Evening star., 1925-01-18

mering.
He ate supper silently in the
kitchen. He took counsel with no
one. But that night he secretly re-
moved from Rowley's cotton shed the
bale of cotton that had been his. on
the way home he stopped once, but
the next day in a town 10 miles away
he sold it and drew his savings out
of the bank. 1t was dusk when he
pulled his weary mule up In front of
Rowleys store
Out of the store came a tall man
with spectacles and gray beard
tucked inside his long overcoat. With
sudden and acute anxiety, the old
darky scanned the face of this man.
1t was Squire Kirby. He had never
been afraid of Squire Kirby before.
But the first words of the squire
laid his fears at rest.
''How's Mrs. Duncan an the boys?"
"Deys all right. sub. Mr.. Kuhby.
would you min,' sub, steppin' in de
sto, a minute wild me?"
Not bit, Dan"
Old Dan made his way to the rear.
Mr.. Rowley," he whispered, mis-
Sally sont me wild dis money. She
say it intrust on a NOR gige. She say
you give me a receipt"
Rowley rose. He looked at Dan
"Where'd you get this?"
''Whar 1 git IT.? Mis- give 1t to me.
She say you understand
"Where'd she git it?"
Dat her business, sub. II amt
none O. mine an 1t amt none O. yours.
She say you give me a receipt. In
trust in full on morgige. Da's what
she say"
This amt my understandin'," de-
clared Rowley.
1T money, amt it?" demanded Dan.
Money better'n understandin'."
Rowley tried to stare the old man
out of countenance, but the eyes un-
der the tattered hat met him squarely.
Yonder stood Kirby. others were
dropping in. He sat down at his desk
and wrote. The old hand closed over
the paper.
Now git out" ordered Rowley.
The old man took the paper to
Kirby.
viii you read dat, please. subj"
IT'S a receipt for $500"
do 1t say intrust on morgige?"
NO"
Back to the merchant the old fellow
came.
You amt specify intrust on NOR
gige. Mis- say"
The merchant snatched the paper
and added a few words This time
after Kirby read 1t he looked at Dan.
'T didn't know there was a mort
gage on the Duncan place"
TT secret, Mr.. Kuhby," said the
old fellow. Don't say nuttin' bout
it, please, sub. 1t made out regular
now?"
Kirby nodded. Dan paused long
enough to buy an envelope, in which
he placed the paper. 1t was done.
Mis- Sally would continue to live on
the place-Mis' Sally and the boys.
Before the five years were out Ralph
would be big enough to look after
things.
once home, he unhitched the mule
~ and led him into the stall
Guess it de las time 1 ever feed
you, mewl," he said sadly. He went
around to the house, stopped under
the living room window and called,
Ralph"
The boy came out to the cabin.
Buddy" he said, you Mis- oldes'
gran'son. You know how to keep a
secret, don you? don't want you to
tell nobody-not even Frank. Frank
he little boy, not much more'n a
baby"
The lad nodded, looking the old
man straight in the face. He was
clean-cut, dependable, clear-eyed
See dis here envellup, buddy? I
want you to tex it an hide 1t. To-
morrow yo' granma birthday Now,
you listen and git it straight. To-
morrow, some time when dey amt
nobody in de room, you go in an han
dis envellup to yo' gran'ma. You tell
her somebody han 1t to you an
Eques' dat he name be not mention.
Kin you carry dat out, SOM" -----
Sure l can
'Da's a man-da's a man." And
the old fellow chuckled. You gwine
be one to count on when you's
growed. You gwine bring de OF Dun
can name back to what it use to was.
Buddy, mebbe 1 gwine way a little
while. l amt say 1 isl say mebbe.
If l do, dough, an folks AK you whar
L gone, you tell 'em you don't know,
kase you won't. If folks ak you what
tell you when 1 call you out here,
you say I JUS spoke bout a rabbit
pa'f l see in de pasture-a good place
to set rabbit gun-kase L spoke of
1t, see? An don you tell 'em no nor
He stood in the cabin door while
the boy crossed the yard and ran up
the back steps.
Dat boy gwine mex a man. he
said wistfully. Hes gwine TEX de
load off'n mis- shoulder befo' she
die
He got out an old telescope and
dumped its contents on the floor. A
thin lath he left in. Dat might come
in handy some day." he said. From a
bureau he got out wool shirt, some
underclothes and a pair or two of
heavy socks. He tied the telescope
together with tWine. He blew out the
light and closed the cabin door.
He had planned 1T all the day be-
fore. Shortly before Capt Jack died
a group of men had come out from
the city, and all had gone into the
big river swamps, camping and hunt
ing. Dan had been taken along as
cook.
At night he had listened to their
talk. He had heard them tell about
place where, as he gathered, people
went when they were in trouble. 1t
seemed one of their friends whom
they had expected to join them was
there.
The midnight local train, stopping
at Sandhill Station, picked up an old
darky with telescope, and a few
minutes later Conductor Chase stopped
beside the seat where this latest pas
senger had settled and said, Ticket -
Il amt got no ticket" replied the
old man. II gwine pay my way, suh'
where to?"
Reno"
Reno? Reno, Neyada?"
Yes suh-da's de place"
"Whatre you going to Reno for?'