The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-18
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you're wrong, Jerry, old boy-it amt
more than once or twice in q life
times you're wrong now. I'm
the guilty wretch and Id ought 70
hang for it., My rotten temper"
"Pshaw! You got one of the
incest dispositions ! ever see-in .
man. You're sweeter n a persim-
mon. peeked at you till your core
was exposed. I'm a thorn in the
flesh. Tom, and folks wouldn't crit.
CHE you none for dom away with
me-,
You're way Of. I climbed you
with my spurs"
Now. Toni" Sadly Mr.. Quirk
wagged his gray head. Il don't
often argue with anybody. especially
with you. but the damnable idea Of
dividin' our spoils originated in, my
evil mind and I'm goin to pay the
penalty. III ride this white pine out
law through bv myself. You ear him
down till get both feet in the stir
rups, then turn him a-loose; III
finish :ettin' up and l won't pull
How you talki Boats amt like
horses: it'll take a good oarsman
to navigate these rapids"
We'll" Quirk looked up quickly.
I'm a good oarsman." There was
momentary pause. "Ain't II"
Mr.. Linton hastily remedied his
slip Of the toncue. you're bearl"
he asserted. with feeling. Il don't
know as ever saw a better boatman
than you. for your weight and ex-
perienee. but-there's a few things
about boats that you never had the
chance to pick up, you being sort of
a cactus and alkali sailor. For in
stance, when you want a boat to 60
gee you have to pull on the of
oar. It's plumb opposite to the way
you steer a horse"
"Surel Didn't / 6gger that out
for the both of us? We most had
a runaway till I doped it out"
Now this was a plain perversion
Of fact. for it was Tom who had
made the discovery. Mr.. Linton was
about to so state the matter when
he reflected that doubtless Jerry's in.
tentiois were honest and that his
failing memory was to blame for the
misstatement. 1t was annoying to be
robbed of the credit for an impor-
tant discovery. of course. but Tom
swallowed his resentment.
THE point is this" he said, with
a resumption of geniality, YOU'D
get all wet in them rapids, Jerry, and
YOU know what that means. I'd
rather take chance on drowning
myself than to nurse you through
another bad cold"
1t was perfectly sincere speech
An lndlrect expression of deco
concern that reflected no little credit
upon the speakers generosity. Tom
was exasperated, therefore, when
Jerry, by some characteristic process
of crooked reasoning, managed. to
misinterpret it. Plaintively the lat
ter said:
Il s'pose l am handicap to you.
Tom. You're mighty cohsid'ra Of
my feelin's, not to throw it up TO me
any oftenei than you do"
Il don't throw it up to you none.
! never did No. Jerry. III row
the boat. You 60 overland and keep
your feet dry"
"A lot of good that would Dc"
Mr.. Quirk spoke morosely. I'D
starve to death walkin' around il
you lost the grub"
This struck Tom Linton as q yeYv
narrow. a very selfish way of look
ing at the matter. He had taken no
such view of Jerry's offer: he had
thought less about the grub than
about his partners safety Il was
an inconsiderate and unfeeling re.
mark. After a moment he said.
"You know ! don't throw things
up to you, Jerry. amt that. kind
Mr.. Quirk stirred uneasily. "You
didn't mean to say that. did your
What Jerry would have answered
is uncertain. for his attention at the
moment was attracted by a stranger
who strobe down the bank and now
accosted him and his partner jointly.
Bon jour. m'Eear's!" said the
newcomer. I'm, lookins for. buy
some lemon. You gor some, no?''
MI. Quirk spoke irritably. "Sure.
We've got few. but they amt for
sale"
The stranger-Quirk remembered
him as the Frenchman, Doret, whom
he had seen at Sheep Camp smiled