Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-02-28

Out Of the Dark Fisred the Powerful
Form and Trueuient Face Of Black
Bogus.
uweIt-and woulo ever dweli--in his
memory again stole across the mind
of the watcher.
But Black Bogus had not smoked
long until II became apparent that he
was anything but a man at his ease
Every sound outside received his
strained attention, and when not lis
tening, he smoked viciously.
At last he shuffled himself erect,
felt Of his elbow where II had rested
heavily upon the larger box, knocked
the ashes from his pipe, dropped an
arm across his knee. bent forward
and seemed lost In thought.
Shifting his pose after time. he
Strengthened, put away his pipe.
reached into the inside pocket of his
faded coat and drew out thick
bunch Of greenbaeks--a handful Of
bills that appeared to be nm assert.
ment Of tens and twentles.
The woodsman guardcdly shifted
his position 50 as to get n better look.
As he did SO. his knee accidentally
| jostled the rubbish heap.
With an oath Black Bogus chucked
the money hack into his pocket and
leaped at one bound into corner out
| OF range with the window. u heavy
revolver balanced In his hand. his eyes
sweeping every nook and Granny from
which the alarming sound might have
come.
Al that tense instant n bat. darting
about under the rafters, blinded by
the light, dashed Itself against the
| cabin gable and fell almost ut the DIES
| perado's feet.
Damn the thing" he growled. plac.
Ing his foot upon the half-stunned
creature and grinding u TO death. at
the same time thrustlng the heavy re-
volver into his pocket and turning
back to the light.
He slouched down on the smaller
box; took the money out % his pocket
again and began a close inspection OF
each bill, one by one. Ten OF the bills
the ones that appeared to the nun
watching him TO be the newest--he
laid out upon the box. The others he
put back In his pocket.
Then an astonishing thing happened
20 the ten new bills. He took from
his greasy, wrinkled trousers n plug
of tobacco and shipped of chew
with his powerful teeth drew from
the side pocket Of his coat half q
handful OF what looked 10 be ordinary
black soil OF rotted leaf mold mols
tened II very slightly with tobacco
juice: rubbed little OF Il on each
bin and secured them between his
hands. rumpllng and crumpling them
In every conceivable way. lie rolled
the corners between his fingers and
thumbs; bent the corners down; twist.
ed and secured the bills as II he would
wear them out
II soon appeared that to wear them
was the very thing he was attempting
10 do. for as he worked them and
broke them In his powerful hands,
they lost their newness and took on
the look Of bills that had been long
In circulation. He was making old
money out OF new. Light began to
dawn on the man watching him.
An hour or more he spent at the
task. When at last II appeared to be
finished to his satisfaction. he exam,
ined them all close to the light, bin
by bin.
They appeared 60 pass the yer,
palnstaking and critical inspection
for, with satisfied grunt. he picked
up his pipe. relighted II and smoked
nervously.
Another hour or more he smoked
aud hdgeted; finally turned the lamp
low; strobe to the door. opened II Q
narrow slit aud peeped out.
But apparently enough OF the night
had not gone for whatever purpose he
had In mind. for with muttered
grunt. he closed the door; STROBE Inn
/ patiently back and forth across the
door q time or two: siouched down
upon the boz and. without turning up
the light. again hunted his pipe.
II must have been well toward mid
night. and the cramped position Of the
man behind the rubbish heap had
grown almost UNDESIRABLE. when. after
many peeps through the narrow slit
at the door. Black Bogus blew out the
light and very softly slipped out VI
the cabin.
The woodsman rose. listened to the
low swish Of Black Bogus recedlng
steps among the weeds until there
came the creak OF the rails ~ he
climbed the fence into the Eagle Hoi.
low read. Opening the door with the
utmost caution. Jack slipped out and
stood iisiening--the steps had turned
down the Rad toward the village. lie
closed the door and followed.
tie had n"i Swallowed the renegade
' tar until u be<anse s,l.slnly Nitleut lAut