The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-05-27
By
OctGUius Roy Cohen

with him. 1t was perhaps the first real
problem he had ever faced which could
not be settled with fists or kisses. He
knitted his forehead and plunged into
deep thought. Conclusions came iney-
itably, but not easily-and a lurking
fear crystallized slowly; a fear which had
to do with his mother.
Jimmy was not addicted to sentiment
tally, u he and Kate had been quo
dies since his brief and hectic grammar |
school days. There had been sentiment
enough for him to be always gentle and
kind with her and TO make life as liv-
able as possible, n he did appreciate
all the Shaving she had done for him and
her cheerful camaraderie. True, his love
had not been so consuming as to cause /
him to seek less glorious and more hon
orable means Of livelihood-but his
course in life did not mean that he had
not worried more or less over what would
happen to her should things ever go
wrong with him.
That was why he had, after careful
thought, became reconciled to John
Shane. John was a tower of honesty, a
fortress Of sober reliability. Now, il any
thing happened, Kate would grieve-but
she would not be alone. That had been
the comforting thought until tonight.
Lew Fosters fat lips had destroyed Jim
my's Ems Of security, for Lew had made
it quite clear that John Shane did not
possess to an impregnable degree that
virtue which made him acceptable as a
~ ~ III .
Jimmy sat coldly through dinner, and
A tride abashed by the accusation, he in
then invited his stepfather for a walk.
formed Shane that he understood he was
to be a party to a big waterfront theft.
And in the half-light Of the corner arc
John Shane smiled his quizzical, toler-
ant smile in to the lads face and said.
why, sure I am"
For a few seconds Jimmy found him
self wOrdleSS. Then he proceeded to give
vent to several effective epithets. Shane
heard him through quietly. IND then he
asked a somewhat disconcerting ques-
ton.
well, Jimmy, what of it?"
What of itP My Godl Shane-whatU
happen to nom if you get caught?"
That true enough" Shane was in a
judicial mood. But I don't see she'd be
any worse off than if you'd been caught
before she and I was married. I amt
gonna do a thing you amt been dom
for years and I'm getting more jack
for it than you ever got"
U-nanswerable logic, which was some
how queerly illogical.
/ st never pretended to be honest"
5 growled Jimmy, defensively.
Like hell you didn't. Kate don't know
; you're up to tricks all the time. She
never did know it,
| We'll, there wasn't any use telling her,
was there?"
l Sure not. And she never need know
l about me-"
! But suppose you get caught?"
Not a chance"
! cav say-there's always a chance. Now
! listen, John Shane-you got to cut h
: out. 1t amt fair to nom, that's what.
You go tell Lew Foster where to get of
n at. Y'hear?"
! Shane seemed amused. "Fine right YOU
{ got to preach. INC listen here"-he
sworled on the boy, his face momentarily
: becoming hard-'you lay off me, see? ]
amt ever butted in with you-and III
T. thank you to act the same way"
4 Jimmy glared, whirled, and walked
e away. He was prodigiously indignant
\ For the first time in his life he looked
upon crime n found it Of unpleasant
n mien. Applied to himself, these water.
n front affairs had been tinged with ro-
q nance n the thrill of adventure: will
d John Shane in a leading role, they were
d darkly sinister and fraught with unhap
" piness for others.
X Jimmy walked the dark, narrow street
Of Chelsea modify. He averred tina
n something had to be done about it-no
n because he was particularly keen abou
keeping John Shane straight, out be
- cause he was thinking Of his mother ant
re the effect upon her should Shane b
At caught. And it occurred to him, as
m new idea, that perhaps he had been I'm
rs fair to her in the past. None of thi
thought, however, was burdened witt
moral scruple. So far as Jimmy was con
q cerned, pilferage was all right for thos
"a who could get away with it. He slight
=, amended his estimate now by admittin
1e that it was all right for those who coul
y afford to get caught. John Shan
% couldn't. And, he almost believed, Meth
4, er could he.
10 BY midnight Jimmy had determine
~ definitely that Shane must be kept o
u the straight and narrow path at a
re costs. He considered way and mean
- - Argument he had tried-futilely. Phys
y cal force was, of course, out Of the que:
IN ton. At two O'Clock in the morning a
% idea graced his sleepless brain.
Copyright: 1925: By Octavus Roy Coher
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