Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-04-22
FIRST-RATERS

The voice, now, was hardly audible.
Jacks grip frightened on his arm.
Tell me about It,"
He let his hands drop to his side; quiet,
but clenched.
~ needed money" Billy began, the relief
of telling evident In his voice. II needed
ii, bad. I'd got so much from Jess, !
hadn't the nerve to ask for more. Anu
there were-debts, that kept piling up and
-piling up. / didn't know what TO do.
You see, I'd been getting out of my depth.
| was ont OF my class. Going about COSTS
you know"
Eyes, 1 know" The tone was metallic.
Gosh, ! always wanted to be like other
Regular fellows, Jack. And when
my chance came"
"Better keep to the facts the other
broke in. The muscles of his face were
drawn tight, and his eyes had a keen, hard
CLINT. what did you do?"
Forged a check"
"~Jess'?"
eyes,
what did you do with the money!"
Billy scrunched his heel into the lawn,
as Jack had seen him scrunch It many
times when they were boys; and he began
to explain with the indirection Of his
childhood.
well, it was like this. I'd been sort of
drifting along, putting on a tall front, and
getting away with 1t. | got a chance to go
into a fraternity. lit was a great
chance Jack. And I'd dreamed of It," He
scrunched his heel again. 'The fellows
they didn't know how poor broke | was.
They'd have helped If I'd let EN-. They
thought | was one of EN-. | made 'em
think so. So | went in. Let 'em pledge
me, let 'em initiate me. | faxed an alibi
about not having the initiation fee for a
few days. Then when they asked me
again, i didn't have the spunk to see the
thing through; so came TO town
thinking maybe Oh, we'll, Jack, l
got half picked, and | forged a check in
| JaSg' namp-Vnu rqmpmbar how ua y1upd fo
do that for sport when we were kids p
and ! got it cashed at her office. I'd
promised to get in the money, so / got a
post office order, and mailed It."
Jack had listened quietly. Now he came
close to Billy, and spoke In rapid, terse
snatches.
''See here, Jess can't know about this.
She'll have to think it was some one else.
III manage 1t somehow. I'll scrape the
money together, and I'll send it to her
anonymously Dbl something" he inished
lamely.
"D'you think I'm going to stand for any
thing like that?" Billy flashed. Don't
you suppose ! know what a rotten time
you've had7 Maybe you're right about not
telling Sis. | get the point. It'd go hard
with her, But I'm going to get that money
last night, after I'd done the thing. I'm
going to turn back my pin. That's why
| told you / didn't have it. I'm going to
turn back the pin, and get back the seven
ty,hve. And then I'm going to work"
Billy standing there in the shadows. 1t
wasn't a pleasant sound.
Going to quit, cold? Nothing Of the
sort, young fellow. How do you think
Jess would feel about that? Say, William
Hill. do you know what that girl thinks
you are? She thinks you're the cream of
the earth. There isn't anything too good
for you. And" he continued, you're going
back to college, and you're going to make
| good or III know the reason wby And
too
If don't make good" he declared, at
won't be your fault"
you bet your crazy little head it won't .
said Jack.
When they returned from the corner dell
catessen, they entered with a guilty noisi-
ness because each felt like coming in on
She was pouring the coffee, steaming, into
the cups.
'It's all right, Sis" Jack announced,
with assumed gaiety. We've Strengthened
going to be foolish. Show us your pin,
sir!'
Billy showed it. Jessica held it in the
palm of her hand, and looked at it with
bright eyes.
'How much did 1t set you back, Billy 2"
The abrupt question was somewhat start
ling; the young men looked furtively at
each other.
always a gift"
Jess doesn't mean that. said Billy,
brusquely. She means :"
Fact is, Sis" Jack interrupted, sit was
the cost of the business that bothered the
kid. He thought :"
Il know said Jessica. HE probably
borrowed some money and is a little wor-
ried about it," Jack was frowning toward
Billy, and at the same time proud and dis
appointed that his sister, SO far from
knowing the facts, was apparently about
to offer more money, herself. But Jessica
was continuing, speaking slowly. II under
stand that Billy doesn't want any help