Evening star., 1922-01-22

a-settin' here on the piazza"
The small boy dug his toes into the
dust and disappeared up the street.
Presently Marvin Preston appeared in
answer to the indirect summons.
How be ye, Marvin? Stock doin'
well?"
'Fust class. See the critter they're
figgerin' on barbecuin'? He's q
sample
I'm! Lived here quite spell.
hain't you. Marvin-quite a spell?"
Born here. Scattergood."
Know lots of folks, don't ye? Got
acquainted consId' able in town and
the surroundin' country"
"a feller 'ud be apt to in ffty-fve
year."
"Call to mind the Megges that used
to live here?"
place next to the Newton farm
recollect 'em WELL"
IT WED next to OIL man Newton, eh?
- Forgot that" Scattergood had
not forgotten it, but quite the con-
trary. His interest in the Meggses
was negligible. His purpose in mem
tioning them was to approach the
Newtons circuitously and by stealth.
as he always approached affairs Of
Importance to him.
"Know 'em well? Know 'em as
wells you knowed the Newtons."
mot by no means. I've knowed
OIL man Newton better'n most any,
body seems as though
'Um! Les see-had a son, didn't
hep.
run of with the organ money"
said Marvin shortly.
Remember suthin' about him.
Quite q while back"
Eight year. Allus recall the date
on account of sellin' Holstein heifer
to Avery Sutphin the mornin' follerin'
fer cash."
Him that was dep'ty sheriff?"
That's the feller."
"Um! Ever git notion what young
Mavin up and stole that money fer?"
Unborn cussedness. calc'late."
"Allus seemed to me like OIL man
Newton might-A made restitution Of
that there money" said Scattergood,
tentatively.
"Hm" Marvin cleared his throat
and glanced UP the street. "Seein's
how it's you, dunno but what I kin
tell you suthin' you hain't heard nor
nobody else. Young Mavin sent that
there money back to his father in
letter to be give to the church and
the OF man burned It! That's what
he up and done. Two hundred good
dollars went up in smoke! Said they
was crimes that was beyond restitu-
tion or forgiveness. and robbin the
house Of God was one OF EN-"
"Um! Now, Marvin. I'd be mighty
curious to learn II the oil man got
that information from God himself or
If it come out Of his own head. No
matter. I calc'late. 'Twan't credit
with the church young Mavin was
after when he sent back the money
and the Lord, he knows the money
come, II tho organ fund never did find
1t out"
Guess I'll take walk down to
spackles' and look over the steer.
They tell me he dressed clost to nine
hundred. Hope they contrive to cook
him through and through. Never see
a barbecued critser yit that was done.
Folks is beginnin' to git here. Guess
they won't be spare bedroom in
town that hain't full up"
Scattergood pulled on his shoes.
and, leaving his store to take care of
itself, walked up the road. turned
across the moving which had been
metamorphosed into an athletic field,
trusted his weight to the temporary
bridge across the brook, scrambled
up the bank to tho great oven
where the steer was to be baked,
and where the potato hole was
ready to receive twenty bushels OF
potatoes and the arch was ready to
receive the sugar vat in which two
thousand ears of corn were to be
steamed. Pliny Pickett was In charge,
with Ulysses Watts. sheriff. and Cor
oner Boyle as assistants. They had
fred up already and were sitting
blissfully by in the blistering heat,
Dragging about the sort OF meal they
were going to purvey. and specu.
lat!ne on whether the imported band
would play enough and how the bail
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