The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1921-04-08

isn't always as good rs It's SAID 10
be) whispered to me to lead him on
and see how far he would go. So
told him the figures If my pay check.
'I'm needing another shorthand
man, and can afford to pay good
bit more than that" he growled.
"They tell me you are well up at the
top in your trade. Are you open to an
OfferY
let him have 1t straight then. "Not
from you," / said.
"And why not from meY
Here was where / made my first
bad break. All of a sudden l got so
angry at the thought that he was ac-
tually trying to buy me that / couldn't
see anything but red, and l blurted
out, Because l don't hire out to work
for any strong-arm outft-not if
know itp'
For q little while he sat blinking
ut me from under his bushy eyebrows,
and his hard mouth was drawn into
a straight line with a mean little
wrinkle coming and going at the cor
ners Of it.
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
best 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. l want to
show you what can do for you in
better field than railroading ever was,
or ever will be. It'll pay YOU" and
he named figure that very nearly
made me fall dead out of my chair.
OF course, it 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 the
witness.
Il guess we needn't beat about the
bushes any longer, Mr.. Hatch" said,
braciDg up to him. II haven't told
the sheriff, or anybody but Mr.. Nor
cross. what l know about q certain
little train hold-up that happened
few weeks ago down at Sand Greek
siding; but that isn't saying that I'm
not going to-"
If l had had the sense of a field
mouse, I might have known that l
was no match for such a man; but
l lacked the sense-lacked it good and
hard.
you're 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 it. That hold-up
business was a joke, from start to
finish. 1 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 a little dinner we
were giving him at the railroad club,
he said there never was railroad
hold-up that couldn't have been stood
off. A few of us got together after
ward and put up 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 a
joke! !" | retorted.
II know he didn't; and that's why
we're all anxious now to dig a hole
and bury the thing decently. Perhaps
we had all been taking a drop too
much at the club dinner that night"
At that / swelled up man-size and
kicked the whole kettle of fat into
the fire.
"Of course, it was a joke!" Trip
ped out. "And your coming here to-
night to try to hire me away from Mr..
Ntrcress is another. The woods are
full of good shorthand men, Mr.. Hatch,
but for the present think l shall
stay right where 1 anywhere a court
subpoena can find me when I'm
wanted"
That's all nonsense, and you know
tiff you're not too much of kid to
know anything" he snapped shooting
out his heavy jaw at me. II merely
wanted to give you chance to get
rid of the railroad collar, if you felt
like it. / like a fighting man; and
you've got nerve. Take night and
sleep on it. Maybe you'll think diff
ferently in the morning"
Here was another chance for me to
get off with a whole skin, but by this
time I was completely lost to any
sober weighing and measuring of the
possible consequences. Leaning across
the desk end ! gave him final shot,
just as he was getting up to go.
Listen, Mr.. Hatch" l said "YOu
haven't fooled nue. for a single minute.
Your guess is right; heard every
word that passed between you and
Mr.. Henckel that Monday morning in
the Billiard lobby. AS say, l haven't
told anybody yet but Mr.. Norcross;
but if you go to making trouble for
him and the railroad company, I'll go
into court and swear to what know y
He was halfway out of the door
when l got through, and he never
made any sign that he heard what /
said. After he was gone l began to
sense, just a little, how big fool. 1
had made of myself. But l was still
mad clear through at the idea that
he had taken me for the other kind of