, boys; so I'll have to
take him along"
After two years In the mountains,
with only a day off occasionally at
Salida, or MOffet, for supplies, Bert
was interested in everything except his
forthcoming trial.
"Of course, If it's up to me, I'll go.
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 brighten women"
The sheriff, on arriving at Hays, rec
commended bail for Bert till trial day
In the meantime he loitered about the
village. His father and mother had
gone to South America a year ago on
business; he had not been to Hays for
i've years, as he went from school to
the mountains for his health. You'd
agree that he found it; six feet In his
stockings; bronzed as an Indian, with
an innocent, direct gaze that was bit
disconcerting till you knew him. So
when the board called "Case Of Bert
Garter, Stacker" he arose to his feet.
marched up front and looked them
squarely In the eyes.
The three men looked at him with
honest admiration, but Mary Marvin.
the secretary, wanted Bert to feel that
she disapproved Of him. She was the
prettiest 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 at her the sting Of
1t got under his skin. He wanted to
ask her 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
lily 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
bread-and-sugar, mother"
Since the board had brought him to
Hays at behest of gossips, they must
bring in his accusers.
Mrs. Ted LivingwoOd swOre that he
was the same age as her Rachael;
Rachael was twenty-three last June.
"Ram be obliged to her mother" snick-
cred some one; twenty-three was get
ting 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,
movable feasts, when swimming was
the celebration.
Things were hopelessly tangled
birthdays Of towns contemporary chill
dren were told, as was time of estab-
fishing lire fences, buying Of live
stock. tearing down of old landmarks
but no corroborating testimony.
Mary was in white heat: "How
can he sit there like lump on a log
and the whole town wrangling about
his ageY she whispered.
The board was crazy with the futility
of It, when the old editor of the Free
Press walked in with a newspaper file
and asked to be sworn; opening 1t he
read: 'Born, yesterday to John and
Mary Carter, fine boy. Congratula-
IuNn