The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-07-06
The Pothooks and
Hangers
By HAROLD SINCLAIRE
q BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicats.I


Jimmy had come early. 1t was reg
ulAr lesson night, but the Shark
wouldn't appear for perhaps half an
hour. Plenty of time for Jimmy In
which to learn his fate and-well, he
hadn't decided, just what he would 10
after that; that is, In case she wouldn't
marry him.
So he sat In the little parlor Of
l-ouise's home and waited. Presently
she would come In briskly, her brown
eyes demure, her lips smiling. She
always made you think of q sturdy
little wildllower in the woods In spring
time. And Jimmy. young lawyer
though he was, knew that his heart
would skip beat and his ruddy face
take on still deeper hue as he faced
her. He tried to be patient, and as
the minutes passed memories came
sweet and bitter-in their turn.
Around that library table In the
center of the room he had sat three
high,s a week with Louise and-yes-
Terry Gerard, the Shark-whO was
the particular fly in Jimmy's ONT
ment. Why did he need CONNER
cial education. anyway--his business
didn't require it. Jimmy's did; at
least. SD he had represented to Louise
when he had begged her to teach him
the nrt of shorthand.
So around this table the three had
sat-Louise and her two mlsmated pu-
pills, for tley hated each other as
much as they loved their teacher Both
had invented their need of a knOwl-
edge Of shorthand In order to be near
the object of their affections. The
only difference In their methods was
that while Jimmy didn't try to learn,
conceallne his Indifference to the best
Of his ability. Terry made the most
Of his lessons and consequently was
able to read whole pages of curlicues
without n break.
"Red headed shark" growled jim
ny, grtting his teeth. He smOOthed
his own glossy dark hair and scOwled.
That shark was to be reckOned with,
he was bright and, yes, good looking,
and Louise seemed to like him. or
hate he had imagined that she pre-
fcrred him. Only yesterday he had
come upon them talking confidential
~ In low tones when no one was
near. Well. the suspense would soon
Re over. He heard her coming down
the stairs, and his heart skipped that
beat according to prophecy, as Louise
entered in anticipated fashion.
While he was holding her hand.
which had been extended In welcome,
he looked at 1t idiotically, as If he
had never seen 1t before.
"Why, jimmy" said Louise, looking
Vt lin In SURPRISE:
Jimmy gulped.
-You promised to write my answer
today"
"And so have"
"Didn't get it," gasped Jimmy.
"Nail service punk. Was 1t yes or
nor
sSIlly," she answered, diving into
her pocket. 'I didn't say I'd mail 1t
to you. Weren't you to come this
evening to take your lesson? Well"
She handed him a notebook, open.
O0inting to neat array Of pOthOOks
and hangers that adorned the page.
THAT is my answer" she told him
sweetly.
He looked at II helplessly. "Je-
Aosha3hat!" he exclaimed. For the
arst time he envied that shark. He
could have read those marks. Poor
Jimmy couldn't. and he didn't know
whether to sink with despair or take
bis teacher in his arms!
II was a. "recess'' the night before
that II happened. The Shark had left
early, Louise had told him goodnight
b what seemed to Jimmy most un-
neeessarily interested fashion, and
Jimmy had forthwith laid his heart
and fortune at his teachers feet. In
. sweetly businesslike manner she
bad promised to write him her answer.
And there 1t was in his hand and
be couldn't read I'll
That Is your answer" repeated
Louise.
yes" Jimmy fioundered miserably
She was looking out Of the window
pow. Jimmy set his teeth and began
b study those awful marks with a
Vengeance.
A gasp escaped him. There was a
familiar chicken track In that first
line. II was the one phrase he had
learned very early in the course, think.
ing some time to use It craftily. ~
0ve you!" He recognized that when
he saw II. 1t was there! He looked
closer. Yes, It was there, but what
wns that silly little mark preceding
the word love? II didn't belong! He
sried with his finger to remove tit
might he an eyelash fallen there. But
u stayed. and Jlmmy's brow grew
moist with the dawning Of an awful
thought. Suppose that little foo
curved line should be the negative t,
shst sweet phrase! Did she or didn't
she? That was the question. It wa.
time to use some of that craftness.