South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-08
Friends in San ROSariO-By O. Henry

!
gun TO talk. for one afternoon in
comes Alice-thats my wife-and
the boy and girl. and Alice stamps
her foot, and her eyes fash. and she
cries out The lying wreLches-Tom,
Toni and ! catch her in a faint.
and bring her round little by little
and she lays her head down and
cries and cries for the frst time
since she took Tom Kingman's
name and fortunes. And Jack and
Zilla-the youngsters-they were
always wild as tiger cubs TO rush at
Bob and climb ali over him when
ever they were allowed % come TO
the court house-they stood and
Kicked their little shoes, and herded
together like scared partr-idges. They
were having their first trip down
into the shadows OF life. Bob was
working at his desk, and he got up
and went out without a word The
grand jury was in session then, and
the next morning Bob went before
them and confessed that he stole the
money. He said he lost IL in a
| poker game. In 10 minutes they
| had found a true bill and sent me
| the warrant 10 arrest the man with
/ whom I'd been closer than a thou
sand brothers for many d year
pointing. There's my house, and
/ here's my office. and up there's
Maine. and out that way is Cali
/ fornia, and over there is Florida
and that's your range til court
meets. You're In my charge, and
/ 1 take the responsibility. You be
/ here when you're wanted
" Thanks. Tom. he said. kirl Of
| carelessly; was sort OF hoping
/ you wouldn't lock me up. Court
meets next Monday, so if you don't
| object I'll just loaf around the of
! nee until then. I've got one favor
10 ask. if II isn't too much. II you'd
| let the kids come out in the yard
once in while and have a romp I'd
like it.
| They're welcome, and so are yoL.
And come TO my house, the same os
ever You see. Mr.. Nettlewick, YOU
can't make friend of a thief, but
neither can you make a thief Of a
| friend. all at once"
The examiner made no answer.
AT that moment was heard the shrill
whistle of a locomotive pulling into
the depot That was the train on
the little. narrow gauge road that
struck into San RosarfS from the
south. The major cooked his ear
and listened for a momont. and
looked at his watch The narrow
gauge was in on time-IO:5. The
major continued.
SO Bob hung around the office,
reading the papers and smoking. /
put another deputy 10 work in his
place, and, after a while, the first
excitement OF the case wore on
"One day when we were alone I'm
the office Bob came over TO where /
was sitting. He was looking sort OF
grim and blue-the same look lie
used TO get when he'd been up
watching for Indians all night Ur
nerd riding.
! standing of redskins; it's harder
than lying in the lava desert 40
miles from water; but I'm. going 10
stick TO II out to the end. You
know that's been my style. But if
you'd tip me the smallest kind OF "a
sign--if you'd just say. Bob, l IN
derstsnd," Why. it would make it
lots easier
Il was surprised. I don't know
what you mean. Bob, 1 said. OF
course. you know that Ia DO any
thing under the sun TO help you
that I could. But you've got me
guessing
All right, Tom was all ne said.
and he went back to Ais newspaper
and lit another cigar.
1t was the night before court
met when 1 found out what he
meant l went to bed that night
with the same old, light headed
nervous feeling come back upon me.
] dropped off 10 sleep about mid
night. When l awoEe l was stand
ing half dressed in one of the court
house corridors. Bob was holding
one Of my arms, our family doctor
the other. and Alice was shaking
me and half crying. She had sent
| for the doctor without my knowing
/ it, and when he came they had
| found me out of bed and missing,
and had begun a search.
'Sleep-walking,' said the doc
/ tor.
All OF US went back to the
/ house, and the doctor told US some
remarkable stories about the strange
/ things people had done while in
/ that condition. l was feeling rather
chilly after my trip out, and as my
wife was out of the room at that
/ time, / pulled open the door of an
I old wardrobe that stood in the room
and dragged out big quilt l had
! SCNn III NAlNA W AIAA ~ Anhib4c0 OuA
/ the bag OF money for stealing which
/ Bob was 70 be tried-and convicted
in the morning.
How the jumping rattlesnakes
/ did that get there2 I yelled, and
/ all hands must have seen how sur
prised l was. Bob knew in a fash.
You darned old snoozer,' ne
said, with the old-time look on his
| face, L saw you put IL there.
watched you open the safe AM take
/ IL out and followed you. I looked
| through the window and saw you
hide il in that wardrobe
Then. you blankety-blank, Mop
cared. sheep headed coyote, what
/ did you say you took Il, for7'
/ Because said Bob, simply, L
/ didn't know you were asleep.
II saw him glance toward the
door Of the room where Jack and
/ Zilla were, and knew then what II
! meant 70 be e mans friend from
Bob's point OF view"
Major Tom paused. and again di-
/ rected his glance out OF the win
4 dow. He saw some one in the
! Stockmen's National bank reach
and draw a yellow shade down the
whole length OF its plate-glRss, big
front window, although the position
. OF the sun did not seem TO warrant
such a defensive movement against
its rays.