Evening star., 1918-05-19
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BY SEWELL FORD
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"r don't believe Il would do any
man-Uncie Zeb. Great one to keep
grudRe Besides. maybe he's dead"
TT wouldn't cost much to try 1t
on says I. He might do little
something for you"
,oav Il ain, ever Nrn begged a, from esn, any
II wouldn't call this beggin'. ex-
actIy." says I. "If there was no.
body else for him to leave his money
to. you got a right to come in for
some Of it. anyway. Why not take
chance?"
"I-I'l1 talk 1t over with Luella."
Cabe. You-you don't know how
much good it's done me to-to tell
And say. blamed il them narrow
set.eyes amt leakin' as he turns and
drifts out Swiftly Joe, who always
has an ear stretched and an eye
squipted. slides in from the gym just
then
Il tried eivin' that skate the steer;s n;a
says he, but he wouldn't have 1t. Did
he work a touch on you?
Not yet" says 1.
HE will II he amt blocked off,"
says Swiftly. Hes no good. that one.
believe me-"
Just to ease my mind I dropped in
out hittin' the lunch-counter. and
registered my alibi for him little
stronger. ] explains how it was the
Nurn was chasin' around foolish when
he came in, and says / wouldn't want
to feel 1 got him canned or anything
"Oh, him." says Spratt. hunchin' his
shoulders. Never fear. I'm through
trying to fire him. He always comes
begging back. so what's the use The
only way can get rid of him is to
close up shop-or die. I suppose.
He grins as he says it, and l knew
then he wasn't half so bad as Bar
tholomew had tried to make him out.
He's one of these husky, hearty old
boys Spratt, with no patience at all
for weaklings such as Eurn, and he
takes no pains to hide 1t.
Well. it must have been fortnight
afterward when. one noon. Bartholo-
NEW comes scuffin' into the front Of
fice with his face all flushed an his
little eyes twitchin'.
lost that bet. I've quit him. cold"
mean?"
"Yes, sir" says he. But you were
right about Uncle Zeb. I've heard
from, him. Thought I was dead all
these years: I expect. too. he figured
he'd done it. Anyway. he says he's
worried lot. Wants me to come on
and see him. Sent me hundred to
do 1t, on. What do you know about
that?' And he waves a letter.
We'll. well" says I. And your
first move, I suppose. was to hand old
spratt few crisp remarks?"
Bartholomew scowls a bit.
1T sure meant to-" says he, but
somehow IL didn't say much except
that / was through"
"Yes?" says I. What does Spratt
have to say to that joIt?"
"Ah, he only growls something
about good riddance-the old sore
head" says Nurn. Thinks I'll come
sneakin' round again tomorrow.
He'll see. We're of for Michigan to-
nighttime and Luella. We may not
come back, either. I shouldn't won
der but Uncle. Zeb would let us
stay
"Then here's hopin'." says I. givin'
him the grip. "And the best Of luck"
Let's see, that was some time before
Christmas. And in a month I'd al
most forgotten there was such a
person as Bartholomew Nurn. 1 ex-
pect if I'd gone shoppin' again for
carpenters tools I might have re-
membered. But 1 didn't. So here
the other mornin'. when Swiftly tells
me about this early phone call from
the Plutoria and says its party
from Michigan who left the message.
all I can do is scratch my ear, puz-
zled
Eyes: but what was the name?" I
asks.
Sounded like Burns" says Swiftly.
Said he'd be waftin' in the lobby.