Evening star., 1922-01-22

kin feel him. l knowed it the minute
he come
"Calc'late I've seen everybody here.
and 1 hain't seen him.
Hes here, jest the same. I'm
a-lookin' fer him. Whatever name
| I'll know him. I couldn't make no
mistake about Mavin."
Matte, 1 hope 'tain't sol hope
| you're mistook."
IL don't know whether / hope SO
or not. I-oh. Mr.. Baines, I'd rather
be with him, a-comfortin' him and
| standin' by him. no matter what he
done"
Scattergood patted her arm. II
calclate," he said softly, that God
hain't never invented no institution
I'll look around, Mattie-I'll look
around
1t was the next morning at the ball
game when Matte spoke to Scatter
good again.
"I've seen him." she whispered, and
| there was a note of happiness in her
voice and look of renewed youth in
her eyes. Hes here-like I said
"Where?"
Matte lowered her voice farther
still. Look at the band" she said.
Nobody resembles him there" said
Scattergood after a minute.
wait till they stop playin', and
then see II they hain't somebody there
that takes holt of the fingers Of his
right hand, one after the other, and
| kind Of twists 'em. Look sharp!
Mavin. he allus done that when he
was nervous-allus. I'd know him by
it anywheres."
Scattergood watched. Presently the
piece" ended, and the musicians laid
down their instruments and eased
back in their chairs.
Look" said Matte.
+ + X X
THE bearded snare drummer was
performing a queer antic. 1t was
as if his fingers were screwed into
his hand and had become loosened
while he drummed. No, he was tight
ening them SO they wouldn't fall Oft.
One finger after another he screwed
up, and then went over them again
to make certain they were secure.
"I-knowed he'd come" Matte said
happily.
"Um: This here's kind Of untoward.
You keep your mouth shet. Matte
Strong. Don't you 60 near that fel-
ler till tell you. We don't want a
rumpus to spoil this here week."
But he's here--he's here"
SOS trouble!" said Scattergood sue.
cinctly.
The rest Of that day Scattergood
busted himself in searching out old
friends and neighbors OF the Newtons.
! Nothing seemed to interest him which
happened later than eight years be-
fore. but no event Of that period was
too slight or inconsequential to receive
his attention and to be filed away
j in his shrewd old brain. He was
| looking for the answer to a question,
and the answer was piled under the
rubbish of eight years Of human ac-
tivities-a hopeless quest to any but
Scattergood.
! Comedy and tragedy were alike in
/; teresting to him. Just as he lost no
detail of the old mans conduct when
his boy disappeared, SO he listened and
laughed when Martin Banks recalled
to group how old man Newton had
fallen under the suspicion OF boot
logging, and how the town had
seethed with the downfall Of an elder
Of the ohureh-and all because the
old man hadimported two cases, each
Of a dozen bottles. OF the Siwash In
dian stomach bitters, recommended to
cuse his dyspepsia There had been a
moment. said Banks, when the town
expected to see Newton shut up In
the calaboose under the post office
until the true contents Of those cases
were revealed.
/ During the afternoon Scattergood
sent six kilograms to as many dif-
ferent cities. Late that night he re.
ceived replies and sent one long mes.
sage to an individual high In Office in
the state. It was an urgent message.
amounting to a command. for in
his own commonwealth Scattergood
Baines was able to command when
the need required.
TITS IN on chance" he said 70 him.
..sA sS1s,,t Stsa xcha< srsl~hk A.AANHAH n A6