Smyrna times., 1933-02-15
Reading to While Away Time
Under the Evening Lamp
When Days Work is Done
INTERESTING READING
LOST PROPERTY"
BY Kate Williams

way druv to church together in the
carr"
YES"
"You left your brother, Dan'1,
and your uncle at home here-ar-
gum"
'They stayed home. Yes"
"Arguin' y the sheriff insisted.
''That can't be covered up, Will.
Plenty people heard 'em, hot at it,
as they went by to church. The
winders was open"
Yes, they was arguin,."
"And you three come home from
church separate
YES. Separate"
For the first time the sheriff
looked directly at Daniel. "And
how about you, DAMP"
"We-got through arguin'; and I
went for a walk in the woods"
The sheriff studied the lowered
stubborn face Of the twenty-year-
old boy. Then he made little ges-
ture of distressed helplessness and
began to lead the way toward the
open shed door.
Once inside, the sheriff crossed
the uneven plank floor to a broad
woOd-bench which ran along one
side. Over part of the rough sur
face of the bench. smooth gray
cardboard had been tackled Car
fridge boxes, powder cans, small
tools and a set of scales were neat
ly arranged on this clean surface.
From his pocket the sheriff drew
an empty brass shell. Taking a
loaded cartridge from the nearest
box. he compared the two. He did
not make the obvious statement
that the two matched
Instead he turned to Tom Hath
away, the tall spare elderly hired
man. Il reckon you knew the old
miser, Tom, jest about as well as
anybody livin'"
Il reckon" the other agreed.
II guess there amt hardly been
one cussed meanness he's put on
'em you amt known of, and tried
to help 'em bear"
II tried to help the boys just so
fur as could, sheriff." was the calm
reply.
81 tried to show 'em the way OF
patience" Tom went on. "Espe-
cially Dan and Ruth after they'd
fell in love. and was crazy to
marry"
"And, this morning." the sheriff
suddenly broke in, 'their uncle told
the boys-because of hard times
he'd have to cut down their trif1in'
pay. When they knew he had
plenty. and more, boarded in the
bank. Money they wanted. now.
Needed, now. Money. Dan had to
have, now. Amt that what his
uncle and him was arguin' over?"
"That can't be denied" Tom said
at last, and his expression became
deeply thoughtful. MY mind was
running along them same lines, too,
sheriff, as sat in church. 1t seemed
to me Dan and Ruth ought to have
that money. some way. While they
could still be young and happy with
Il.
'Sittin' there, | took a good look
back over my own life-which all
lies behind me now, any way you
figure it, and ii come to me how
different things would of been, If
I'd had any kind of start So, all
in all, couldn't hardly blame Dan
for the stand he took"
And, once more, the sheriff broke
in abruptly. That's just the point,
Tom. Just what I've been leadin'
to. We all know you'd like to ease
things for Dan. But here's where
you weren't able to help any-and
can't. Certain things the law says
neither man nor boy can do. About
your only way to help Dan now, is
counsel him to come along with me,
peaceably."
But Tom Hathaway merely looked
at the sheriff in feigned surprise.
"How so, sheriff." he asked. "You
appear to of forgot somethin'. We
all come home from church, sepa-
rate. We got here, separate. Dams
gun was here, for any of us to use.
We all hated the old man equal. |
How's the law going to tell-which
of us to take along?"
"Just this way" the sheriff de-
clared. with forced patience. ''The I
guns been cleaned and oiled.
There1l be no finger prints on it,
likely. That. / grant you. But it's
a long reach, over the bench, TO put I
it back on them pegs. A man would
do 1t with his right hand. His left,
he'd put fiat on the bench-palm
down-to steady his weight on. His
hand would Of been oily. There on
the cardboard, is clean fresh print
of a mans whole hand"
The tense silence that followed
this announcement was short. Dan
sent a swift startled glance at his
brother. Then he urged sharply:
"Quick, Will Rip that cardboard
off. He can't stop us. Chuck 1t in
the stove. Then they never can tell