Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-01-18
"Foolishnent"
By FRED BURROWS
@. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service


the safe was certain paper. On this
paper appeared the signature Of a
number OF hotheaded young men who,
In the heat of their indignation at
what they considered wrong dealing
on the part of the government, had
signed this document pledging them
selves to overthrow the government.
Since signing the document the young
men had all seen the error Of their
ways. Now they were exceedingly anx-
iOus to destroy the evidence of their
foolishness. And Jackson, in enter
ing this office and in opening this safe,
was acting for the young men Of
whom the main leader was his
younger brother.
The Office In which Jackson was now
standing and the safe was now open
ing were those of Claude Lagrange, a
shyster lawyer. who had been largely
instrumental in working the young
men up to the point of signing the
paper.
The minute Jackson had opened the
outer door of the safe and then the
thinner door inside he flashed a pocket
light on the safes shelves and COM
partments. These were filled with pa
pers. Seeing the great quantity of
material he must go through Jackson
impatiently jerked the papers forth
and began examining them carefully.
At last he found the paper he was
searching for and caught it up with
a sigh of relief.
At this instant dim figure rose
from a crouching position in front of
the window. flashed a light full on
Jackson and cried:
Hands upI"
walk over to that table In the CEN
ter Of the room, put that paper in the
center of the table, and then sit down,
but keep your hands up!' went on
the voice.
And now Jackson thrilled to the
sound Of the voice. There was no mis-
taking the identity of the person is
suing the yOice-it was Clara Fergu-
son, a recent newcomer in the city,
with whom Jackson had fallen violent
~ in love and who had told him one
evening not so long ago that she re-
ciprOcated his affection.
"Clara!" cried Jackson.
Yves, it's me-" came Cara's
voice. "Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry it's you.
I've got toto arrest you!"
"Arrest?" cried Sam. II don't I'M
derstand this at ALL"
Don't you seer" cried Clara. I'm
In the federal secret service. The
government heard about this conspir-
acy these local young men were
mixed up in and sent me here to find
out all about it."
Clara in the secret service? There
had always been some mystery con-
nected with her occupation from the
time she arrived I'm the city. So she
had been detailed on the case? There
had been rumors of secret service
agent being on the job. That was one
Of the reasons why the young men
had been so anxious to recover that
damning paper and why Sam, in or
hCA W hCCp youhSCl UAOIHCA OuI VI
trouble, had volunteered to get it.
Slowly Sam took his seat at the
table, his face blanched. his heart
beating rapidly. AS he seated himself
Clara switched on the lights in the
room and then seated herself opposite
him. AS she did so Sam threw the
paper to the center of the table in
front of him.
"Clara," said Sam, "this is fearful
mess we're in. How can ever ex-
plain the whole thing to you?"
I'm sorry-dreadfully Sorry" she
said. 81 had no idea it was going
to be you when / got the tip that the
paper was to be taken from the safe
tonight. But, Sam, I've got to see to
It that you're taken to the proper au-
thorities."
"But, Clara" Sam protested, "Tm not
in this thing myself. I simply came
here to get paper my younger broth
er signed in a moment Of foolishness."
'Now we'll have to co." she said.
"Stand upv' she commanded, her voice
strained and husky.
1t was while Sam was slowly rising
that an amazing interruption &C.
Cured. Through the open window a
bulky woman rushed into the room.
Sam recognized her at once. She was
Hannah-Clara's colored Nanny"
who had come with her to the city.
"What's this hyah foolishment? Miss
Clara, done followed you, cause I
thinks you-all mighten get into trou-
BILE. And I done hear you'll was lis
TENN on de fab escape. And what's
this hyah foolishment, huh?"
AS she spoke Nanny caught up the
paper from the center of the table.
Calmly she drew a match from ca
pacieus pocket, struck it and set fire
to the paper.
NANNY, put that out at once"
cried Clara angrily.
"Huh, yoah Oh nanny knows what's
bes'," cried Nanny and calmly ig
nored Clara.
Fascinated, Sam watched the hungry
flames eat up the paper-the only ex-
listing evidence Of his young brothers
onH h;c hpofhor,c hot hoo doH oh,,u,c