The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-06-12

word or a sign from him would be sut-
ficient to bring disaster pom the irish
man who had risked his own safety in
a few irretrievable words. The more
he thought Of it, the more fully con-
vinced was he that there was nothing
to fear from O'DOwd.
Peter drove slowly, carefully over
the road down the mountain. Respond
ing to a sudden impulse, Barnes low
cred one of the side seats in the ton
neau and moved closer to the driver.
"HOw long have you been driving
for Mr.. Curtis?"
"Ever since he come up here. more'n
two years ago. Guess I'm going to get
the G. B. fore long, though. Seems
that he's gettin' new car an wants
an expert machinist to take hold Of 1t
from the start. l was good enough
pile o. junk an the one he had last
year but l amt qualified to handle
this here machine he's cxpectin', so he
says. / guess they's been some influ-
ence used against me, If the truth was
known. This new sec'etary he's got
CANT stummick me-"
"Why don't you see Mr.. Curtis and
demand"
"See him?" snOrted Peter. might
as well try to see Napoleon BOnyparte.
Didn't you know he was a sick man?'
Certainly. But he isn't so i'll that
he can't attend to business, is hep
"He sure is. Parylised, they say"
"What has Mr.. Loeb against you, If
I may ask?"
"Well, it's like this. l amt in the
habit o. bein' ordered arOun' as If
was jest nobody at all, so when he
starts in to cuss me about SOmethin'
week or so ago, ups and tells him
I'll smash his head if he don't take it
back. He takes 1t back all right but
the first thing l know l get call
down from Mrs. Collier. Course
couldn't tell her what l told the
sheeny, seein' as she's a female, so
took it like lamb. Then they gifts a
feller up here to wash the car. My
gosh, mister, the burned ole rattle-trap
amt wuth a bucket o. water all told.
So I sends word in to Mr.. Curtis that
If she has to be washed, I'll wash her.
Then's when l hears about the new
car. Next day Mrs. Collier sends fer
me an go in. She says she guesses
she'll try the new washer on the new
china uhnn n on If 7 Ennp tp
stay on as washer in his place she'll
be glad to have me. / says I'd like to
have a word with Mr.. Curtis, if she
don't mind, an she says Mr.. Curtis
amt able to see no one. So I guess
I'm goin' to be let out"
An idea was taking root in Barnes
brain, but it was too soon to consider
it fixed.
"You say Mr.. Loeb is new at his
job?"
"Well, he's new upahere. Mr.. Cur,
It's was down to New York all last
winter bein' treated, you see. He didn't
come up here till about five weeks
ago. Loeb was wOrkin' fer him most
Va tiiC "ihICi, Sltih up Il Doch Cl
somethin'. hear. Mr.. Curtis mind is
all right, 1 guess, even if his body
amt"
'I see. Mr.. Loeb came up with him
from New York"
''Kerect. Him and Mr.. O'Dowd and
Mr.. De Soto brought him up bout the
last O. March. They was up here Wis
itin' last spring an the fall before. Mr.
Curtis is very fond of both of EN-"
"It seems to me that l have heard
that. his son married O'Dowd's sister,
"That's right She's wilder now
Her husband was killed in the wal
between Turkey an them other coun
tries four er five years ago"
"Really?"
"Yep. Him and Mr.. ODowd-his
own brOther-in-law, y knOw-was
fghtin' on the side Of the Boolgarians
and young Ashley Curtis was killed"
"Was this son Mr.. Curtis only
child"
$50 fer as l know. He left three lit
tie kids. They was all here with thei
mother jest after the house was fin
| ished."
"They will probably come into thi
property when Mr.. Curtis dies" sait