Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-17

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gang. lost the resentment he was
I prompted TO hold for them. and be-
/ gan, in his sincere, methOdical way, TO
/ search out an answer for the question
which had come to him.
And once again the young doctor
was shouted at from the loating cen
| ter by the Usage, and again he heard
/ the taunting laughter of the delighted
gang.
/ He flushed that time, and with an
/ effort kept down anger-not anger for
the boys yOnder. but for the despic-
able method Kennedy used TO fight his
battles--for he felt certain that Ken
needy was az the bottom of those per-
| formances.
Later the same day, passing two
! strolling youths, he saw them smirk
and nudge one another; then recalled
that they were of the INDECENT crowd
| which sat in the sun and wasted life.
The flush was deeper in his cheeks
at that. No man likes to be laughed at
once; when he becomes an object OF
scOrning mrth those instruments
which civilization puts on us are in
danger Of cracking and loosing print
tive impulses.
Il feel like foOl--letting a crowd
Of mere boys stir me up with their
nasty gibes," he told himself. ken.
nedy is behind this, working on the
Indian. Well Why, can't | work on
the Indian. too?"
SO that night when the smoking,
swearing. loud-mouthed, heavy-witted
youths clustered around the last pool
table in the dingy little hall with its
obscene pictures and poor lights and
evil smell and watched Fred Little
Foot play call.shot on fifteendollar
bet with one of their number. Ellis
Hardy slipped in among them.
Cnnoticed at first, he watched the
game, and watched it inteligently, for
during his internship their pool-tabe
was the chief source of recreation
for the hard worked young house
physicians.
Little Foot could play pool; no
doubt of that! He shot with a conf.
dence that comes only from continued
success. and about it was an AFRO
sance, a blatant Boosting that showed
the strain of poor craftsmanship in
the boy.
And picturesque figure he was,
Hat back on his head, lavender
shirt of heavy silk, open at the
throat loosely tied green kerchief
about his shoulders; stamped leather
wristlets covering his cuffs, and the
cue sliding between two firmly plated
braids of blue black hair, intertwined
with yellow silk. which touched the
table when he leaned to shoot.
Added to that the typical features
Of the Indian and cigarette droop.
ing loosely from his lips.
And the CLINT in his eyes as he shot
ball after ball into its pocket, counting
with short. abrupt words in the pc.
cular infection which his people give
the English language; coveting the
prize in dollars that was held by a
white lad who breathed through his
mouth and laughed Loyalty whenever
Little Foot made rough sally of
speech, and tainted his opponent on
his ill-luck.
Disgusting, perhaps, to many men,
but as Ellis Hardy stood on the edge
of that closely packed circle of mi.
micking admirers, he felt a world OF
pity for them all.
More, possibly, for the Indian lad
who was their leader than for any of
the rest because Little Foot had
never had chance. Child of a dying
race, reared in the insidious assurance
that he need not produce to live, he
had played into the hands of those
who grow, parasite like, on the weak.
nesses of others.
He forgot for the moment tina. Lit.
tie Foot had caused him Chagrin and
uneasness - forgot the sharp resent
ment toward Kennedy and his vague
suspicious which were behind his com
ing there. Forgot all else but that
from the fulness of his heart wealth
of sympathy went out for the fellow
who Is not respectable" Is not
looked upon with favor by the best
men of the community in which he
lives.
And then the game was over!
With thud Little Foot dropped his
cue-butt to the floor and gave a vaunt.
ing laugh then walked toward the
stakeholder, hand greedily extended
"a grin Of open contempt on his lips
for the man whose money he was tax.
ing.
The beaten man turned surlily and
elbowed through the crowd toward a
cue.rack. swearing at his luck and
grumbling an alibi.
Voices that had been subdued by
the keen interest in the game were
now lifted and the room echoed
with the crude jests Of such places
coarse laughter and boasts of prov.
ess