Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-08-29
CHAPTER 1II-continued

WardS-unleSs we want to-" Kerrigan
went on. "And it's no fair dying either
till each of the others asks one ques-
ton. We draw lots to see who starts"
He broke matches to different
lengths, offered them in his fist, the
ends protruding evenly. He said, "Or
don't you want to do this?" glancing
at Barry.
"Mm," said Barry, and held out her
hand. "Who goes first-long or short?"
"Long."
There was thin air of excitement
about It, as in game Of Truth or Con-
sequences. Barry studiously kept her
eyes on Kerrigan's. Hal rummaged
in his mind for the right question to
ask her when his turn came And the
little tenseness stayed about them after
Barry had drawn the middle-length
match, Hal the short, with Kerrigan to
begin.
'Frankly, don't know why I start
ed this" said Kerrigan, his eyes cheer
full and warm, $50 I'll make 1t dull as
possible. was born In Chicago, fifty
one years ago, with caul. My mother
wanted me to go into the church, my
stepfather wanted me in bank, so 1
decided to be cowboy. l entered the
University of Chicago at the age of
seventeen and came out Of it again at
seventeen and quarter for job on
the range in Wyoming. 1 wrote up
barroom shooting and had the misfor-
tune to get it printed in Cheyenne
paper. Since then I've worked on
nineteen newspapers, being fired from
one and resigning from eighteen in the
nick of time. l am on my way to the
twentieth, and last run by an old
friend in Southern California. like
horses, shad zoe, and derby hats; and
I never take old brandy except when
can get it. So there"
"Ah, is that all?" said Barry, her
brows raised, her blue eyes tenderly
disappointed.
Enough for today" said Kerrigan.
snow it's"
"But get question" said Barry.
$50 you do"
"Any question:"
Kerrigan said, "The more personal,
the more flattering," in quiet courtli-
ness.
She looked at him, looked down at
the knife she fingered in her firm,
dexterous hand, then up again gently.
"Have you been married?" she said.
"Never," said Kerrigan. 81 used to
keep coming down with love, but there
was always something happened"
She watched him second longer,
the gentleness draining reluctantly
from her eyes. Then for the first time
since they'd sat down she turned to
Hal, incuriously, and said, "You get
one"
1.-THE one time you were fired"
Hal began, watching to be sure it was
all right. Ker1igan's look started a
pleased dancing. "Why were you"
Hal said. "a
well, it's long story-a long
story" said Kerrigan.
"Then all the BETTER" said Barry, low
and comfortable. "Come on-you start
ed this"
swell, my friends, 1t seems have
half-brother," said Kerrigan, still
tasting the cheerful "reminiscences "old-
er-respectable, systematic as a ball
team, steady, worthy, ambitious. He
sings THE Road to Mandalay' in his
morning bath.
II used to displease him very much
in YOUTH" Kerrigan went on $50 we
didn't get along. He gave up the job
of reforming me-and went into bank
and did we'll. Ten years passed.
had a Job on a paper in Montana. My
half-brothers bank sent him out to
look at some copper mines that were in
trouble and l was s'posed to get an
interview / knew the situation at the
mines, and I was pretty sure the stu
alton in my brothers head hadn't
changed much in ten years. So instead
of listening to what he thought he
ought to think about it and getting ten
years accumulated Y. M. G. A. on the
side, l smacked out a couple of col
umnS of what l thought he ought to
think and went off to sit up with a
Sick friend
"My brother made his tail pretty big
when he saw the interview, but it was
bigger when he found out who wrote
it. And before could get to the office
/ was fred. 1t was dirty trick on
him. But 1t made new man of me-
That was before got used to having
things make new men of me all the
time"
Barry watched him for moment of
confidential pleasure, smiling, and then
said, II like that" And Hal suspected
that if the tough cheeks hadn't been Sc
thickly peopled with the little red
veins, Kerrigan might have blushed
"Now it's your turn" he said to her
Her look at Kerrigan was unworried
but family reticent. And Hal was as
intent for the parting Of her full lips