The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-11-12


eaveSdropper get what l came to get
In direct conversation.
had my bottle of beer. and the bar
tender went back TO the group, domi-
mated by the squat, laxative fellow.
He was not the comic type Of con
stable. He showed intelligence and
decision. but evidently he was fond OF
a story when he had it to tell. He was
saying:
Il was up late because there was a
bad set at the Half Day, and Bill
Daley thought he might have trouble
with them before he got them on their
way. About one o'clock they had Il
quarrel. without anything but talk,
divided into two sets and went away
in two cars toward the city. Bill and
| split n bottle of beer. and Bill said
he'd he going himself. 1t was nearly
one-thirty then. and ! thought I'd wait
up for Number Eleven ut two o'clock
and see if anyone got off.
'Bill gave me the keys and told me
to shut the place up. | had another
bottle Of beer and was playing soil
taire on the bar when Number Eleven
stopped.
Il went TO the front door Of the bar
and looked V @ toward the station. \
man had got Off, and he was headed
toward the Half Day. which was the
only place showing a light. waited
in the doorway. and when he came
up, | saw he was a foreigner. He had
gold rings in his ears.
"IIe made as If he wanted 20 como
IN. lie didn't speak enough English
for me to make ~ what he was say
ing. | let him in, and he went up to
the bar. put down a quarter and point
ed toward the whisky. l gave him the
bottle. and he pointed TO me and
smiled. SO | said | didn't mind il
did, and we had q drink together. l
thought ia like to know what this fel.
low wanted in town. so | didn't sug-
gest it was closing time.
Then | was surprised Ia hear n car
coming along. The other fellow seemed
10 be expecting it. We both went 10
the door. The car stopped Mt the door.
and Il man helped a woman out. He
was a little old shrivc!ed fellow. She
was young and pretty.
The Old fellow said something 10
my foreigner, and he threw his arms
in the air. wrigglcd all over. laughed
and fell on the old fellow and kissed
him., The old boy struggled and
Kicked. but the foreigner just picked
him right up and kissed him on both
cheeks.
THAT old boy was mad when he got
loose. This is un%thinkable.' he said.
1T is beyond expression. You human
pig (! Dog of n misunderstanding beast :
Then he stopped speaking English and
said Il lot of things the foreigner I'M
derstOOd, but it didn't make him mad.
His eyes just sparkled. He put Il dol
lar on the bar and pointet To the
whisky again.
Bring our drinks over here. Snid
the old boy. pointing TO n of the
tables in Il far corner OF the room.
"Thcy sat down, and the two men
talked. The girl didn't seem 10 have
the language. The foreigner was eX-
cited. The old boy kept wiping his
eyeglasses. He WASN'T showing as
much nervousness as the foreigner.
but he was pleased over something.
II kept behind the bar, as near
their table as | could. and pretended
to play solitaire and wait for their or
ders, watching them as much rs pos
sihlc and trying To make out what
they were talking about. Pretty soon
they wanted another round Of drinks.
When | served them the old boy want
ed 10 know If he could telephone TO
the city. He paid me the toll, and
showed him tie telephone booth and
heard him give his number. Ii was
River 1900.
"Whcn nc cot his party, lie said 'Is
that YOU. Sim? Everything is all right
Yes, as expected. Let him 90
THAT was all. He went back TO the
table. | noticed that lie kept tight
hold all the time On Il leather case.
When they got 10 talking again. the
foreigner Kept pointing toward the
case and began to get more excited.
As near rs | could make out What was
happening. as they kept on talking and
m0tioning. il was the black leather
case the foreigner wanted. anh Tie
other man wouldn't let him have IL.
pTD RE CO&TINiTEDl