The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1921-03-18

As~s 6oA8 We
II l had had the sense Of a field
mouse, I might have known that I
was no match for such a man; but
I lacked the sense-lacked 1t good and
hard.
"You'N like your boss" he said
shortly. you'd go long distance out
of your way to make an enemy when
there Is no need of 1t. That hold-up
business was joke, from start to
finish. I don't know how you and Nor.
cross came to get in on it; the joke
was meant to be on John Chadwick.
The night before. at n little dinner we
were giving him at the railroad club,
he said there never was railroad
hOld-up that couldn't have been stood
of. A few Of us got together after
ward and put up a job on him; sent
him over to Strathcona and arranged
to have him held up on the way back"
"Mr. Chadwick didn't take it as q
joke!" retorted
II know he didn't; 1nd that's why
were all anxious now to dig hole
and bury the thing decently Perhaps
we had all been taking a drop too
much ut the club dinner that night"
At that 1 swelled up man-size and
kicked the whole kettle of fat into
the fire.
"Of course. 1t was joke" l rip
ped out. And your coming here to-
night to try to hire me away from Mr..
N,rcruss is another. The woods are
full Of good shorthand men. Mr.. Hatch,
but for the present I think shall
stay right where ! anywhere court
subpoena can find me when I'm
waEted."
That's all nonsense, and you know
lift you're not too much of a kid TO
know anything" he snapped. shooting
out his heavy jaw at me. 81 merely
wanted to give you chance to get
rid of the railroad collar, if you felt
like 1t. like fighting man; and
you've got nerve. Take a night and
sleep on 1t. Maybe you'll think diff
ferently in the morning"
Here was another chance for me to
get off with whole skin. but by this
time l was completely lost to any
sober weighing and measuring of the
possible consequences. Leaning across
the desk end l gave him a final shot.
Just as he was getting up to 81.
Listen. Mr.. Hatch" said. You
haven't fooled me for a single minute.
Your guess is right; / heard every
word That passed Between .1ou aid
Ar. Henckel that Monday morning In
the Bullard lobby. As say, J. haven't
told anybody yet but MIR. NOrcross:
but II you 60 to making trouble for
him and the railroad company. I'll 20
into court and swear to what know ~
He was halfway out Of the door
when got through. and he never
made any sign that he heard what ]
said. After he was gone I began to
sense. just little. how big a fool I
had made of myself. But 1 was still
mad clear through at the idea that
he had taken me for the other kind Of
q fOol-the kind that wouldn't know
enough to be sure that the president
Of big corporation wouldn't get
dowD to tampering with common
clerk unleas there was come big thing
to h. sod Off by 1t.
Stewing and sizzling over 1t, I put
Jared around with the papers on mS
"'''N WI puitC a Ilstlc White
remembered the two telegrams. and
the fact that I'd have to go and stick
the three-bladed knife into Mr.. Nor
cross. When did remember, l showed
the messages into my pocket. hicked
of the lights and started to 60 up
town and hunt for the boss.
After closing the outer door Of the
office don't recall anything particular
except that I felt my way down the
headquarters stair in the dark and
CROPPED across the lower hall to the
outside door that served for the stair
case entrance from the street. When
had felt around and found the brass
knob. something happened, I didn't
know just what. In the tiny little
fraction Of a second that I had left.
as you might say, between the hearse
and the grave. had a vague notion
that the door was falling over on me
and MASKING me nat; and after that
everything went blank.
When / came to life out of what
| seemed like an endless succession Of
bad dreams 1t was broad daylight and
the sun was shining brightly through
| some filmy kind Of curtain stuff In a
big window that looked out toward the
west. / was In bed, the room was
strange. and my right hand was
wrapped up In q lot of cotton and
| handaged.
/ hadn't more than made the first
restless move before / saw a sort of
I pie-faced woman in nurses cap and
| apron start to get up from where she