The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-07-20
The Pothooks and
Hangers
q BY Mcclure Newspap per syndicate.)
By HAROLD SINCLAIRE

hour. Plenty Of time for Jimmy IN
which to learn his fate and--well, he
hadn't decided just what he would DO
after that that Is, In case she wouldn't
marry him.
So he sat In the little parl0r OF
Louises home and waited. Presently
she would come In briskly. her brown
eyes demure, her lips smiling. She
always made you think Of sturdy
iittle wild!'Ower 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
tie Minutes passed memories came
sweet and bitter-in their turn.
Around that library table In the
center of the room he had sat three
nights 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, So he had represented to Louise
when he had begged her to teach him
the art 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 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,
cOnccaing 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 break.
"Red headed shark" growled jim
ny. gritting 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
lnte he had imagined that she pre-
fcrred him. Only yesterday he had
come upon them talking confidential
by 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
Il i'm In surprise:
Jimmy gulped.
"You promised to write my answer
today"
"And so have"
Didn't get It," gasped Jimmy.
. "Mnil service punk. Was 1t yes or
nO?"
silly" she answered, diving into
her pocket. II didn't say I'd mail It
to you. Weren't you to come this
evening to take your lesson? Well"
She handed him a notebook, open.
pointing to neat array Of pothooks
and hangers that adorned the page.
''That is my answer" she told him
Aweetly.
He looked at It helplessly. "Je-
hOsha2hatl" he exclaimed. For the
Arst time he envled that shark. He
could have read those marks. Poor
Jimmy couldn't. and he didn't know
whether to sink with despair or take
his teacher In his arms!
II was Al "recess" the night before
that It happened. The Shark had left
early. Louise had told him goodnight
In what seemed to Jimmy most un
necessarily Interested fashion, and
Jimmy had forthwith laid his heart
and fortune at his teachers feet. Ir
sweetly businesslike manner sht
had promised to write him her answer
And there It was in his hand ant
he couldn't read I'll
THAT Is your answer" repeated
louise.
Yes" Jimmy fioundered miserably
She WIS looking out Of the window
now. Jimmy set his teeth and begal
to study those awful marks with ,
vengeance.
A gasp escaped him. There was {
familiar chicken track In that frs
kne. 1t was the one phrase he hat
harresl very early In the course, think
Mg some time to use 1t craftily. "
Ove you!" He recognized that whel
Ne saw it. 1t was there! He locke,
closer. Yes. 1t was there, but wha
was that silly little mark precedin,
the word love? 1t didn't belong! H
tried with his finger to remove 1T
might he an eyelash fallen there. Blu
II stayed. and Jimmy's brow gre,
moist with the dawning Of an awfu
thought. Suppose that little Foe
curved line should be the negative t
that sweet phrase! Did she or didn
she! That was the question. 1t wa
time to use some of that craftiness.
Pushing back his damp hair ar
calling to his aid sickly smile,
pointed to the disturbing curlicue.
Teacher" he said in wheedlin
tone which he sometimes used tea