The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-11-01
CHAPTER VI-Continued
Elisha's mounting disapproval changed
tO CONSERVATION

Elisha's mounting disapproval changed
to CONSERVATION.
Turning, he faced Eleazer.
'Say, Eleazer," he faltered, "s'pose
we was to make deal on this thing.
S'pose, for the time bein' I was to
take over your job an you was to
take over mine. S'pose you did the ar
restin'? You seem to know sight
more bout how to manage 1t than
I do.
"You put on the badge; you tell the
thief to stick 'em up; you put the pis-
toll 'twixt his shoulders, or wherever
you think twill do the most good; an
you snap the handouts on him. I'll
see you get full credit for it. Mean
while, if there's a fire or an under
takin' job, I'll manage 'em somehow"
Eleazer shook his head.
"That wouldn't do, 'Lish, no way in
the world" he objected. 1--WE can't go
swappin' Offices voted us by the town.
Folks wouldn't like it. Was 1, COM
mon citizen, to shoot the criminal, I'd
likely be hauled up for murder. I'm
willin' to stand by you to the extent
of goin' along an keepin' you com
pany; but you must be the one that
bears the brunt of the job. You amt
told me yet none of the details of this
business. If I'm goin' to help you,
I'd oughter be told everything about it.
Who is the criminal? An where is
he? An how'd you come to get track
of him?"
Alas, the questions were the very
ones Elisha had hoped to escape an
swering. Nevertheless, he knew of no
way to evade his confederate's Curl
osity.
Reluctantly, cautiously, he poured
out his story and was rewarded to see
the other town official cape at him,
open-mouthed.
BLESS my SOUL" he reiterated
'Bless my soul! Who would "a drempt
it?" he burst out when he could con-
tain himself no longer. oval, never
did like that Teller Heath. l sus-
pected from the first there was some
thin wrong about him. Prob1y he has
queer eyes. You can always spot
criminal by his eye. Kinder shifty an
fishy. l understand human nature.
This Heath Teller, now. / understand
him."
"Then p'raps you can foretell what
he's likely to do when l arrest him."
put in Elisha eagerly.
II can," Eleazer nodded. II can
prophesy just about what he'll do"
"What"
"It's better l shouldn't tell you.
'Twouldn't be wise. We must do our
duty no matter what comes of it."
Elisha's knees weakened beneath
him.
Seems to me-" went on Eleazer,
"that stead of loiterin' here discussin'
the calamities Of the future you'd bet
ter be gettin' on to your house. You've
got to put on your other clothes The
press, most likely, win want to photo
graph you. Then you must hunt up
your badge. your handouts an all your
paraphernalia. I'd better cut across
the field, meantime. an oil up my
pistol. Mebbe l can fix 1t so-st it'll
60 off. I'll try an find you some
cartridges, too. wouldn't want to
stand by an see you struck down
without your havin' some slight de-
tense, poor as It's"
With this dubious farewell, Eleazer
hustled off across the dingle and was
lost to sight.
Left alone, Elisha gloomily pursued
his way to his own cottage and enter
ing It by the side door passed through
the back hall and upstairs.
Going to the closet, he took out his
Sunday suit, shook it, and with the
air of one making ready his shroud,
spread 1t upon the bed.
Next he produced boiled shirt,
collar. and a black tie.
1t took him some time to assemble
these infrequently used accessories,
and he was dismayed to find no col
lar-button.
A cOllar-button was the cornerstone
of his toilet-the object on which ev-
erything else depended. Should 1t fail
to be forthcoming. the game was up.
He could not administer the law with
out 1t.
Perhaps. viewing the matter from
every angle. its disappearance was
fortunate. rather than an unfortunate,
omen.
To grapple with an experienced
criminal was suicidal. Suppose the
criminal did escape? Were not law
breakers doing so every dayi
Bnt. alas. there was Eleazer to