The Washington herald., 1920-09-04
'SopynSht, ls20 by the Press Publishing Col
tfhs View York Evening world)

ing-well, just thinking about
George. Some thing must have
happened to him. or he'd have
written. On the day he left. he
and me got hammer and
chisel and cut a dime into TWO
pieces. | took one piece and he
took the other, and we promised
to be true to each other and al
ways keep the pieces till we saw
each other again. I've got mine
at home now in a ring box in the
top drawer OF my dresser. |
guess | was silly to come up here
looking for him. | never realized
what a big place ii is"
And then Trip Joined il with
a little grating laugh that he had.
still trying to drag in a little
story or drama to earn the mis-
cradle dollar that he cravod.
oh. the boys from the country
forget a lot when they come to
the city and learn something. /
guess George. maybe. Is on the
bum, or got roped in by some
other girl. or maybe gone to the
dogs on account of whiskey or
the races. You listen to Mr.. Chal-
lNeTS. ana go DdCh nome anu
you'll be all right"
But now the time was come for
action. for the hands Of the clock
were moving close to noon.
Frowning upon Tripp. argued
gently and ph'1s oDhically with
Miss Lowe .,s ',E COnvinc-
ing her of +. rtanoc Of re-
turning homo al Ln.r tHL | i'm
pressed upon her the tr"'" that
il. would not be absolutely neCe--
sary to her future happiness that
she mention to Hi. the wonders or
the fact Of her visit to tn" city
that had swallowed up the un-
lucky George
She said that she had left her
horse unfortunate Rosinantel
tied to a tree near the railroad
station. Trip and I gave her
instructions to mount the patient
stced as soon as she arrived and
ride home as fast as possible.
There he was to recount the eN-
citing adventure of a day spent
with Susie Adams. She cou'u
FIX" Susie-I was sure OF that
and all would be well.
And then. being susceptible to
the barbed arrows Of beauty. I
warmed to the adventure. The
three of US hurried to the ferry
and there l found the price of a
ticket to Greenburg to be but
$3.50. bought one and a red,
red rose with the 20 cents for
Miss Lowery. We saw her aboard
her ferryboat and stood watch
IN hrr he . Il q q
us until it was the tiniest white
patch imaginable. And then TriPp
and I faced each other. brought
back to earth. left dry and desc
late in the shade of the sombre
verities of life.
The spell wrought by beauty
and romance vas dwindlins. I
ed, He looked more careworn.
contemplate. and disreputable
than ever. ! fingered the two
silver dollars remaining in my
pocket and looked at him with
the hslf-closed eyelids of con-
tempt. He mustered up an imita
tion of resistance.
Cant you get a story out of
it?" he asked. huskiTy. Some
sort of a story. even if you have
to fake part of it?"
Not a line" said I. y can
fancy the look on Grimes face II
! should try to put over any
slush like this. But we've helped
the little lady out. and that'll
have to be our only reward"
I'm sorry" said Tripp. almost
inaudibly. I'm sorry you're out
your money. Now, il seemed to
me like find of big story, you
know-that is. a sort of thing
that you would write up pretty
we'll"
Lets try to forget it," said I.
with a praiseworthy attempt at
sayety. "and take the next car
cross town"
/ steeled myself against his un-
expressed but palpable desire. He
should not coax. cajole. or wiring
from me the dollar he craved. I
had enough of that wild-goose
chase.
Trip feebly unbuttoned his
coat of the faded pattern and
glossy seams to reach for some
thing that had once been a hand
hO4 NhASA Nctp uOWH IN some OD-
scure and cavernous pocket. AS
he did so l caught the shine of a
cheap silverplated watch-chain
across his vest, and something
dangling from it caused me 10
stretch forth my hand and seize
it curiously 1t was the half OF
a silver dime that had been cut
in halves with a chisel.
What" l said, looking at him
keeply.'
"oh. yes" he responded. DULY.
George Brown. alias Tripp.
What's the use?"
Barring the w. c. T. u. I'd like
to know IL anybody disapproves
OF my having produced promptly
from my pocket Trips whiskey
dollar, and unhesitatingly laying
II in his hand.
Eensgifkt 1870 hy N-L..lar sr,ai,s,. r.,N