Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1922-03-03
An Incorruptible
Thief
By MARTHA McWILLIAMS

Observation-Disclosures SssssssSsssssssssssssS
| g. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper iSyhdicate.
| go to Jane Lauder and tell her
| love her." a robust bass voice sang AS
Jane came down the steps. She made
a face at the singer, then gave him her
profile, creamy cameo against her
red sunshade, as she said: why
don't you tell her yourself? Remem-
Der, representation is thief Of time
and no time like the present"
Please, I'm singin' to my dog
Rough-Neck, trying to. train him. You
Interrupted" the singer returned sadly,
(which is very bad-for both Of us.
'Tention, Roughy-you 60 tell. but
don't say it with fowers-and you
haven't words enough. That's lucky
she looks at you .solnp'n awful when
you venture on candied speech"
Don't you mean candid? Jane
broke In. The dog trainer frowned
and shook his head. II know what l
mean-Roughy's the one that has to
find out" he said. "Now, old top,
listen hard. Do-not-say-it-w
flowers. She has all the flowers-and
then some. But she has also fine,
almost athletic appetite-so recall the
time when you fetched home to me a
three-pound porterhouse steak-and
repeat the performance for her bene-
fit"
$50 that's how you do 1t !! No Won
der you're such pals with Roughly"
Jane cried joyously. 'But aren't you
silly-to share such a provider with
| anybody"
Dear girl, there is method in my
madness" ROughy's master explained
airily. ut has suddenly dawned on
me that your ofiishness, your positive
Indifference to me Is based on craven
fear Of scant rations. Cupid solus
Is VIGOROUSLY an Indifferent commits
sary-but Cupid plus Roughly once you
know what he can do"
Il see," from Jane. 81 also see that
prosperous future will depend very
much on happy choice of neighbors.
Suppose Fate ordained us to live where
were religlously frowned en?"
"Why! We might make out on legs
| of lamb-in a pinch--or even a fine
| fat fowl. A real chicken I fear
Roughly would keep for himself" Ex-
Captain Bledsoe explained. "At least
he did-one time. suppose his con-
science excused him-real chickens
| being such rare birds"
'How did you find out?" Jane asked,
pretending anxiety.
BledsOe sighed. "He was tracked
home," 'vThat seemed to me feloni-
| ous--considering we were service men.
But the lady, party of the other part,
said we owed her five dollars-two
for the bird and the balance for the
wear and tear on her feelings at doing
| without It,"
Jane swept him curtsy. Its glad
am you two got your come-uppance
one time." she said in the best man.
ner Of Nora the cook. "And hope also
| II teached We a lesson-three dollars
Of chicken neither of We ate Is sinful
extravaganza"
| ut Is. You ought to save us from
such things in future" Bledsoe acqui-
esced.
Over her shoulder Jane Lander,
| spoiled beauty and heiress, flung back
at him: .Pll think about it--provided
you don't put 1t on the ground of
patriotic philanthropy.
| mo danger of that-just pure plain
philanthropy-which means, You know.
love of your fellow man." Bedsoe
called after her. whistling Roughly to
heel and march away in the other
direction. He was riotous-drunken
with happiness. Free from gives that
had threatened to hold him for life.
He had laughed in the face of them
even as he had laughed in the face of
hideaus death, always leading. though
he might crawl through a hail of bull
let's. sparing his men where and how
he might, but never sparing himself
| There seemed magic in such hardi.
hood-he had come back without q
scratch-without also the precious
trinkets, orders, crosses, what not
which he called hardware de luxe"-
that rewarded other men of no greater
courage nor daring. There was no in.
| justice in it-he had resolutely re-
fused to tell Of his own exploits
More, had begged silence of the others
who might have spoken. They had
obeyed, not too cheerfully. until he
said to them: II want to 90 bacl;
myself. and all Of you who lived
through with me, knowing and feeling
that nothing can distinguish us more
than the title of plain American
citizen. If any of you don't agree with
me I'll help you get the hardware.
Scorn 1t? Not bit-just feel that II
doesn't fit my peculiar style of beau
ty."
So he escaped. Other things he did
not escape. One of them, sweet and
twenty. piquantly pretty, with an
adorable way of murmuring broken
English, had made him believe himself
fathoms deep in love- They had parted
FACES WOULD