The Coolidge examiner., 1936-05-22


stretched and sighed luXuriously
and Topped his tail again.
1t was late when he left Nan, an
agreement reached and ready to
report in the morning to work at
the big drafting board.
He had not gone far when he
felt Tip come bit closer, and then
a vague figure detached itself from
the shadow of pine tree.
The hail, when it came, though
cautious and low, was not un-
friendly.
young? That you, Young?"
"Yo! What's up?"
The other approached and then
Kerry halted.
"It's Jim Hinkle, Young"
"Oh, hullo, jim! How's the girl?"
Fine! All right!'' - looking
about cautiously. II . wonder if
1 could git you to stop here a min
ute? 1 got somethin' 1 got to say
to you, Young!'
He was wholly sincere, and not
at all at ease. That billigerence
which had been on display early in
the morning was wholly gone.
"WeIl. when a mans got to talk
why, he's just got to talk,
hasn't he?"
Il don't want certain par
ties ever to know I hunted you up.
friendly-like.
I'D be a skunk If I didn't say 1t,
after what you done for us. I amt
even thanked you yet for givin'
Elsie back to u.s." His voice shook.
That's all I can say about that . {.
that 1 thank you. :"
"That's all right, Jim. You need
MT even have said that much"
"Oh. yes! 1 had to say that.
But that's the smallest part of it.
. 1 got other things to say,
Young.
Pm no good, you know. I'm
hell of citizen. l drink and l gam
BILE and don't pay attention to my
debts like | ought. l don't amount
to nothin'. But it's only when
somethin' happens like happened to-
day that l git thinkin' about it
much.
And | got this to say be-
cause of the things I've been think
in this Afternoon; l was lower'n
snakes belly to come to you like
1 did md try to drive you out of
this country"
Pause.
you see it's different, now. l
That is, l come to you just
after sunup like l like | be-
lieved what the rest of 'em be-
lieve: that you framed up some
thin on Tod"
And you knew all along that
it was real? That he did cheate"
Another pause. Then, Yes pin
a whisper.
Something unusual here.
And you figure 1 am in danger
now; and you figured the same way
this morning. Then the change is
all in you, jim? In your ;. your
attitude, l might say?"
Il guess that's gettin' clost to
it."
Young scratched his head and
took deep breath.
ITS a little deep for me-" he
laughed.
"Ain't it what man thinks that
counts more than what he does?"
In Hinkle's voice was a sort of pas
sionate plea for understanding.
YES; guess you're right"
"You see, Young,"-grasping the
front of Kerrys slicker and look
ing quickly about,-"I didn't want
to come to you today! l knew you
caught Tod dealin' crooked, even if
didn't dare let on to him md the
rest. But l had to make you think
l didn't owe you anythin'. That's
what makes me feel like skunk !"
"Oh, l see. Yes, / see how
it is. So it was necessary for
you to make that play this morn
ing. That it, Jim?"
Almost reluctantly, the man said :
"Yes; that's it,"
"Pd say that was queer fix for
man to get himself into"
Il told you l wasn't any good"
But you were wrong. You are
some good; lot of good. I'd say.
If you weren't, you wouldn't be
waiting for me here tonight to try
to fix up what you've broke!"
"Well it amt nothin'. It's
all | can do.
Young shook his head. mo, you
can do quite little more. You
can tell me, for instance, why you
thought it necessary to believe
what West said instead of what
your eyes told you"
"He amounts to lot around
here, Tod West does"
And you don't dare cross him?"
mot much. God, Young, if
you only kneww
I'm here; I'm ready to listen"
"But l can't tell yOul It's nothin'
that concerns you. It's nothing
you know about"
He had started TO back away