The Monroe journal., 1921-05-24

| let him have II straight then. Nol
from you" said.
And why not from mef
Here was where ! made my nrst
had break. All OF sudden ! got 50
angry at the thought that he Was ac-
tually trying 10 buy me that couldn't
see anything but red, and ! hlurted
out Because don't hire out TO work
for any srong.arm outtit-not II ]
know itt'
For a little while he sat blinking
nj me from under his bushy eyebrows,
and his hard mouth was drawn into
a straight line with q mean little
wrinkle coming and going at the cor
ners OF il.
When he got ready to speak again
he said. You're only boy. You want
10 get on in the world. don't you!
I'm Offering you good chance: the
hest YOU ever had. You don't owe
Norcross anything more than your
job, do your
Maybe not"
THAT'S better. Put On your hat
and come along with me. want To
show you what can do for you IN
better field than railroading ever Was
ar ever will be. It'll pay you anu
he named figure that very nearly
made me fall dead out Of my chair,
OF course. IL was all plain enough.
The boss had him on the hip with that
kidnapping business, with me for
witness. And he was trying To fix me
witness.
II guess we needn't beat about the
bushes any longer. Mr.. Hatch, sald'
bracing up 10 him. Il haven't told
the sheriff. or anybody hut Mr.. Nor
cross. what know about a certain
little train hold-up that happened a
few weeks ago down al sand Creek
siding. hut that isn't saying that I'm
not going 10.
If had had the sense Of field
nouse might have known that |
was no match for such a man; hut
lacked tie sense-laeked it good and
hard.
You're like your boss" he said
shortly. You'd 20 long distance out
Of your way 20 make an enemy when
there is no need of it, That hold-np
business was joke, from start to
finish. | don't know how you and Nor
cross came 10 get In on IL; the JOKE
was meant 10 be on John Chadwick
The night before. al little dinner We
were giving him at the railroad eluD
he said there never was railroad
hold.up that couldn't have been stoo'
Of. A few Of us got together AFTER
ward and put up job on him; sem
hIm over 10 Strathcona and arranged
TO have him held w ON the way back
mir. Chadwick didn't take II as
joke" ! retorted.
81 know he didn't; and that's WI!
we're all anxious now to dig hol'
and bury the thing decently. Perhap
we had all been taking drop to'
. much at the club dinner that night.
AT that | swelled up man-size ant
! kicked the whole kettle of fat Int
the fire.
j "of course. IL was a 1oSe" | rif
ped out. And your coming here tt
night to try to hire me away from Nj
N,rcruss is another. The woods ar
full Of good shorthand men. Mr.. Hatci
/ but for the present think ! sha
i stay right where | anywhere eoul
j subpoena can find me when II
: wanted
! That's all nonsense, and you kno
it-lf you're not too much of Kid
know anything" he snapped, shootii
out his heavy jaw at me. Il mere
n wanted to give you a chance to g
y rid Of the railroad collar, If you fe
= like II. | like a fighting man; nj
you've got nerve Take a night al
sleep on IL. Maybe you'll think dI
ferently in the morning
/ Here was another chance for me
n get of with a whole skin, but by III
y time was completely lost TO al
sober weighing and measuring OF {
possible consequences. Leaning aero
the desk end ! gave him final sh'
II Just as he was getting up to 60
III Listen, Mr.. Hatch," | said. y
haven't fooled me for single MINI
Your guess is right; ! heard eve
word that passed between you a
Mr.. Henckel that Monday morning
= the Bullard lobby. As say, have
r told anybody yet but Mr.. Norcro'
but II you 90 TO making trouble
n him and the railroad company, I'll
. into court and swear to what know
He was halfway out Of the d.
when I got through, and he ne
made any sign that he heard wha
said. After he was gone | began
sense. Just a little, how big foo
n had made of myself. But | was 8
. mad clear through at the idea {
he had taken me for the other kind
a fool-the kind that wouldn't fr
enough to be sure that the presid
Of a big corporation wouldn't
Il down to tampering with comr
y clerk unle-s there was some big u
to bs f..5od OF by II.
siewing and sizzling over II.
tsrsd around with the papers q