Evening star., 1921-05-01

where l mellered ye the last time you
| tackled me-"
effect on MIR. Sturneli. He look
ed the dilbo bird over. stared hard at
the sheet-iron and then wet his fin
ger and touched the metal. as a
| housewife tests hot flatiron
! so that's it. is it. Horace p. Towle?
!I have got a states prison crime
proved against you. and here are
plenty of witnesses to back me up
| 1 don't know what that crltter is,
| but it's an animile. and here's what
l am He slapped the badge. But
I amt going to soil my hands on you
! I'll be back here in about five min
Iutes with gent who'll show you
/ what's what in the way of law and
/ authority"
| You don't need to go searching
for me. Agent Sturnell." said some
body in cold tones. and Mr.. Omel
| Simpson pushed toward through
the spectators. II have just been in
/ formed in regard to this cruel per-
stop it. Sir, whatever your name is.
agent as at'd for ~r the s, +. c. A. arrest
/ you for cruelty to an animal.
Mr.: Simpsons, great and chi,s ny
dignity impressed Mr.. Towle. but ne
this bird have thorough under
standing he protested. He likes
Ito dance. It's his regular nature to
dance. But he's a tropic bird and
he'll die if his feet get cold"
! I'm glad TO be told SO much NAT.
lural history" said Mr.. Simpson. 1t
lis very interesting. But 1t doesn I
! alter my intention to take you to the
nearest bail commissioner so that you
may give bonds for your appearance
before the court.
, Several men stepped forward. we ii
go your bail" they promised.
/! Mr.. Simpson put his hand on MI.
TowIe's shoulder and pushed him
through the crowd.
Half an hour later Towle returned
to his anxious partner. i've give
bonds. and that pip-eyed son of ge-
after this. Maybe I can train that
bird to dance all natural. I'm going
to try. In the meantime. III name one
Of them baboons Omel Simpson and
the other Daniel Ward. after that bail
commissioner. and well go along
with the show as best we can"
There was nothing to complain OF
in the way Of patronage. That show
had been well advertised. Mr.. Towle
got up a lecture on "Llewellyn Stur-
I
FIVE cents of any mans money. And
the human Llewellyn Sturnell. dog
gedly sticking to his job OF protect
ing the dilbo bird. circled the tent and
growled and ground his teeth and
could not think of any way to stop
Mr.. Towlc'S mouth.
! The next week they opened their
show and Mr.. Towle opened his mouth
at the Smyrna fair. Mr.. Sturnell met
Mr.. Stimpscn down in the beech grove
to give in report.
"The best I've been able to do is
'leven dollars. and 1 nigh had to
knock down three old wizzenpoofs to
get even that" he ragged. "Old Hor-
ace P. Towie is goofing me with thai
mouth Of his. | tell ye. They. amt
iafraid Of me. They begin to grin and
Igiggle when they see me coming. And
a badge hasn't got no terrors when
they're laughing at the man who is
wearing it,"
"Sturnell. devised that scheme and
picked you for the job because you
haven't any brains. But. you infer
nal fool, / didn't realize that your
crook edness would make boomer
ang out Of you. However. I've got
you on my hands and I'll have to
keep on using you. l suppose
Try to dump me and see what will
happen" threatened the intractable
special agent.
II want you to give me that badge
You can't wear il on the job I've
iplanned have found out that the
horsemen of the sporting clement are
going to have a cockinS-m main nex'
week at the Lebanon fair. / propose
to have you join in--carry rooster
there yourself: get names and-well
then we'll see"'
What do l get out of it?"
That will depend on how success
, full you are in making the offender:
! appreciate my leniency.
"You must carry an ordinary barn
Ward fowl just as if you didn't know
. anv better. They won't allow you tt
fight such a fowl against game birds
Therefore you'll not be inCriminatet
along with the others. That viii
5 make you better go-betwcen. That!
! all Now give me that badge"
. Mr.. Sturnell gloomily SURRENDERED
the emblem of authority. and MIR
a Simpson walked away.
4 THERE was no special secrecy il
/! "horse square" at Lebanon fai
= about the "hen-fight" The horsemel
9 talked about it freely. depending OIL
l the masonry of their guild. 1t was t
: be pulled off in the evening in tn,
feed barn.
, At Lebanon Mr.. Towle found him
self in dubious state of mind. anc
, he exposed some. of his emotions tt
Mr.. Purvis. "My mind was all easy 81
long as Lell SturnelI was in sight
bounding it around our tent ant
growing. But now he is keeping
away. I'm getting worried. Jest be.
fore dusk l saw him ha'nting around
the poultry-sheds. He has prob'ly
gone into the en-stealing business
seeing that he hasn't got the courage
to be a murderer. though he was born
one. ! may be able to ketch him
stealing hens. and then I'll have him
!. in Jail and know where he is. I'm 60
ing to snoop around a little
! Mr.. Purvis protested, but shis part.
ner was obsessed by his apprehension
of the danger unseen. He insisted
that he proposed to locate his enemy
il possible. After he had sleuthed
around the avenues Of the fairgrounds
} for some time, Mr.. Towle was thrilled
by the Joy Of discovery. Mr.. Stur-
] nell passed across the radiance that
, was shed by a polelight. Mr.. Towle
in shadows. was not perceived by the
foe. The latter was Juggling in one
hand sack that sagged heavily. In
, the darkness Mr.. ToWle was able IL