The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-03-04
GOING SOME
AT KRUGER'S
BY FRANK A. WARD


Hank looked at the monkey. perched
on the window sill. and the monkey
looked back. There matters rested.
Maybe you're real" he gasped, "but
then"
He shook his head as II. in the dim
not be certain. Whlstling to keep up
his courage. he let his weight fall In
the rickety chair and picked up the
pen.
He paused, slanting an eye at the
visitor sitting there like craven Bud
dha. Never IN his nine months nj
Kruger's Crossing had he seen such a
phenomenon. 1t frightened him.
Meanwhile the creature shifted bit
on the roost. Instantly Hank robbed
his eyes, and sat up with a Jerk; for
now two monkeys grew where one
had grown before, and a swaying
branch outside showed their means OF
entrance.
For days he had been in the depths
Of melanchoila, and the climax had
come that evening when he settled
down TO write his letter OF resigna-
tion.
As to reasons for his leaving, there
were several.
First. ambition-not TO be gratIfied
by fifty-hve dollars month and a post
In n signnl-tower, placed where monot-
ony was king and passing tramp was
an event. Second. third. fourth and
oil the rest. there was Mollie Carey.
she OF the frightened eyes and round
ed face. daughter Of the nearest
farmer.
But II 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. sllclng the silence of the
night like a knife. fioated In Mt the
windows. and with II the mans sigh
was OF poignant relief.
"Idlotl" he exclaimed. 81 might
have remembered
Three miles away and to windwnrd
the cry Of the coyote arose once more,
even as he had heard II 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 200
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 az he walked across the
little room and threw one Of the sigma
levers.
A red eye down the line winket
white. and few seconds later thu
, monkeys huddled closer together II
fear as n fast freight roared past. witt
a shrek OF the locomotive whistle.
Again the animals watched the op
!. orator as he threw the lever hack, (,
. danger. They were evidently. keenl,
interested, for as he sat down the,
began an eager chatterlng that grew
louder with each minute. 80.
Twice as he paused for reflection
he put the business end of the pen
holder In his outraged mouth ant
jumped up sputiering.
In the silence between the visitor
grew bold. There was moment o
excited whispering among them, thei
the biggest dropped to the ground
The rest followed. eel
"Herer Hank yelled. "None Of that
now"
!. But they we're too quick for him
D In rush they were upon the neares
signal lever, trying their best to lml
tate the man who had thrown It be
!. fore.
. One of then. hard pressed by Hank
! darted under the table, and In fias
, was tangled with the wires whic
= ran from the telegraph Instruments t
r the batteries on the floor. Fighting
clawing, swearing, the ape went free
: and the batteries, upset. sent blue
Q stained stream Of water across tn
floor.
I As II at a signal batch Of monkey
) Hank swears there were twenty
. leaped from the branch to the windoy
q ledge and thence among their breth
0 ren. The place was broken out wit
a them, like the measles. They sho
through the air and landed on IN
I levers; two of them found Hank
4 lunch and fed. shrieking. from hi
wrath.
At length, with persplration stream
ing into eyes already half blinded b
, dust, Hank stood still.
A great calm descended.
"This," he painted grimiy. 'fs n
! place for a minister's son."
. With one despairing glance at tn
,, whlrling dervishes. he darted for tn
,, stairs and went down, three steps O
, jump. At the foot he just misse
,, collision with woman's figure.
"Mollie-"
as TIT robbersf"
"Worse," he grunted.
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