Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-05-31

"Dave Tracy and I didn't always
agree. Tracy was getting pretty well
along in years and he was a little
cranky once in q while-I guess
| maybe was, too"
Starbuck smiled family with the
| candid admission. Selwood's face was
| receptively none ommittal. 'But
Tracy" continued Starbuck, "had
enemies where he might have had
| friends, which is a foolish policy, In
my opinion, for. any man." There was
no covert limiting In Starbuck's man.
ner-just frank disinterestedness.
snow Bartoe," he went on quietly,
''has turned up a little grievance
| against you. told him I didn't
| think there was anything serious to
it-nothing but what could be ironed
| out between man and man-so said
| I'd just come and have little talk
with you"
Starbuck paused-not as q man
that has said all, but as If inviting
the other fellow to say something.
Selwood only took his cigar from his
mouth, waiting courteously for his in
| terviewer to continue.
II suppose" resumed Starbuck,
not discomposed, "rm less acquainted
with you than I am with most men
around town. But I've always heard
you spoken Of as a reasonable man,
man who didn't want anything
more than what's right. Bartoe feels
you came down on him pretty strong
Il suppose you had some good rea-
son for what you did"
Starbuck, feeling, naturally, that
he had put his own cards fairly ON
the table, and in nowise upset by his
peculiar reception, now sat silent, in
turn, and waited for the other man
to play.
Selwood knocked the ashes from
his cigar and broke the pause with
question-not precisely an expected
one. What difference did you ever
have with Dave Tracy?" he asked,
without changing the expression of
his eyes, and speaking in friendly
tones and in merely casual manner.
"Why. none at all that I recall this
minute" declared Starbuck, covering
the retreat Of his surprise with
little celebrity of answer. II said we
didn't maybe always agree. But I'm
no man to remember little differences
they don't mean anything to me.
And nobody was sorrier than I was
to hear about it when Dave was shot,
down at Bartoe's. You sure dosed the
bunch that did it. Dave can thank
you he's alive"
ut was poor shooting" murmured
Selwood. inoffensively meditating.
"And, as you say, Dave is getting on
in years. And 1t was pretty near
enough to finish him. Dave says"
he rambled on, quietly. shat you
and he split because he wouldn't pay
you money for protection"\
Starbuck showed his first impa-
thence. IF Tracy said that" he
began.
"What's that?" demanded Selwood,
with a shade more of life and care
fulness in his tone-''if Tracy said
that"
A>Ot oouoIih6 JOoi "oio at oiAs
Selwood-not at all. But somebody
in a town like this always has to
act as peacemaker-you know that.
The boys seemed to pick on me for
the job. It amt much of job, nor
one was looking for. But I was
foot-loose and took it to ~oblige.
found was getting all the kicks and
the boys getting all the money, so I
asked them to chip in down along the
line. Most of 'em did. Tracy and
few others didn't"
"Wasn't Tracy the only one that
,didn't?" asked Selwood impassively.
"That may be- don't remember.
But never had any hard feeling
against Tracy on that account.
want you to know that, Selwood.
You seem,"s continued Starbuck with
some irritation, "to want to stick to
that subject. didn't come here to-
night to rake over old scores; I came
here to try to patch up new ones, Sell
wood"
Before we get out the sticking
plaster" Selwood went on evenly,
'Tet's get Dawes position clear-and
mine. Dave felt that a place run like
| this place, where a straight game Is
dealt, didn't need any protection
neither the place nor the proprietors.
1t may be he made a mistake, but
that's the way Dave felt-that's the
way feel. Now about this Bartoe
business. He robbed today, among
others, a boy here with his widowed
mother of six hundred dollars. told
Bartoe to give the boy back his
money. He refused. I told him I'd
clean him out in the morning or he
could clean me out. There's no use
Of more words about it-that's all
there is to It."
swell. wouldn't say that's all.
Selwood," observed Starbuck. assert
ing himself. I'm here to keep law
and order and 1 can't have any places
burned in the business quarter Of
Sleepy Cat He's in the gambling
business same as you are"
Selwood jumped as If stung, and
used strong word. "Same as I