The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1922-06-30
CHAMPION LIAR
BY MARY LOUISE coRMlER

g. 1874 By Mcclure Newspaper syndicate
Milt is the champion liar of Merri-
mac Mills. His superiority In this line
has never been challenged. There are
other prevaricators in the town, but
ranged beside the urban. accomplished
Milt. they appear as SO many lisping
schoolboys. With NIT. ...ns Is an art.
II not actually profession
As boy Milf would not attend
school IL he could possibly lie his way
out of 1t. Later. when he came to be
employed In Hinckle's general store, |
his ability to evade the truth proved |
useful In number OF different ways. |
For instance, crpte Of cold storage |
eggs would be purchased. Milt would |
promptly advertise them as strictly
fresh" and levy his price accordingly.
He would sell them all.
Milt had sort of quick, crafty In
telligcnce. He realized that women
trusted him and 1t was through them
that he must reach the men. When
John Hinckle dismissed him because
of discrepancy In the cash register,
Milt swore that he would get even IL
ii took him the rest OF his life and he
straightway began to lay his plans.
On certain May morning he strolled
into the general store. Mrs. Hinckle.
thin, dark woman with a jealous
temper, was behind the counter.
Morning" said Milt. In his soft
drawl. where's JOhn? He knew
well enough that Hinckle had left that
morning for the wholesale house In
Boston where he purchased supplies.
lies gone to Boston," the woman
replied, CURLY. "Did you want to see
him about job? II you did, there's
nothing doing"
| A gentle laugh rippled out of Milt's
supple throat.
"A jobi" he repeated, with depre-
cntory smile. mo thanks. Doing
chores pays me well enough. Some
weeks l make as high as 500" That
was fallacy, of course. Milt seldom
averaged more than $50 when he
worked-and he did not work very
often.
"What did you want to see John
about, thenw persisted Mrs. Hinckle.
.Oh. it doesn't matter" Milt re-
sponded, evasively. "Come to think,
see him getting on the train this morn
ing. That Blake woman was with
him" Mrs. Hinckle stopped weighing
bag of brown sugar and her little
black eyes sparkled dangerously.
''How do you know she was-with
him." The question came as chal.
lenge and AIilt answered it with an en-
ioyment that was typical of him.
SWELL" he explained, carefully, 81
heard her say to him when he was
helping her onto the train, This is the
first trip we've had together in ter
years. John And she was laughing
sort Of happy-like, when she said it,
81 don't believe you" Mrs. Hinckl,
Informed him colily. Milt smiled ant
shrugged his shoulders
, II didn't expect you would" h,
Knocked, ambllng off.
After that Merrlmac Mills sneeret
at Mills stories" and openly brande,
/, them for what they were.
But NIilt was one Of those curious
beings who thrive on opposition.
= There was good dea! of specula
ton concerning Tillie, hIilt's yOunl
= and still pretty wife. People won
dered why she had not left him lon
ago.
TITLES gone to spend the wee
8 with my folks In Baltimore" he woul
. elucidate, as he stood in the bunkroor
Of the firehouse on Friday evenin
watching poker game. 81 kinde
n thought the change of air might do he
n good. She'll have all the comforts Q
]. home, too. My folks-the Baltimor
l. Joneses. you know-are pretty we
# OF. Most likely, by now, IilIie is rtdin
y up from the station In their tow
u car"
Through the blue haze Of ciga
smoke. the men would grin at eac
Y other over their cards as II they wer
!" in secret understanding. Thee wer
70 All of them understood tacitly tn,
y Title was. at that very moment, 81
IN ting in her shoddy home ac6ss tn
ie river, mending Mills socks.
20 One raw night in winter Milt We
40 awakened by Titles low moaning. Fl
~ found her condition to be dangero,
:. and hurriedly set out for Merrima
= Mills. Young Doctor Carrot hear
Milt's frantic knocking and flung ope
f. his bedroom window.
he "What Is it?" he called drowsily
I. the restless, dark figure on the sno,
no covered steps. Mllt explained
g. "Your wife is in Baltimore" the do
a tor answered coldiy You told me
se yourself this afternoon. And l dor
ed propose to be dragged out of bed {
,,s night like this for the sake of
ed practical joke" The window slamm,
no down.
Milt stood there in the snow, quive
ing with anger and despair.
ah Desperate and half-crazed Milt be
list rowed sleigh anc drove to Sou
a. Merrimac, some three miles ava
fl where he secured doctor. But whe
sr. after their mad race against time, tn
reached Mills shack, Title was pa
the need Of medical science.
1t was many months before Mer
.. mac Mills saw Milt again. Once fond
company, he now sought isolation.
WINS even whisDared abOut that M