Evening star., 1921-10-09

-
boy he had never beheld 90 magnifi-
Smart sat down in the squeskine
patent rocker that ran on . track and
sQuinted up at Stephen. You're the
boy that was placed out on zeke
Preston's farm, amt your
Stephen nodded.
Smart shifted the union plug com.
fortably to the other cheek. well
get enough to eat at Zeke's?" he dc.
manded.
This wasn't meant unkindly. but q
cheeks. Course I do" he retoEted
Again Smart's eyes appraised him
terest well" he repeated, "you
amt Just paying me q friendly visit
this evening. are you?
Stephen twisted the cap in his fin
gers. mo. sir; amt" For a long
sells carpet was woven a design OF
green roses. For q long time after
ward that color Of green made him
feel slightly i'll. mo, sir; came over
to ask you If Dolh could come over to
see our cow. Grimple, she's sick" he
citement, awful sick. Seems like
maybe she'd die <nd zeke don't know
what's the matter" There was no
mistaking the earnestnsss Of the boy 9
appeal. 'Zeke don't know come over
he added, "only Hephzibah. Zeke's got
too much pride to ask favors-specially
from a man he's OWN to-"
CHARTS eyebrows drew into . QUIZ
zical frown. What do you mean
-favors?" he said. i've got moth
ing against Zeke. Besides, I remem-
Der Grimple. She's out Of old Betsy
that 1 sold to Hemple two years ago
come next August" Smart could not
see any animal suffer. especially a
creature that had even remotely be-
longed to him. Run around and
raise up Dolf," he ordered. II reckon
he's not dead asleep yet"
On the instant the boy turned to
go. Then he stopped. This time the
color had gone from his cheeks and
the lines around his mouth were too
deep for a boys. Mr.. Smart" he be-
gan. Il amt told you all yet-all
you oughta know afore you go sendin'
Dolh to help u.s."
The change in the boys face did
not escape him. well"
'Well-' He was as white now
as the cloth on the black walnut
table. It's my dog you got locked
up in your barn. 1t was me that
was in there this eyenin' when you
hollered at him"-Stephen's voice
was thin with excitement and SO low
the man sensed rather than heard the
words-'it was me stole your har-
ness"
Smart had risen and the two stood
manded. Stealing another
The boy shook his head: Putin
the first one back"
Smart's eyes were burning with
anger; II don't believe you he
Under the shelf in the kitchen
where the milk pans drained. Smar,
picked up a lantern and lighted It
Stephen saw how his fingers trembled
as he held the match to the wick
Over the gravel driveway the two
pebbles into noisy protest. At the
door of the barn he paused for the
key. The bark Of the dog broke the
silence.
You wait here" the man ordered
Again came the bark of old Stranger
joyous and impatient.
For long moment Stephen waited
Don't I get even to see my dogr
he pleaded, mot even to tell him
nothin'?"
Smart was taking no chances: "You
wait till I see to that harness. Thai
dog; he's a.
Again the big farmer was startled
Before he had come west he had
gone one year to the university. and
1t had been a long time since he had
heard any reference to the days OF
the Caesars. "Where'd you learn that
word?" He hadn't meant to be di:
nrfn Cd hrrf hn hoI IL.
curiosity.
"oh. in the history book. It's Ro-
man." he explained. only in those
days they used to give people as
hostages. stead Of just animals
Again came a bark OF supp1ication
the boys throat. "Only sometimes
think animals are nicer than people
specially dogs"
Smart grunted and pushed open the
door, only to bang 1t viciously behind
him. In a brief moment he reap.
peared. the dog. shifting and yippins
Dolf. I'll hitch up"
kin Stranger go with me?'' he
questioned.
The boy and the dog assumed that
Smart's grunt was affirmative.
In ten minutes the spring wagon
stood ready. "Git in here" smar,
over the muddy wheel the boy
clambered and on to the drivers seat
beside Smart. Dolfi, still dazed with
sleep. lay stretched on the thin straw
covering the box. and the dog trotted
along underneath the wagon. For a
watched the reins flop up and down
on the broad backs of the horses.
What was Smart going to do? Would
they put him in prison? His mind
conjured up a thousand hideous pos
sibilities.
why'd you take that harness7''
Smart asked finally.
Stephen hesitated moment. Sounds
kinda silly to tell" he admitted.
grudgingly. Even Hephzibah thought
so. and Zeke-well. reckon Zeke
thought was crazy. But, then, Zeke
amt got much Imagination"
Something like a chuche came from
Smart's throat. But he only said:
go on" and his voice was gruff.
In a speech full of half-fnished
sentences. boyish. embarrassed, and
very earnest, Stephen explained about
the chariot and the exercises and BIZ
Whites grafton. Everybody brought
somethin' toward maxim the chariot"
he finished, land I promised a har-
ness" He hesitated minute. II
guess I was overhopin' a little when
I counted on usin' Zeke's."
Again the man chuckled. II never
heard the word overhopin'. but ]
reckon it's a good one--in connection
with getting anything out of Zeke."
But Stephen hadn't meant to make
sport of Zeke. you amt UNDER
standin' me right. Mr.. Smart" he
protested. "Zeke and I-we're dir
rent" He stopped suddenly. CROP
ing for the right words. Were 9
diff'rent run Of sheep. But Zeke amt
a mean man at all. He amt had II
easy. what with the spring rains
maxim a slew Of his pasture and
Grimple sick and alt the time thinkin'
about what he's OWN to you" All
the self-consciousnes was gone now
in the earnestness of his appeal.
inlk hA HrAa A