The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-06-11
GOING SOME
AT-KRUGER'S
BY FRANK A. WARD
(Copyright.)

looked back. There matters rested.
maybe you're real" he gasped, "but
then"
light Of the single oil lamp, he could
not be certain. Whistling to keep up
his courage, he let his weight fall in
the rickety chair and picked up the
pen.
He paused, slanting an eve at the
visitor sitting there like craven Bud
dha. Never in his nine months at
Kruger's Crossing had he seen such
phenomenon. 1t frightened him.
Meanwhile the creature shifted bit
on the roost. Instantly Hank robbed
his eyes, and sat up with jerk; for
now two monkeys grew where one
had grown before and swaying
branch outside showed their means Of
entrance.
For days he had been in the depths
of melanchOlia, and the climax had
come that evening when he settled
down to write his letter of resigna-
ton.
AS to reasons for his leaving, there
were several.
First, ambitiOn-not to be gratified
by fifty-five dollars month and post
In a signal-tOwer, placed where monot-
ony was king and passing tramp was
an event. Second, third, fourth and
all the rest, there was Mollie Carey,
she of the frightened eyes and round
ed face, daughter of the nearest
farmer.
But 1t was upon monkeys that the
operators mind was busy just now
and creeping each moment shade
nearer the edge of masculine hys-
terra.
They're not real, or Ah-h-h !"
A howl, slicing the silence of the
night like a knife, floated in at the
windows, and with it the mans sigh
was Of poignant relief.
"Idiotw ne exclaimed. II might
have remembered
Three miles away and to windward
the cry of the coyote arose once more,
even as he had heard 1t on many
dreary nights, recalling the wild-ani-
NAL farm on the hill.
He knew that all kinds Of queer
beasts were there, living a wire-pen-
ned existence till shipped to 900"
or private estate. So often had be
heard their nocturnal cries that they
had become part Of his lonely life.
There were now three, sitting there
with beady eyes which followed his
movements as he walked across the
little room and threw one of the signal
levers.
A red eye down the line winked
white, and few seconds later the
monkeys huddled closer together in
fear as fast freight roared past with
a shrek of the locomotive whistle.
Again the animals watched the OPP
orator as he threw the lever back to
danger. They were evidently keenly
interested, for as he sat down they
began an eager chattering that grew
louder with each minute.
Twice as he paused for reflection
he put the business end of the pen
holder in his outraged mouth and
jumped up sputtering.
In the silence between the visitors
grew bold. There was moment Of
excited whispering among them, then
the biggest dropped to the ground.
The rest followed.
"Here!" Hank yelled. "None of that,
now"
But they were too quick for him.
In rush they were upon the nearest
signal lever, trying their best to imi-
tate the man who had thrown II be-
fore.
One Of them. hard pressed by Hank,
darted under the table, and In a fash
was tangled with the wires which
ran from the telegraph instruments to
the batteries on the floor. Fighting,
clawing, swearing, the ape went free
and the batteries, upset, sent blue
stained stream Of water across the
door.
As II at a signal batch Of monkeys
Hank swears there were twenty
Ieaped from the branch to the window
ledge and thence among their breth-
rem. The place was broken out with
them, like the measles. They shot
through the air and landed on the
levers; two Of them found Hanks
lunch and fed, shrieking, from his
wrath.
At length, with Precipitation stream
ing into eyes already half blinded by
dust, Hank stood still.
A great calm descended.
"This," he painted grlmly, us no
place for minister's son."
With one despairing glance at the
whirling dervishes. he darted for the
stairs and went down. three steps at
a jump. At the foot he just missed
collision with q woman's figure.
"Mollie-"
as lit robbers"
"Worse," he grunted.
AS her speech had fed. he sketched
tba hattie of Krueqpr's Crossing hut