Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-14

and had peeled that bill from . col.
lection OF It's fellows that he en-.
uaeted from his trousers pocket A.
between cash and credit. Doc Kin
dred was all for this picture backed
kind OF paper. And Joseph Han
cock was just now nothing slow.
"Herer he said. and skinned two
los from of his roll and tossed them
on the show case. II guess that's
premium enough. I'll give you $50
Tor the pair. not some time, but
now!" There was . most exultant
emphasis on the 'now." Sad though
his heart might be, Joe was discover
ing that there was something posi-
lively eshilarating in testing the
power Of money.
"You're on. boyw said Kindred.
,hrusting the tickets into Joe's hand
with = suddenness that left the trans
action instantly complete.
Fat Franklin. before he saw his
face. recognized the voice OF the man
who had once deluged him with
soup and who today. probably
through q stupid accident-ior he
could not credit Joe with 20 much
intelligence as to have done the thing
by design--had upset some very
cherished plans Of his. Insulted by
Kindred, whom he dared not assault.
he turned to vent his rage on Joe
Hancock, letting fly without a mo-
mcnt's hesi,ancy that fist he had had
in pickle for him for more than six
weeks now.
II was an unexpected blow, so far
as Joe was concerned; but the lad
blocked with his left and crossed
with his right, the right which was
a. hard now as il il held a brick with
IN it.
Fat Franklin experienced at first
sensations OF rude shock, then leaned
against the counter and slid absently
and Imply into a sitting posture on
the floor. where presently he dis
covered himself, with legs strangely
weak and three or four fellows with
cues in their unemployed hands try
ing to lift him by the arms.
"Wha-what happened?" he in
quired dizzily.
"You stopped fast one with your
chin. l should say" volunteered one
OF the frst-aiders; "but you started
the row. didn't your"
"Row?" inquired Fat vaguely.
"Why, there wasn't any row. just
knocked the tar out Of a buttinski
soph," remembered Fat, haltingly
and painfully.
Got your facts on wrong, Fat"
cheered another of the relief party.
"The soph knocked the tar out Of
you. He has just departcd-on our
beat it before some con-
scientious cop wanders in and makes
trouble out Of little difference be-
tween gentlemen. You'd better do
the same"
"Departed-with my tickets" de-
manded Fat Indignantly, recalling
more of the painful circumstances.
with his tickets" intervened Doc
Kindred, sharply, and blew a smoke
ring.
you robberw accused Fat. and
tried to lift his arm at the Doc, but
the arm was too weak; it fell Imply
to his side. He did we'll to balance
upon the feet to which the
pool players had lifted him. "Must
have kicked me-" he mused, still
dazed and wondering, and caressed
his jaw, tenderly while his uncertain
eye took slow stock of the entire
group. you're all sophs," he Aared
up, noticing that each wore a check
cred cap; "every darned one Of you.
It's sophomore trick. You held
me while he kicked me. I'll take it
out on the whole class for this, the
whole blithering, yawping, pick
pocket class. You seew Turning
he rocked and teetered
into the darkness, to the accompani-
ment of much sophomore laughter,
and with Doc Kindred still blowing
smoke rings behind him.
"Odds bodikins!" nurmured Joe,
homeward bound. II can feel that
fat chin Of his rising up on the end
OF my fist right now. l must have
lifted him clear off the floor. Golly!
I'll never forget the sensation, not #
| live hundred years; and I'm paid
for the cost of those tickets already,
even if Fat does get around to, Leila
early tomorrow and lure his lady
love from me on some pretext or
another"
This fear that Fat might block
him somehow at the last moment
Joe throughout the night.
Next morning he leaned back in his
hired car with an air of luxurious
ease, but the row of tips Of some OF
Doc Kindred's most expensive cigars
which decorated the young mans
vest pocket were i'll reality sort 'ot
stockade before a very anxious heart.
Yet the automobile horn had only
been honked inquiringly second
time before Mrs. McIlheney'sl door
when bright face was framed in
the attic window and a hand was
waved, hand with considerable bare
arm attached, while CHEEKY voice
called downward: "Just minutev
The agony Of suspense was over;
but only to give place to that steady
burning FIRE of despair already bak-
ing Joe's heart brown.
It was a long minute, but at length
i was past, and Leila emerged from
The boarding house door in costume
that, to her escort for the day, was
entirely new and evoked his admira-
hon. It began with a cunning white
beaver sport hat and one Of those
delightful woolly scarfs; it carried
on with a green sweater and a
snappy plaid skirt, and it finished
up with silk stockings Of = pattern
so attractive that one should have
paid luxury tax just to gaze.
Now the sight of this new flnery,
while it admittedly enhanced the
beauty Of the woman's outward ap-.
pcarance, did not, in Joe Hancock's
eyes, enhance the beauty Of her soul.
for he assumed, ignorantly, that Jack
English and Fat Franklin must have
been making her presents of clothes.
He did not know that, instead, Aunt
Eleanor had sold a sow. Nor did he