The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-08-20
By E. Phillips Oppenheirn


"The doctors car passed me just as I
JrOss INTO the town." Mr.. S%crOggins de-
There should be more news then in a
Wnlle,' the ir~OnmOngeR reflected.
EVEN II they manage to save the child's
ne, ne SAID, I'm afraid it's all up with
poor TOnkin."
There was a little murm.ur Of sympathy
Us mas 20 be careful where us sends
Tor physic," Mr.. ScrOggins admitted. cit
doan't do for chemists and them that
handles dangerous stuff to be careless"
lucy say the young mans been kind
on aDsenthke lately" Tom Baker observed.
Lhere's no doubt but that he's had a
pretty hard struggle what with old man
sans turning sober and his daughter
Ihere IN the shop to look after him."
DarUer-s been away for a few days"
Granfer CrOcOmbe confided. Gus guessed
LnaC When we seed the. old man coming out
from that"
Word came from John Craske's present.
~ CnaC the child was alive but still dang
erOusly III. With the aid of a strong en-
eClc,. owen TOnkin had succeeded in dis
rived and the child was now fighting for
This was the last bulletin Of the night
ana the company presently broke up.
over TOnkin, Notwithstanding the abb
sence Of customers, was standing behind
the counter Of his shop on the following
morning when Police Constable ChOpping,
reuder OF face and more pOrtentiOus Of
presence than ever, entered.
Morning, Mr.. TOnkin," he greeted him.
Good morning, Constable"
"a bad business, thisp
"A very unfortunate One!'
Mistakes is Mistakes" the constable
continued, but when they cost a person
his life they becomes in the eye Of the
law a misdeamOr."
Are you going to arrest met" Owen
HnmKrm nnmnnnnd
mot at the moment, , was the cautious
reply. My instructions are to keep an eye
upon you. If so be that the child should
die-Well, summat might happen"
81 understand" the young man observed.
UNLESS your duty necessitates it, do you
mind not staying any longer. You see,
the people are gathering outside to see me
march to the police station"
THAT same will be an unwelcOme task,
Mr.. TOnkin, if so be that at any time It
, ! should happen" p. G. ChOpping declared,
as he took his dignified departure.
The day dragged on, a weary succession
Of hours, during which scarcely a customer
crossed the Threshold Of the little shop
Toward evening came better news Of the
child, and on the following morning it was
q, pronounced ont Of danger.
The end Of the week drew near, anC
. Owen TOnkin realized that he was fighting
a losing battle. There was a CHEEKY noe
s Of sympathy for him in the street, but still
an entire absence or customers. upon tn
. sixth day he commenced to pack up. HI
= was on his knees upon the floor, 6iling
case with sawdust, when the door wa
e pushed open. He looked around. 1t wa
4 Mary Sans who had descended the singh
step and was standing within a few fee
4 Of him. He gazed at her, absolutely help
less. He forgot to rise to his feet, fOrgo
n to move his hands from the WduS
Miss Mary" he gasped.
: ?"I have come to have a few words wit
p you" she announced. May 1 sit down 2
without waiting for an invitation, sh
- uamEnl hnm-o1n rrnnn O ufnnN nurnm WnnKT
rose slowly to his feet. He suddenly re
membered that he had not shaved for tw
n days, that he had flung his clothes o
without thought. Perhaps thai accOunte
for the pity which certainly sOftened he
face and shOne out Of her eyes.
NJ TOnkin," she said, Il have just dis
y covered the truth"
y He was proof against further shock
N He simply sat and listened.
'Mv father is i'll" she went on. "a
IN YOU may have heard, he has been drinkin
ever since. They fetched me home to loo
after him, cad last night he told me II
n truth. It was to him the child came-nt
to your shop at all. Father had been
h the Swan all afternoon, and be admit
a thai even now he doesn't remember out
f. which bottle he took the powder. 1t wi
t my father who made this terrible mtstak
Mr.. TOnkin, and not you. as a matt
ne Of fact you saved the child's life"
a Lik all young men Of a certain tyl
le convicted Of an heroic action, Owen To-
kin looked q perfect fool for a few second
lg Its too late now to make a fuss abO'
it." he said at last 81 knew that y0l
to father had had too much to. drink tn
afternoon, and when it got about that
TO was me from whom the messenger had 7
~ eived the powder, I thought I'd better ]
IL it go at that. If either OF rs had to make
C. fresh start, it was easier for me as t
yOungre man."
=" There was q dangerous mistiness in h
eyes, and for 8 moment or two she avoid
looking at him.
ed "Then You had better unpack.'
ed He shook his head.
*, mot a customer has passed thrOu
as these doors in three days" he confided b
n terly. "SOme of them might have trust
ret me Just a little. Even if 1 had really ma
ad the mistake, the doctor is telling every o
that I saved the child's life"
ng They'll be sorry enough" she assuI
him. 'When they learn the truth
,as '"WhO's going to tell them?" he dema1
at dI am" she answered simply. "In IA
'ry I have begun already. I called in at
re- IMelhamptOn Arms on my way GOWN.
was going to tell Granfer CrOcOmbe and
him spread it about, but there was gu
me a crowd there, so l told them all"
y; you told them2" he gasped.
Of my father wished it." she said. cit
eW he who is going to retire, Mr.. TOnkin q
rSt not you. / have come, to thank you
ell your wonderful silence"
the She gave him her hand. Some Of
ms confidence seemed to be slipping away
she realized the atmosphere Of passion
ave which she was surrounded.
on "Fatber wants to give M" she explain
i'm rapidly. 81 suppose his stock and 60
yer win and everything is worth sOmethi
We wondered wondered whether J
a would take the business over with 20
me. and allow him n trif1e as long as he lV
It ought to pay very well indeed"
1op went on. Fathers been eXtravagant, (
ne he's lost a lot Of money betting on hOrl
van bnt he doesn't owe verv much and I b
enough to pay that"
but