The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-29

him standing just inside the door.
Billy was by no means a prepossessing
oungster-bare-foote thin Skinned,
very decidedly pigeon -toed. His
sharp little face was deliberately and
picturesquely freckled. There were
freckles enough for a big face, and
Billy's face was small so small that
some of the freckles had to stand up
edgeways to find room. But his eyes,
in the midst O. their speckled sur
roundings, looked out sharp and bright
from under his frazzled straw hat.
They were very busy just then in
taking down, one by one, every feat
ure of the room, from wall to wall,
from carpet 80 loft joists.
The girl closed the door, put an arm
about the slim little mite under the
ragged hat and led him to the big
easy chair--the stricken old mans
chair-near the middle of the room;
brought the smaller rocking chair
from her sewing table and sat down
by him.
The little fellow tried to lean back
in the big chair. 1t was far too deep.
He sat upstraight, swinging his feet,
and continued his methodical survey
of the room.
How in the world did you ever find
your way, Billy, out here in the
woods?"
The sharp little eyes came back
from the corner where the cello stood
looked his companion over-cooly; a
tiny shade contemptuously.
Huh! That wusn't nothin'." His
voice was thin and sharp like his
face; high like the peaked crown of
his rusty hat. "Gran'pa said { fol-
Ter tn path till y'u come t. Wolf Run.
and then turn up tn bank; an 1 did"
The girl laughed and glanced to-
ward the cutrain, where she knew the
Pearlhunter would be grinning be-
hind it.
Did your grandpa send your
"Uh-huh! l brung y'u a letter"
"a letter."
"Uh-hur! Gran'pa tends t tn post
office now. The OF postmaster had
a stroke night before last an hain't
knowed nothin' since. So Gran'pa
tends to it"
"Air you Box 23?"
'T-yes-I guess So" was the star
tied answer as she took the letter.
Huh" That's funny name-fer a |
girl"
But she was too busy with the let
dressed in a very bold and legibIe |
postmark she could not be sure Of. |
It appeared to be vincennes, but some
of the letters were too duh to read |
with certainty
IT that your r'voIver?''
There was no much chance to read
do anything else a |
youngster like that in the house
yes" /
Gee! 1 wisht I had n r'volver." I
ooh, you'll have one some day, may
be, when You get to be a big man"
II wisht had a r'volver right now.
Gee! that's an awful big fiddle. Kin
you play it?"
Les see y'u''
Maybe, some time. Have they found /
that man that escaped from jail last
night?
Nav, An 1 hope they don't That
timber buyin' feller tracked i'm Z
YalIer Branch. but they hain't found
i'm yit- If ever you seed a fighter, |
he's it. He whipped tn blacksmith
with is hans tied b'hind m, plum
busted i'm with is shoulder-the black
smith hain't never been whipped b'fore
Geish! If I'd a been a man I'd "a
run in an fit fer that Teller. They
didn't have no business { hit i'm with
barrel slaves an stove Wood-don't
keer IL he was tn Red Mask"
The boy had sprung out o. the big
chair and stood with his thin little
fists clenched. The girls fine eyes
grew wide; the face behind the cur
ans was a study.
II met that timber buyin' feller on
the way down here. He came near
The girls chair. IF they's anybody
| hate, it's him. Gran'pa says'-he
cant nearer. and spoke lS~-'-he kills
people, Geei but wus skeered when
saw him a-comfn' down tn road!