Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-04-27
A Bird in the Hand

"We cannot have discipline d~egenerat-
ing, colonel" the inspector continued
smoothly, merely because these men are
in a position to impose upon"
discipline is not degenerating, sir"
Colonel Nelson returned somewhat hotly.
81 am sure it is not. AT the same time
I am equally sure the general would d.
rect me to instruct you to return this
Frenchman's property"
For a the two colonies looked
at each other in silence. Clark squeezed
the chickens legs until 1T s~quawked ana
huttered. The Inspecting officer turned
and walked toward the door, Colonel
Nelson's eyes still on him.
Give this man the chicken, sergeant
he said at last, quietly.
Yes, sir"
The Frenchman received the award
with a wide, toothless grin and the in
speeding party went out silently. Merry
Sunshine fingered a moment and favored
the two sergeants with a superior smile,
and after him went the Frenchman, the
chicken fondly clasped before him.
Bon soir. messieurs," he called. "Je
vous remercie. Bon soir."
Clark stood looking at the closed door
We'll, tn dirty thief" he muttcred.
9TH dirty, lying, Frawg thief! All the
same as stealth our chickenl Did yuh
see tn sarcastic look he give us? An
/ amt ct since breakfast"
WELL" said Delmonico ch%eerfully, I'VE
damn near got that chicken, didn't WEI
"Yeah-ain't that a helpl"
The cooks, finished with their work,
donned their coats n bid the dismal
pair goodnight.
Where did you get that chicken. Muir
phy?" Clark demanded.
I'm tellin' yuh, I got it over five miles
away. That amt his chicken no more
than it's Woodrow Wilson's. An he's
just a thievin' liar-sayin' it's his"
"Hisl Helll' Clark calculated. His
Sure, an it's probably his favorite chick
EN- on accoun it's got so much family
! resemblance for his boy 'Honary' which
is at tn 'front.' An that inspectin' col
onel! Gotta treat these birds properP
HE didn't seem awful pleased with us
did hep"
AN yr oil friend tn lieutenant. Outts
tn marinesi l amt s'prized. You car
look at him an tell they was some awful
unrefinin' influence in his early life. HI
amt had no raisin'-yuh can see that!
Yeah. Takes his rank somethin' hor'
rible. Distressin', amt itl'
AN you, Murphy! What a fine gu.
you arel All fulla neatness an order
ain'tchal A fine. fast worker, you are
!, If you'da done like you oughta, we'd'
had thai fowl ct before they come"
Delmonico sighed heavily.
! well, how in hell was l to know Gave
almighty was gonna come down an pa
i troll this beat might? How did | know?
+ Murphy, they's some things a gu,
knows by instinct. One of them is, whel
yuh got something to eat, eat 1t an
= don't wait for a snooty little lieutenan
e to come around askin' compromisin
: questions"
"Aw-"
Jaw, nothin'. I'm hungry. An her
/ we had tina chicken Just as good a
killed! Gimme some slum, will yuh?
= gotta bottle of wing roodge, anyways
Damnh amt perishin' to deathI'
Sure" Delmonico grinned. "Wait1l
heat somethin' up for yuh. It'll one,
e take a minute"
Heat, nothing. Gimme it. I tell yuh
I'm becomin' extinct"
+ Murphy went over to one of the caul
drons and ladled out a discouraging con
glomeration of potatoes and meat helt
e firmly in a stiff, cold gravy, n Clarl
= upended a bottle which he uneartheC
from somewhere about his person. H
set the bottle Town on the table n
e stared at the slum thoughtfully.
Say" he said, do yuh know wha
t I'm thinkin'?"
r Yeah. How hungry you are"
mo I amt" Clark denied. Tn think
: in about that there chicken"
yeah, / know"
mo yuh don't said Clark. I'm think
in how we oughta teach that Frawg
t lesson for bein' q liar and a thief. That
y what I'm thinkin'."
"Oh, gettin' righteous, ain'tcha?"
Listen, Murphy. What do yuh spos
that there chickens dom right now?"
" "Thankin' Gawd for mis'able secont
i. l%ieutenants like Merry Sunshine"
n mo, he amt. He's just sitting ther
on tn roost, not thinkin' anything. y
yuh know that? An we're sitting here
starvin'."
81 amt SO hungry" Delmonico OBJ
e served.
DO yuh know what I'm gonna do?
Clark ignored Delmonico's denial.
I'm b%eginnin' to guess"
u 1T amt dishonest to steal somethin
which belongs to yuh," Clark stated. "Ar
compared to that Frenchman. that chick
en- belongs to us as much as my RICH
arm"
"They's a lot in that. too" Delmonic
pondered.
"A lott Sure. Amt that chicken tt
same as ours? Didn't we get it2"
It IL got it, Delmonico corrected.
well, that's what l say; didn't 20
get 1t? An didn't this lying native com
along an all tn same as steal it fror
h us?"
~"Yeah-well, come on, then: if we'r
gonna steal that chicken again. / kno'
,r where that Frawg's henhouse is"
1t 1T amt stealth, Murphy. I tell yut
d it amt. l gotta clear conscience abou
b this. It's oney gettin' back somethin
which Is ours by rights"
d "Uh-huh. Well, come on, then"
With no further discussion, Clark ble7
u out the lantern. and the two closed th
door silently behind themselves. 1t wa
a wet, moonless night, and they fel
their way along some fifty yards OF grave
ir path to the high hedge that skirted th
chateau grounds. Across the dim roa
ID they could make out the peasants squa
l. stone and mortar house set back a dis
lie tance from the road, and ianke by
Is single clubhouse. The dwelling was close
ly shattered, and Clark hoped the fam
n lily had retired.
/ "Looka," Delmonico whispered. "Yu
al see that door in the middle2 Well, the
1T goes into tn house, and that door on Il
= right-thats where they keep the CO
an the chickens"
8, How are we gonna get in? He's prof.
oe ably got the door barred on the inside
IL Sure he had" Delmonico admittet
but they's a little window around 0
the side. It's got bars. but maybe v
can get in, anyway. Come on"
They crossed the road cautiously, an
crept through ankle deep mud around I