Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-02-24
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and came over to the door.

and came over to the door.
"Them's the bills l gave him." Silver
stein exclaimed. They're National Bank
notes the bank Just started to issue yes
terday morning"
Gran'pop looked at the bills dazedly.
Abner counted them. They came TO
seventy-five dollars.
Where's the rest2" silverstein de-
manded.
D you know. Gran'pop2" Abner asked
gently.
At this evidence Of Abner's doubt
Gran'pop's shoulders sagged. A stricken
look crept over his wringled face.
II don't know" he said huskily. 7
I give 'em all to Goldie yesterday" He
looked up into Goldie's hard face. Il
did. didn't I. Colder" he begged. you
were only foolin' when you said I didn't.
weren't your"
MY Gawdl You must be out OF your
headl" Goldie replied sharply.
Abner's fat, good natured face was
troubled. Give Silverstein the rest OF
the money! he urged Goldie. This can
mot a nickell And I'll get my brooch
or make a hot lot of trouble. Silverstein
can bank On thatl"
The dark little jeweler studied her.
IF I give 1T back n lose the seventy
dollars, I'll have him arrested" he said
s%ullenly. II amt goin' to be the goat
In this
Help yourself" Goldie invited. That's
none Of my affair"
"An right" Silverstein decided. "Give
me the money, Sheriff. Then come to
the courthouse while l swear out a war
rant"
Abner was distressed.
Don't go IN do a thing like that" he
begged. EFF you do I'll have to arrest
Gran'pop. / can't ever think he lone
such a thing. Why, I've knowed him
ever since 1 was knee high to a hoptoad.
He an my father fought together In the
war. He saved my fathers life at Bull
Run. Gran'pop never did no such thing
while he was in his right mind"
Maybe he amt in his right mind
then" Silverstein said with a shrug.
Anyways, the civil war is over long ago.
This is now. and my cash moneyis gone.
I got to protect myself"
Gran'pop's thin shoulders sagged in
side the old, faded coat Of Confederate
gray. His eyes were moist as he said,
"They hate me. Ever since George died
they've been after me. George said they
had to keep mean they want to sell
out an go to the city with the money.
II they'd tell the truth you'd see / didn't
do it like 1T looks"
why. he's crazyl" Goldie cried. MA
and I treat him as good as we can. Why,
only yesterday, a nail in that old peg leg
OF his ruined the floors downstairs. You
can see where he walked in from the
front porch. tramped up and down In
front of the fireplace, and then walked
out after lunch. He ruined m !
never said a word about It,"
He marked up the floor In my store.
too" Silverstein said. But you bet I
told him quickl"
The leather came off the bottom of
| ,~v .1r r~,o~ 44-1A tr +Lo ~~Vi1 -
Gran'pop explained duly. II didn't
know it till Silverstein told me about it,
an then l stopped right In an got q
new leather put on. I'm real sorry about
the floors"
Abner scratched his left ear thought
fully.
TOO bad" he said absently. Reckon
twas a mistake eff Gran'pop didn't know
about it till jes' now" He sighed and
then continued, II guess we'd better go
on downstairs. / done all l can up
here"
At the bottom Of the stairs Abner
handed the seventy-fve dollars to Sill
verstein. you'd better give the brooch
back" he suggested.
Then we go right over to the court
house and ! swear out a warrant" Sill
v~erstein warned.
WELL" Abner said sadly, then I'll
have to arrest Grah'pop. The grand jury
is settin' now. He can get an immedi-
ate hearing. I'll jes' take the money
an the brooch as evidence" He held
out his hand and. after a moments hes
l~itation. Silverstein gave them to him.
;; Tears came into Gran'pop's eyes. He
looked at Abner appealingly.
"You-you amt goin' to arrest me, are
you, Abnerp" he quavered.
Have to-" Abner said solemnly, and
then added impersonally. LAS long as
we're goin' to take the case right before
the grand jury. I reckon you ladies had
testify"
:; Goldie hesitated, then agreed. "All
right. Ma and / will tell the truth. That's
all we can do"
Abner took Gran'pop's arm and guild
ed him through the front door.
In the county courthouse Silverstein
swore out a warrant. Then they waited
the jury room. He came back presently,
; smiling
They've just finished a CASE" he said.
Il got EN- to a Gran'pop's up next.
: Come on"
He led them down the shadowy hall.
a deputy sheriff, on guard at a door,
opened 1t for them. They entered the
large. sparsely furnished grand jury
room.
: The grand jury was sitting along two
sides of a long table. Several were men
whom Gran'pop knew well. In the formal
jury room, weighted by the responsibility
OF the law, they were as strangers. He
looked timidly for one friendly glance,
did not find 1t, and dumbly took the
chair Abner pulled out for him near the
end of the table. The ladies and Silver
stein also too chairs.
. The foreman OF the jury had the war
rant Silverstein had sworn out. He read
1t aloud, cleaning from the legal phrase
ology that G. A. Mason had committed q
theft, disposed OF stolen goods, and OBJ
tanned money under false pretenses.
Goldie and her mother looked on un-
|. moved.
: Well" the foreman concluded, laying
the paper dow on the table. "Is he
guilty or not2"