The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-07-17

to e you through the worst Of it
and it's a job I don't relish. Ponder
that, will We, on the way homer"
Barnes did ponder 1t on the way
home. There was but one construc-
ton to put upon the remark: 1t was
O'DoWd's way of letting him know
that he could be depended upon for
support If the worst came to pass.
O'Dowd evidently had not been de-
ceived by the acting that masked the
conversation on the couch. He knew
that Miss Cameron had appealed to
Barnes, and that the latter had prom
Used to do everything in his power to
help her. ~
Suspecting that this was the stu
alton, and doubtless sacrificing his own
private interests, he had uttered the
vague but timely warning to Barnes.
The significance of this warning grew
under reflection. Barnes was not slow
to appreciate the position in which
O'Dowd voluntarily placed himself. A
word or a sign from him would be suf-
icient to bring disaster upon the Irish
man who had risked his own safety in
a few irretrievable words. The more
he thought of it, the more fully con-
WINGED 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 MI. Curtis?"
"Ever since he come up here, more'n
two years ago. Guess Tn going to get
the G. B.. fore long, though. Seems
that he's gettin' a new q an wants
an expert machinist to take hold Of it
from the start. I was good enough
to fiddle around with this secondhand
pile o. junk an the one he had last
year, but I amt qualified to handle
this here machine he's %expectin', so he
says. I 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 MI. Curtis and
demand"
"See him?" snorted Peter. might
as we'll try to see Napoleon Bonyparte.
Didn't you know he was a sick mani"
Certainly. But he isn't so ill that
he can't attend to business, is he?"
"He sure is. Parylised, they say"
"What has Mr.. Loeb against you, If
I may ask?" =
"Well, it's like this. I 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'
a week or so ago, I 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 I know / get a call
down from Mrs. Collier. Course ]
couldn't tell her what I told the
sheeny, SEEM as she's a female, so ]
took it like a lamb. Then they gifts a
Teller up here to wash the car My
gosh, mister, the burned ole rattle-trap
amt with 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 I hears about the new
car. Next day Mrs. Collier sends fer
me an I 60 in. She says she guesses
she'll try the new washer. on the new
machine when it comes, an if I keer to
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, IL she
don't mind, an she says MI. 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
job2'
"Well. he's new upahere. Mr.. Cur,
tbs was down to New York all last
winter bein' treated, you e {. He didn't
come up here till about five weeks
ago. Loeb was workin' fer. him most
Of the winter, gittin' up a book el
somethin', / hear. Mr.. Curtis mind is
all right, I guess, even II his body
amt"
II see. Mr.. Loeb came up with hin
from New York"
'Kerect. Him and Mr.. O'Dowd anG
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-"
1T seems to me that I..have heard
that his Q married ODowd's sister,
That's right. She's a wilder now
Her husband was killed in the wal
between Turkey an them other coun.
tries four er Ave years ago."
Realty"
Yep. Him and Mr.. O'Dowd-his
own brOther-in-law, y know-was
6ghtin' on the side Of the Boolgarians
and young Ashley Curtis was killed."
Was this o. Nj. Curtis only
childl"
SO fer as / know. He left three III.
tie kids. They was all here with their
mother Jest after the house was I'm
ished."
4A - = aN8Is 49,