Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-05-29

II had 1t all doped to land solid
with Birdy two or three weeks ago.
80 did you. Each Of us has been pass
ing the gilt to her"
Don't, BenLdont!" Pods eyes
we're leaking, and he stretched out an
jmploring hand. "Fm wise a plenty,
30 cut that explanation stuff! BUTT
hurts Ben; hurts like-jus the same;
When had it all doped l was goin' to
bust into married bliss-ivy round the
door"
mo more o. that now! We're both
1eary, now we've got q peek at the
works. Just . throw.off she was steer
ing us, Pod-that's all. How big
haymow of the green has she raked
off you already?"
"Oh, maybe four. Eve hundred-on
Consolidated Copper. She said her
cousin in Wall Street"
I'm in for thousand. Only 1t
was her uncle!"
Ben! An we, are supposed
to be - the smoothest con workers in
the u. s. A. or out!"
into laugh Of mingled bitterness and
relief. vi q.
~ MY feed I thought It was all the
time!" he calculated. "You thought
it was yours. Both wrong just as
wrong as in our size-up Of Birdy and
her affections. Who's nuts now?
Pod, Bender & Co.! And the an
swer is" q
Pod Slattery arose, with all the dig
nifty of his three hundred and fifty-
seven pounds. and faced his old.time
pal, In his eyes still cleaned the dew
of heartfelt disappointment, but his
y i!ps were smiling as he spoke. E
~Ben, old hoss,S' said he, "the an.
z swer is. new deal and reorganization
OF the firm on long lease. Birdy's
1gmooth, o. X.
"a "We've let skirt near trim us, cnd
: u it gets out our rep amt worth a
hoot in Tophet. She's no ordinary
1 poker-getter or cold.handed worker,
tBirdy amt ONo, this was no penny
u ante game she was up to; she was
+ stakin' 10 make kill. what with all
4, them kind words an'-an' juicy rails
lns an cream
:, "A classy hex. all right, amin to
/, fetch down a big bundle when she had
us bOg.tied right. In a while longer
. she'd had our whole roll anus spout
!, In our sparks for pad money! Oh, an
: onion, kid! But now we're hep-an'
MS one big hike for ours!"
- "Hike!" echoed Ben enthusiastical.
ly. The quicker. the sooner far,
far away!"
Pack your keister!" Pod directed
dramatically. with sweep of his arm.
"This very night we fit. See her
again after all them ivy visions? Nix!
, Us for the big getaway. p. G. O.!
II can't pull much of this here sen.
: dmental stuff on friendship. kid; but
you know what mean. &
"That time you dug me out o. Sing
: Sing amt passin' up. No, nor the
times we carried the banner in India,
did Marathon on the African veldt,
lodged smash in Yokohama, an
an all the hundreds of other times,
some velvet, some sandpaper, we
been through together.
\ "What? Let Il peck-a-boo and q
hobbIe pry us apart? Nix, not! We
must ha' heen pipes. Ben, you an me.
to even think il! All over. kid! It's
you an he again, with no Buttinskies,
to the finish! An my mitt to bind nit!"
I In silence Zen took the huge and
I generous hand. For q minute their
eyes met. Then Pod turned away.
Is Ivy, HI" he whispered under his
! brenth, and with kind of savage Joy
began routing his effects out of closet
and chiffOn.er and burling them into
! his suitcase.
III Untouched. the tempting night
lunch stood on the table. The savory
!, pot of tea grew cold, the sherbet melt
3d.. and the fat raisins OOzed out their
Juice forsakenly into the thick cream,
which now had lost all its charm.
Half an hour later an envelope lay
-On the table. addressed to the hotel
management. Within 1t reposed coin
Of the realm TO pay the bill up to and
Including the following Saturday
! night. ame
Down the fire escape, meanwhile
Pod. Ben. and the suitcase wended
their way to the ally at the rear OF the
botel. Ar
And the friendly September night
received them; and the great worm
I, Cpeped out. once more ahead OF them,