White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-08-10
INSTALLMENT NO. 10.

point of view-there was no denying
that
Even if l consented to your pro-
posal," he said, 81 should object to
your annoying the young lady with
impertinent questions. or to your be-
ing introduced as spy into re-
spectacle house"
Old Sharon doubled his dirty fists
and drummed with them on the
rickety table in comical frenzy Of
impotence while Mr.. Troy was
speaking.
What the devil do you know about
my way of doing my business?" he
burst out, when the lawyer had done.
"One Of us two is talking like born
idiot, and (mind this) it isn't me.
Look here! Your young lady goes out
for a walk, and she meets with
dirty, shabby old beggar-I look like
a shabby old beggar already, don't L?
Very good This dirty old wretch
whines and whimpers and tells a
long story, and gets sixpence out Of
the girl, and knows her by that time,
inside and out, as we'll as he had
made her-and, mark! hasn't asked
her a single question, and, instead of
annoying her, has made her happy in
the performance of a charitable ac-
ton Stop a bit l haven't done with
you yet. Who blacks your boots and
shoes? Look here!" He pushed his
pug-dog off his lap, dived under the
table, appeared again with an old
boot and bottle of backing. and set
to work with tiserish activity. I'm
going out for walk, you know, and
I may as we'll make myself smart"
With that announcement he began to
sing over his work-a song of senti-
ment, popular in England, in the early
part of the present century" She's
all my fancy painted her, she's love
iy, she's divine: but her heart it is
another's, and it never can be mine!
Too-ral-loo-ral-loo' like love
song. Brush away. brush away. till
| SEQ my own pretty face in the
backing. Hey! Here's a nice harm
less, jolly old man! sings and jokes
over his work. and makes the kitchen
quite cheerful What's that you say?
He's a stranger and don't talk to him
too freely. You ought to be ashamed
Of yourself to speak in that way Of
a poor old fellow with one foot in the
grave. Mrs. Cook will give him nice
bit of dinner In the scullry, and John
FoOtman will look out an old coat for
him. And when he's heard every
thing he wants to hear, and doesn't
come back again the next day to his
work, what do they think of it in
the servants hall? Do they say,
We've had a spy among us?' Yah!
you know better than that by this
time. The cheerful old man has been
run over in the street, or is down
with fever, or has turned up his toes
in the parish dead house-that's what
they say in the servants hall. Try me
in your kitchen, and see if your serv-
ants take me for spy. Come, come,
Mr.. Lawyer! out with your ten
pounds and don't waste any more
precious time about it,"
Il will consider, and let you know"
said Mr.. Troy.
Old Sharon laughed more ferocious-
ly than ever, and hobbled round the
table In great hurry to the place at
which Moody was sitting. He laid one
hand on the stewards shoulder, and
pointed derisively with the other to
MIR. Troy.
Il say, Mr.. Snent-man! Bet you
five pounds 1 never hear of that
lawyer again!
Silently attentive all through the
interview Except when he was an
swering questions), Moody only re-
piled in the fewest possible words.
II don't bet" was all he said He
showed no resentment at Sharon's IA
niliarity, and he appeared to find no
amusement in Sharon's extraordinary
talk. The old vagabond seemed ac-
tual1y to produce serious impress
sion on him. When Mr. Troy set the
example of rising to go. he still kept
his seat, and looked at the lawyer
as If he regretted leaving the atmo-
sphere of tobacco-smoke in the dirty
room.
"Have you anything to say before
we go?" Mr.. Troy asked.
Moody rose slowly, and looked at
old Sharon. met just now, sir" he
replied, looking away again, after a
moments reflection.
Old Sharon interpreted Moody's
look and Moody's reply from his own
peculiar point Of view He suddenly
drew the steward away into corner
Of the room.
II say!" he began in whisper.
"Upsn your solemn word Of honor,
you know-ars yeu as rich as the
lawyer there?'
Certainly not"
Look here! It's half price to a
poor man. If you feel like coming
back, on your own account, five
pounds will do from you! There!
fharal Think of it=-think of IT,