Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-02-29

? lights. Young men, ranging In hui
from deepest ebony to hghtest cchre
J Strutted consciously in their tuxedos
the girls we're gay In brilliant evening
: gowns. There was that subdued laugh
? ter symptomatic of the commencement
OF a large evening. Later the merri.
i. ment would be less restrained and the
! fun more genuine. Now the paying
guests we're too greatly impressed viii
! their own elegance.
Stew Meat was the center Of atten-
ton. He stood apart from the crowd
brow furrowed, head slightly bent. at
tltude not noticeably different from
4 the famed pose Of a certain Mr.. Bon
4 aparte as he watched his Old Guard
j terloo
! At 10 o'clock he observed the broad
Z shouldered figure of Coot Warning on
the floor. Coot's midnight countenance
was radiant, and he waved gayly at
/ Stew Meat
"Jes' got heah," he called.
"Uh-huh," responded Stew Meat. Il
see you did"
Teeth clinched, feet propelled by
sheer desperation, Stew Meat moved
into the parking space and drove off
IN the asthmatic vehicle he had rented
from JASPER De Void. Just another liza
bllity atop mountain OF bankruptcy
He drove toward Birmingham, even
yet unconvinced that he would find
courage forcibly TO enter the Waring
cottage.
He parked two blocks away from
Coot's modest mansion. The neighbor-
hood was oppressively quiet. Coot's
home was shrouded in blackneSs. So,
too, were the neighboring homes. So,
too, was Stew Meats heart He moist
ened parched lips, approached the
house from the side and tested the
window Of Coots bedroom.
To his horror it opened. He had
prayed secretly that he would be I'M
able to get into the house. Now there
seemed nothing to do but proceed.
He proceeded-wi infinite caution. /
The darkness inside the room was as
heavy and tangible IS black velvet. He
stumbled over chairs and barked his
shins. He took longer than he expected
to take, and wondered why his heart
did not cease to function entirely. But
eventually he found the bed. Cold
trembling fingers CROPPED along the
edge Of the mattress +;
A door slammed The sound OF that
slam reverberated through the tiny
cottage like peal Of thunder A mans
voice was raised: Who's there? Who
back yonder?"
Stew Meat did not stand upon the
order Of his going. He exodused at in
credibly high speed. Or at least he
tried to. Brother Rogers" he said TO
himself, you are now headed 70 else
where
Unfortunately. it was still very dark.
Stew Meat crashed into a dresser and
sntangled one trouSer leg In a handle.
There was an awful ripping sound. He :
ell across chair with results defin-
tely disastrous TO the stiff front of :
lis dinner shirt. He heard MIR. Warning
approaching, uttering loud and danger s
lus words >. and young Mr.. Rogers
lived through the window into the
moonlight.
He sprawled on a pile Of ashes, coll 8
ected himself swiftly and departed :
or parts unknown, pursued by the 8
ngry shouts of Coot Warnings amaz-
ngly vociferous progenitor.
he reached the corner in nothing :
lat and clipped two seconds from that 8
llne IN the next 100 yards. He flung =
1mself into his car and sped off into :
ne night--Sans money but at least
9mpOrartly not the victim of mayhem.
was only when his heartbeats became
tr1fle more regular and his pulses
ere pounding less terribly that he
The major crisis through which the
oy had just passed had converted him
no grim person A certain new ma
ir1ty perched upon his shoulders
nd although his soul was sick at the
respect, he decided that there was
oentng to do but go home. change his
otheS, and return to his Dawn Dance
there TO explain matters to Fam
'ot johnson and plead for mercy.
Stew Meat stumbled into his own
0use via the back door. He heard his
srents stirring about In the front
ON and he was glad enough to avoid
EN- being In no mood to think Of
ausible excuse for his battered ap-
iarance. He shed coat, trousers, shirt
ID tie. He laved his bruised face and
lnds. He donned his school pants and
'ened his dresser drawer to get
Fan shirt.
And then a wild shrek rent the at
oSphere. Stew Meats mother, fearful
at her son had suddenly fulfilled his
theirs prophecy and gone completely
ad-rushed into the room and asked
egtions.
Stew Meat was leaping hither and
n. His face was beaming, eyes were
ming, and he was emitting loud
loops Of glee. The anxious female
rent noted that he was clutching a
ckage In his hand.
'Afawl. stew Meat was frantic with
I. Tel me, Nav: Where did this
ne fum?"
That III bundleP Why, that was
Ved up in the mattress sol TO Maidiel
sring this mawnin'."
Yeah know, Nav, know.
: how come you TO find it?"
she eyed him reprovingiy. Don't
I reckon got eyes, Oscar2 seen
ere you had ripped the mattress an
Eeo It up again, so befor' I gave
Idle the mattress, why took 1t out
put in IN yo' bureau. was gwine
you, too-on'y you was gone when
0t home"
n an excess Of affection Stew Meat
ng his arms about an astonished
ther-and fled. AS he split the night
ard his parked car, Nav Rogers
"a him say-very loudly-"Hot dig
I dawgl"
eew Meat drove fast and recklessly.
was eager TO return to the Dawn
nee, to give vent to his happiness
exhibiting old dance steps and in
ting new ones. He approached the
se OF lights and swung into the park
place
instinct informed him that all was
&M n m34rnrEN Rta FfJYara Vucrn mo-