Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-03-11

you SnOulO not ne duJuuBeu Cdui anu
| do not like cads and must decline to
permit one to occupy the same state
room at my expense. You are clever
and amusing and laughed at you, but
at the same time my sense of humor Is
not so great as to cause me to over
look your impudence and laugh with
you. Now, If you have anything to
say, say it quickly, because you're
going to go away from herein a
hurry"
81 plead guilty to the indictment,
Mr.. Webster, and submit as an excuse
the fact that desperate circumstances
require desperate measures. l am not
begging my way, neither am I beating
1t, for the reason that both forms Of
travel are repugnant to me. | am
merely taking advantage of certain
fortuitous circumstances to force you,
an entire stranger, to extend to me a
credit of fifty dollars until we reach
San Buenaventura, when you will be
promptly reimbursed"
ut Is not my habit" Webster retOrt-
ed stifiy ito extend credit to stran-
gers who demand It,"
~ do not demand 1t, sir. beg it OF
you, and because I cannot afford to be
refused took care to arrange matters
so that you would not be likely to re-
fuse my request. Really, I do not mean
to be cocksure and impudent, but be-
fore you throw me out I'd like to let
you in on a secret about yourself"
well"
you're not going to throw me out"
"Why nOt?"
Because you can't"
"Thats fighting talk. Now, just to
prove to you the depth of error in
which you founder, young man, am
about to throw you out" And he
grasped Andrew Bowers in the grip Of
grizzly bear and whisked him out Of
the top berth
"Wait one second" his helpless vic.
tim cried. ~ have something to say
before you go any further"
Say it," Webster ordered. "Your
tongue is the only part of you that l
cannot control"
"When you throw me out on deck"
Andrew Bowers queried, do your pa
jamas go with me? Does the hair go
with the hide?'
"They cost me sixteen dollars In Salt
Lake City, but-goOd lord. yes. I can't
throw you out mother naked; d-n it, !
can't throw you out at all"
Didn't l tell you so? Be good fell
low and turn me loose"
"Certainly-for the time being
You'll stay locked in this stateroom
while l have a talk with the captain
He'll probably dig up shirt, pair Of
dungarees and some old shoes for you
and set you ashore before we get out
of the river. If he doesn't do that he'll
keep you aboard and you'll shovel coal
for your passage"
"But I'm Andrew Bowers and the
purser has collected my trSt-class
ticket :"
what of it? | shall declare-and
with truth-that you are not Andrew
Bowers, that you are not my valet. and
that | did not buy the ticket for you. |
dare you to face the captain in my pa
jamas and prove you aren't a stowa-
way"
you would win on that point" the
battling guest admitted, but it is
point you will not raise. Why? Be
cause have another trump up my XII
mono" He climbed back into the up
per berth and from that vantage point
gazed down benevOlently upon John
Stuart Webster I'm disappointed in
you he continued sadly 81 thought
you'd show a little normal human curl
Osity about me-and you haven't You
do not ask questions or | could eX-
plain, while | cannot volunteer infOr-
nation without seeming to seek your
pity, and that of course would be re-
pugnant to me. l am hoping you will
accept my word of honor that you
shall be reimbursed two hours Otter
you land in San Buenavatura."
New music to your song, my friend,
but the same old words" Webster re-
torted, and stepped to the stateroom
door you're doomed to shovel coal or
go ashore"
Listen. If go ashore, your respon-
sibility for my life ceases, Mr.. Web
ster, but if the chief engineer happens
to be short one cOal-passer and the
captain sends me down to the stoke
hole. your responsibility for my death
begins. for I'll be put ashore publicly
at San Buenaventura and two hours
later ri be facing a firing squad in the
cemetery at the Cathedral de la Vera
Cruz"
Gosh" John Stuart Webster muir
INJURED dazedly. I'm afraid ! can't take
a chance like that for fifty dollars. I'm
whipped to FRAGILE. ANY time I'm
sitting in back of a royal flush and the
other fellow bluffs me out Of the pot, l
always buy the wine. When it arrives
we shall drink TO our better acquaint-