The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-02-09

SWeel-ped Deu.
But now-he sat dejectedly on the
back porch-now-he cursed himself
for a fool.
The bomb had exploded.
1t had come about a week later.
81 guess" Mr.. Harmon had strut
ted over to the line one evening, Il
guess, Crawford, we had better fix up
the line between u.s." Pompously,
Lines can cause trouble and you and
l don't want trouble"
At first Mr. Crawford had not I'M
derstoOd. Fix up the line. Why, it
had always been fixed. Five feet back
of his garage it was.
And when Mr.. Harmon stepped
into the sWeet-pea bed-ir had not
been torn up yet-when H. stepped
into the sweet pea bed and indicated
spot roughly five feet from the back
of it, Mr.. Crawford was aghast.
But, but" it did seem for a mo-
ment as if his courage would last, he
started to protest.
"Now," Mr.. Harmon spoke with a
gentle frmness, yet with finality.
Here we are. We can establish this
ourselves" Mr.. Crawford spoke.
But" Mr.. Harmon had turned, but
now, Crawford, you know you have
more land than your deed calls for !
Your land overruns your deed. You
said So" There was injured surprise
in Mr.. Hammon's tone.
1t was true! That Mr. Harmon
might forever have all the land his
own deed called for or even more,
that his too might overrun, Mr. Craw-
ford did not think of till later, and
then he did not have the courage to
bring the question up.
"You want to do right, Crawford"
Mr.. Harmon had spoken. you want
to, l know. And" there followed end
less tales of big friends lawsuits,
costs.
And so Mr.. Crawford sat sick at
heart. He would give in-he would!
Lawsuits, he wildly recollected some
of Mr. lannon's tales. Lawsuits
cost money. And 81 a week, even if
you had a good garden, did not give
one money-much money!
"Well," Mr.. Crawford arose slowly.
He would go over. He might as well.
His narrow escape from hitting a
clothes pole Mr.. Crawford laid to for
getfulness, but there might have been
a trace of dampness on Mr.. Craw-
ford's handkerchief if he had wiped
his eyes He hated-hated this Mr..
Harmon, Mr.. Harmon and his intlu-
entail friends.
Out of sight in the darkness by
Mr.. Hammon's porch, Mr.. Crawford
paused. Five minutes respite
'twould do Mr.. Harmon no harm and
he would have the five minutes before
he smilingly agreed to the new line.
"a great neighborhood," Mr.. Ham
mons voice rang out. Evidently he
had visitors. "a great neighborhood !!
Big development coming! And influ-
entail people-why," Mr.. Crawford
started as some man evidently living
in the neighborhood was described.
Some way he ought to know that man.
his description sounded familiar. Yet
Mr.. Crawford could not place him.
"a big man." Mr.. Harmon spoke
on. SIN the offices of Morrell & Bates
chief executive, you might say"
Mr. Crawford jumped. Morrell &
Bates! Now he recognized the de-
scription. Twas himself, Mr.. Ham
mon was speaking of-himself as he
had never even imagined he could be
himself glorifed.
"Chief executive They say" Mr..
Harmon lowered his voice as he
talked to the visitor, but Mr.. Craw-
ford, edging nearer, heard every
word, and was astounded at the in
formation regarding his own work he
received Of :ecutive-quite land
owner-simpl, in tastes maybe, but"
Suddenly Nj. Crawford thought of
that head man in Judge Tuppe's law
office, of Bates of the Amalgamated.
He wanted to laugh! He wondered
wondered if they would recognize
themselves if they had heard Harmon
talk of them.
Then Mr.. Crawford recolected why
he had come.
His house is just back of me-land
adjoins," Mr. Harmon was saying.
"Just think! % Hammon's voice had
awe in it. Just think-chief execu-
tive of Morrell & Bates!'
They were moving. Mr.. Harmon
and his guests, down the walk The
ten o'clock train would soon be puff
ing cityward. Evidently the, we're 60
ing to the station.
Hurriedly Mr.. Crawford stepped out.
He must speak! Tomorrow he would
be clerk-clerk in the offices of Nor
rell & Bates. But tonight he was the
chief executive!
81 say, Harmon" Mr. Crawford
was amazed at himself-no "Mr. Ham
mon," no conciliatOry "GeOrge"-"I
say, Hammon-about that line"
Mr.. Harmon turned
Il just want to tell you it suits me
where it is and it stays there!''
Mr.. lannon's mouth dropped open.
"Suits me where it is! l don't want
trouble but"
"Oh, all right right" Mr. Ham
mon did not seem to talk so big.
20 T.