Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-03-24

WEBSTER FelOfLeQ. just LflAle lOO
cocksure. Up to the present moment
you have proffered no evidence why
you should not be adjudged cad, and
1 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
hurry"
II plead guilty to the indictment,
Mr.. Webster, and submit as an excuse
the fact that desperate circumstances
require desperate measures. / an not
begging my way, neither am 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
credit Of fifty dollars until we reach
San Buenaventura, when you will be
promptly reimbursed"
"It is not my habit" Webster retort-
ed stif1y, ito extend credit to stran-
gers who demand It,"
81 do not demand 1t, sir. beg it of
you, and because cannot afford to be
refused l took care to arrange matters
so that you would not be likely to re-
fuse my request. Really, 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"
"WellY
you're not going to throw me out"
"Why notT
Because you can't"
"That's 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
a grizzly bear and whisked him out Of
the top berth.
"Wait one second" his helpless vic
tim cried. 81 have something to say
before you go any further"
"Say it," Webster ordered. "Your
tongue is the only part of you that
cannot control"
'When you throw me out on deck, y
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 can't
throw you out mother naked; d-n 1t, ]
can't throw you out at ALL"
Didn't tell you so2 Be a good fel
low and turn me loose"
"eertainly-for the time being
You'll stay locked in this stateroOn
while I have a talk with the captain
He'll probably dig up shirt, pair Of
dungarees and some old shoes for yoJ
and set you ashore before we get ou
Of the river. If he doesn't do that he'll
keep you aboard and you'll shovel Goa
for your passage"
'But I'm Andrew Bowers and th
purser has collected my frst-clas
ticketw
"What Of it? 1 shall declare-ant
with truth--that you are not Andrew
Bowers, that you are not my valet ant
that did not buy the ticket for you.
dare you to face the captain in my pa
jamas and prove you aren't stOwa
way"
"You would win on that point" tn
battling guest admitted, "but it is
point you will not raise. Why? Be
cause l have another trump up my ki
mono" He climbed back into the uI
per berth and from that vantage poin
gazed down benevolently upon job
Stuart Webster. "I'm disappointed i
YOU" he continued sadly. 81 though
you'd show a little normal human cur
osity about me-and you haven't. Yo
do not ask questions or l could e.
plain, while 1 cannot volunteer infol
nation without seeming to seek you
pity, and that of course would be r'
pugnant to me. am hoping you wi
accept my word of honor that yo
shall be reimbursed two hours Ofte
: you land in San Buenavatura."
"New music to your song, my frient
but the same old words" Webster r.
torted, and stepped to the staterool
door. You're doomed to shovel coal
= go ashore"
Listen. If go ashore, your respol
sibility for my life ceases, Mr.. Wei
ster, but if the chief engineer happer
to be short one coal-passer and I'll
: captain sends me down, to the stok
hole, your responsibility for my deaf
: begins, for I'll be put ashore publicl
e at San Buenaventura and two houl
. later I'll be facing firing squad in Il
cemetery at the Catedral de la Vel
e Cruz"
: "Gosh," John Stuart Webster mu
? INJURED dazedly, "Tm afraid can't tai
a chance like that for fifty dollars. T
b whipped to a FRAGILE. Any time L
J. sitting in back of royal flush and Il
!, other fellow bluffs me out of the pot,
: always buy the wine. When 1t arriv
= we shall drink to our better acquai1
r ance Pending its arrival, please
h advised that you are welcome to n