Evening star., 1922-10-29
BY
GERALD
MYGATT

y 'Try to break me. will they?" mum
bed Old Bull McAndrus to himself.
He pulled q cigar from his pocket,
shipped 1t savagely with his pocket
knife. lighted 1t, jammed his hands into
tho pockets Of his capacious white
nannels and strolied out to the We
| randa-
UCooD morning. Mr.. McAndrus."
" pleasant voice greeted him.
Ephraim peered UP. scowled abruptly.
BY jingo-anything on earth but this
particular catastrophe!
by Jove" stated Mr.. Harold T.,
Smith. pleasure to see you again.
I'm sure. Only got in this morning.
you know-brought along a dozen
ponies from Aiken. Got 'em picketed
out-regular cavalry picket line and
all that-in a field on the other sidc
Of the track. intend to rent 'em out.
Supply the demand-hey. what? or
do you think the hotel would like to
make an offer on 'em?"
Ephraim gave him an icy stare.
How should know what the hotel
would or wouldn't do?" he retcrted
souriy.
Tho young man cooked his head to
,ns side. quizzical lock lowering
In his eyes. NO reason at ALL" he
said lightly. Il simply thought you
might. old thing"
Don't call me old thing. I don't
like it."
"Ah, yes" Mr.. Smith frightened.
That reminds me Of something.
Er-of course, naturally you wouldn',
like it, l can sc. hat. II you were
young chap. now. you would take ::
as a mark Of"
THANK heaven I'm not" snapped
Ephraira.
Quite So" Mr.. smith observe.
But for q man OF your advance.
years should say" !
How old do you think I am, you
cub?" barked Ephraim. You chill
dren seem to have an idea"
you must be TO-" said Mr.. Smith
urbanely.
I'm 50, II you want to know.
Does that satisfy you? VIII you get,
out Of here and leave me alone?"
Just at that moment a bell hoy
touched Ephraim upon the shoulder.
Telephone. sir" he announced.
Ephraim rose and made his way TO
the booth in the hotel Office. Five
minutes later he came out frowninG.
That's no. 80 good" he said to him
self.
Twent. minutes later he was want
ed on the phone again, and once more
ten minutes after that.
Get me q car" he called to the bell
boy upon emerging from the booth.
Want to go to the village" Down
there. ne knew, the telephone COM
pany could give him a booth that was
really private. Five impatient min
utes dragged by. Then an automo-
bile ratified up to the front CT the
hotel and Ephraim climbed in.
Some three or four hundred yards
beyond the hotel grounds the car sud
denly jerked to a halt.
Road blocked" said the driver over
his shoulder.
Ephraim looked ahead. A gang OF
negroes was digging q wide trenc9
directly across the highway.
Take another road" Ephraim di-
rected.
Amt no other road" said the
driver.
Ephraim clambered out Of the car
and strode up The ditch.
What does this mean?" he def
manded. You can't block this road"
A white man shambled forward.
jerking his thumb toward a crude!y
painted Sign at the side of the high
way.
Putin a drain in." the man ex-
planned with no interest. Got new
deputy-his orders"
do you mean to say l can't get
throughT'
Reckon So" drawled the man.
Read the sign"
"Ephraim souinted at it belliger-
emily:
Road closed for repairs. No pass
ing, under penalty Of the law.
HAROLD T. SMITH,
Deputy Overseer OF Roads. Pinden
County"
Ephraim glared at 1t. You 60
back" he directed the driver. "Ili
walk" He peered at the sign again.
Harold T. Smith, huh? Must be two
Of 'em. Curses never come singly."
He laughed harshly as he shouldered
his way past the obstruction.
It was luncheon time before
Ephraim stumped back to the hotel
He located Anne on the veranda and
beckoned t. her significantly.
Anne. dear" he informed her So
berly. ''I've got to race back to New
York on the first train this evening.
No." he raised his hand, ITS vital.
I've got to go. There's big bear raid,
on in General Industrials and it's got
me pinched. The banks asking for
McAndrus hasn't been squeezed like
this for the last five years. Some
body must know that I've been out at
the game. They've caught me nap
ping. Anne. Jim Blenders doing the
best he can. but I'm needed back"
sIll 60 along with you, OF course"
said the girl. She kissed him affec-
tionately. Poor old daddums! So
many worries. Better get some golf
in this afternoon-it'll do you good.
I'll play around with you-want mo
to-
You bet I do" he replied. Then:
Say. Anne girl, this is serious for
your old father"
a T 3 o'clock that afternoon Ephraim
"A McAndrus and his daughter
marched out arm in arm to the Gok
course. At the first tee, strangely