Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-12-08

good deep breath of free air and shake
my fist at your blamed old cow-track
of a railroad and tell 1t TO go to the
devil. You shouldn't deny me a little
pleasure like that
1t was getting under the boss skin
at last. II can't believe that you
really want to resign he broke out.
sort Of hopelessly. Its simply pre-
posterous I"
"Pull IL down out of the future and
put II In the present, and you've got
It,. said Mr.. Van Britt. Il have re-
signed. l wrote 1t out on a piece of
paper and dropped 1t into your mail
box " | came through the outer office.
It's signed, sealed, and delivered. You'll
give me a testimonial. or something of
that sort, TO Whom II May Concern
won't you? I've been obedient and
faithful and honest and efficient. and
all that. haven't II"
ard like to know where you got your
liquor. Upton. That is the most char
liable construction ! can put upon all
this. Why, man alive you're quitting
ilt III ttC III VI lit tNUEitoi lEnl
the grafters have put uprr
Eyes. ! know but a mans got only
one life to live, and I've always had
a sneaking sympathy for the high prl-
vate In the front rank who didn't want
to stand up and get himself shot full
of holes. I'm running. and II you
should ask me why'd tell you what
the retreating soldier told Stsnewall
Jackson ne said he was running only
because he couldn't fly" Once more
the boss grew silently thoughtful. Out
OF the digging mental inquiry he
brought this:
Has this sudden notion OF yours
anything TO do with Sheila Macrae,
Upton7"
pledge you my word again. | met
Sheila on the street today and prom
Used her that l wouldn't so much
as tip my hat to her while %Collingwood
Is on this side of the Missouri river"
but If you quit, you'll go east your.
self, won't your"
Maybe, after q while. For the time
being, I'd like to loaf on you for q
week or so and watch the wheels 90
around without my hag.ng to prod
them~tAruapIp In my mind that
this newest phase Of the e-S & W.
business is going to stir up a mighty
pretty sh~InsSwSHd CHAD a foolish no.
tion that I'd leS tQStick around and
look on-as an innocent bystander.r
1.-THE Innocent bystander usually
gets shot In the ieg," the boss ripped
out, with the brittlcsi Kind Of humor.
And then: Il suppose ! shall have to I.
LET you do what you want to-and let
you pick your time for giving me
the real reason. But you're Gripping
me most sayagely| UpteB-aRd at a :
time when / am least able to stand IT," .
Mr. Van Britt got up and edged his :
way toward the door. .
Its a good reason, Graham: and .
'ome tfme-say when We are walking :
through the pearly gates OF the New /"
Jerusalem together-maybe I'll tell "
Tou about IT. III ] were really a good !.
crapper. I'd stay and help you light !
{ out with Hatch: but you know the :
Id sayfng-capital is always coward .
y ; and my present credit at the Portal
lily National is pretty we'll up TO a :.
uarter of q million. thanks TO the !.
ividends / deposited today. Good
light I'll see you In the m~ornlng--if "
Y that time you haven't decided to =,
Ut me cold "
/ kept right busy over the indexes ~
fter Mr. Van Britt went AWAY HIST -
give the boss a little chance to catch
p with himself. He sure was catch. =.
Ii hot and heavy on all sides. M
II we needed now was for President -
union TO come smashing In with one ~
lore good Jolt and II would be all =,
yer but the ~obsequies. the monument -
nd the epitaph. AT least, that Is the -
ay II looked to me. "
IT was along about ten e,eleek when -,
lie boss closed his desk with a bang or
said we'd better saw IL off for the 10
Ight. / walked uptown with him r..
as we were passing the Billiard 10
2 turned In to ask the night clerk
C~ollingwood was In his room. The ao
lswer was nix ; that the young New IN
orker hadn't been seen since dinner. ~
On the way out we saw Mr.. Van We
at the telegraph aleove. He was be
In a thick bunch of kilograms
r transmission, and he rather point go
lily turned the sheaf face down upon n,
e marble slab when we came along,
much as to say @it's none of your av
what I'm DOING no
1t struck me as sort Of curious that ON
should have -so-mueh uIre m,
'ondence when he claimed to be TAX
3 a rest. and why he was so careful NJ,
IT 10 let us ger a glimpse of what mr.
was all about. But the whole thing
as now 20 horribly muddled that a va
tie mystery more or less on any "a,
'dy.s part couldn't make much DIFF or,
renee and that was the thought \ sn.
ok 70 bed With me a little later after mn
E reached our rooms IN the railroad :,
ub.
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