San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-05

With the first light Buddy mount
ed one of his horses, and, regardless
of admonitions, set out. In miles he
Ind no great distance to go; never
theless, it was midday before he
came in sight of his fathers un-
painted farmhouse, and when he
dismounted at the front porch he
fell rather than walked through the
door.
Even after he had been helped into
the kitchen and his wet clothes had
been stripped from him, he could
tell little about his trip, but hot
food and drink brought him around
and then, indeed, his story was one
that deeply touched the elder man.
Already the waters had ceased to
rise, but Buddy's difficulty in get
ting thorugh proved the folly of at
tempting to escape for the time be-
ing; his horse had BEEN forced to
swim with him in more than one
place; in others he had waded waist
deep, stumbling through thickets,
hauling the animal after him by
main strength. There was nothing
to do, it seemed, but await subsi-
dence of the flood. Then, too, the
boy was half dead for sleep.
Late that evening, after Allie had
gone to bed, Gray had n long talk
with his young friend, during which
he told him more about his affairs
than he had made known even to
Roswell, the banker.
Buddy listened with the closest at
tention. He drew a deep breath at
last and said: ~ knew you was in
deep, but thought it was just your
way. Now / know it was Nelson's
crew that fired our gasser."
Gray continued the conversation.
"Do you think your father would
trust me? Do you think he'd 60 it
blind on my say-so?
IF he won't, will. ! got money.
Sos Allie"
Gray declined this offer with a
positive shake of the head. at must
appeal to him on its merits. wouldn't
permit you to go contrary to his
Judgment"
Judgment? What's Pas judy
ment worth? He knows it's no good.
an so do we. Eyerybody's tryin'
to do him up but you; you're the
only one he trusts. An the same
here. There's my bank roll-you
can shoot the whole piece. 1 don't
care if it never comes back. Tryin'
to get you killed! an spoilin' a well
on me-" '...
THANK you, Buddy! You-make
me slow to trust my own judgment.
IL seem TO be developing con-
science. But I'm sure this is the
thing to do, for you and your father
as well as for me. People can't
stand still; they must go forward.
The Briskow fortune must grow or
it will crumble." ...
I. II dunno if we've got as much in
us rs you seem to think" the boy
said. doubtfully.
Gray smiled. "You have common
sense, at least and that's some
thing you can't get in school. Men
wear smooth from contact with one
another, and it is time you got in
touch with something bigger than
mere drilling. II you're willing. III
take you to Wichita Falls with me-"
"Willing?' Buddy's eyes sparkled.
Guilty. he confessed; 'It's been
pretty-lonesom cut here with the
scorpions. But i wanted to show
you l could make good"
News of the damage wrought by
the recent storm was naturally. of
crave concern to Henry Nelson. but
owing to the fact that lines were
down. about his only source of in
formation. during the days imme-
diately following it, was the press
reports. He was reading the Dallas
papers with interest one morning
when his attention was arrested by
the name of Calvin Gray. Nov
Gray's name in print affected the
banker almost as disagreeably as did
a sight of the man himself: there
fore it was with intense resentment
that he read the article in which it
appeared. 1t was wildly written
account of the formers. experience
during the flood, and. due no doubt
to Gray's personal touch, l. read
good deal like fiction.
The next time Tom Parker came