Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-12-13
THE
MAN THEY !
OWED g
(9 by d, ]. Walsh.)

huSDand In dismay as he pushed
H. aside the plate she had just
placed before him.
"Whatl Not going to eat your apple
pie" she questioned.
"Pm In too big hurry. I've got to
go to town." Steve rose from the Ia.
bN. AS he passed Bess he rumpled her
hair with his brown hand, then stoop-
Ing, kissed her glowing cheek. But he
didn't tell her why he had to go to
town when there was lots of work
waiting to be done at home. And Bess
didn't ask him. Their union was OF
that kind. Each trusted the other per.
fectly, each forebore lntrudlng upon
the others privacy of thought or ac-
ton.
But after Steve had gone off down
the road In the old car Bess got to
thinking. Steve was worried about
something-somethlng that he did not
feel like sharing with her lest II make
her worry, too. Goodness knew they
had troubles enough the way things
had gone this last year. They'd had
Just about every kind of setback ex.
cept a fire. 81 hope we don't have
that" sighed Bess.
When she had washed the dinner
dishes and put the shabby kitchen In
Its usual spotless order she sat down
at the window to darn Steve's socks
II was amazing the way Steve's big
feet wore out socks She drew sock
over her hand and studied II with
puckered brows. It was hopeless.
Gobble, gobble, gobblel Bess glanced
nut the window. With leap she was
out Of her chair, scattering balls of
darning cotton and socks In every d.
rectiOn. Outdoors she flew, barehead-
ed. though the wind was blowing an
Icy autumn gale.
"The old slmpI" she ragged. think
Ing he can spend the night In that
apple treel He'd freeze to DEATH"
The great bronze colored turkey saw
her coming in pursuit. He fed before
her. She sprlnted after him, her slim
legs gaining in the race. At last she
was near enough to grab him. He
struggled furiously. But she hung on
valInntly. An elghteen-pound gobbler
was no easy thing to handle, especial.
~ when he was tapping his wings,
striking at her with his feet, pecking
Mt her with his sharp bill. One blow
on that cheek made the blood run. II
also made Bess mad.
"Old fellow, you're going back into
YOUR coop, and I don't care now II
do pull out all your tail feathers"
she nutteISd
Hello. thereI" bie car haA
whirled into the yard ana stopped
close beside Bess From the window
stern old face looked out, the face
Ut Henry Homer, rich and shrewd
some said too shrewd for exact hon.
esty-in his dealing with folks. At
that very moment he was squeezing
Steve who owed him. But a young
couple. just starting out in life, had
to owe somebody. The trouble lay in
the fact that they owed Henry Homer
The man got out Of his car, coming
over to where Bess was trying to
thrust the turkey into his coop. he
eyed the big bird critically.
How much will You take for him1"
he asked.
whatever he's WORTH" Bess re-
piled promptly.
Henry took out his thick pocketbOOk,
opened II and extracted pair Of two
dollar bills.
He's worth just fifty cents
pound to me. That's nine dollars"
Bess returned. flushing
lie shook his hend Too much
too much. Here's fur dollars for the
bird. Take II or leave It,"
an leave It,"
Henry wanted the big turkey and
whatever he wanted he usually got.
for money will buy everything except
love. health and happiness. and II
will often add to the measure of
these. He was being crossed by this
slim young thing In faded blue cling.
ham, and he didn't like II. especially
rs he felt the Herrlcks were under
obligation to him. Hadn't he let them
have the money to buy every last
thing they had?
"COme. come !" he said. mo fOOlIng
Where's gunny sack to throw over
the turkeys headT
Bess realized what she was up
against. She dared not offend this
man and yet-rIght was right. and
she'd worked too hard and long over
that gObbler to sell him for four dol.
lars.
"YOu may have the turkey for nine
dollars. not cent less" she said
you'll find that he weighs up beyond
the eighteen-pOund notch. know for
| weighed him myself just this morn
Ing"
Look here. young woman" Henry
WIS red with evaporation. "Tm going
To tell you something for yOui own
good. Steve has passed up his pay.
nisnt and interest. First thing you
know you'll he set out of here And
I won't help you to another cent"
Bess was white now So that was
what Steve hadn't dared tell her
lhai he'd passed up his payment on
tie place? Suppose they were forced
10 leave where should they go? Steve
loved the Old place II had belonged
10 his family once. He had set his
heart on getting II back In the Her
lick name.
Henry had turned and was getting
bnck INTO his ear when out OF tight
thrOal she spoke Wall The turkeys
ours The man vent right Oh Again
she spoke more loudly lie turned