Glacier County chief., 1939-10-20
CHAPTER xIn-Centin,ed

open and Mr.. Ernie Watts had
barged into the smoke-laden atmos.
phere. His first question was di.
rected at the house in general. and
induced solemn hush. He asked,
who tore down that pitcher I past
ed on the window this afternoon"
A lanly young gentleman. clad in
! blue flannel shirt and decrepit
trousers, answered eagerly.
ANDY Forrest tore it down."
How Gomez"
He seen it on the window an
come in. He ripped it right off. An
then he said things"
.'What kind of things?"
Pool-games ceased. Cues were
racked and Mr.. Watts found himself
the center of an avid group. The
situation appealed to him, since he
considered himself rather tough
person. He hooked thumbs through
belt-straps and worded his question
again. What sort of things did
Andy Forrest say?"
Ernie" declared the tall one sad
ly, "he said turrible things. He
called you out of yo' name"
"Me?"
well, he didn't say You ezackly.
on account Of we didn't admit YOU
done it but he said the Teller
which did it was a-was a"
WAS a WHAT"
well, reckon you can guess
what he said. He was mighty het
up"
Ernie tried to look grim. "what
else did he say?"
He said some day he was goin' to
find out who put that pitcher on
the window, an then he was goin' to
beat that Teller up"
"Ohl he said that, did he?"
He sho' did, Ernie. Honest. OF
co'se we didn't tell him it was
you :"
why not?"
"We-e-ell, we didn't aim to git you
in no trouble. We didn't know was
you scared of him or not"
MIR. Watts rose to the crisis. He
announced in large and booming
voice that he wasn't skeered of no
body, an least of all Andy Forrest.
Somebody said, "You better had be.
Andy said he was going to mop up
with you"
Ernie fancied himself a brave
young man and a considerable fight.
er. He realized that he was on tri.
al, that his reputation for courage
would stand or fall on the manner
in which he handled this situation.
He inquired, loudly, where's Andy
Forrest at now?"
Hes down to Warmers garage. I"
well, I'm goin' down there an
find out if he's SO dawg-gone tough.
That's what I'm goin' to do"
They applauded him. They in
formed him that he was some man.
They expressed apprehension for
Andy. They said they'd go along
and watch the combat. ''Ain't goin'
to be no fight" sneered Ernie Watts.
This Andy Forrest don't know moth
IN about fightin'."
They milled around the corner OF
Monument Square and moved en-
masse down Palmetto Avenue. War.
ner's Sudden Service Garage was
on the corner of that main thorough.
fare and Atlantic Street. 1t was a
great. cavernous place, with gas.
pumps in front.
Andy and Kay and Jim and Mar.
garet and Barney were in the little
machine-shop at the rear when the
front entrance filed with Young
men. Barney said lightly, Custom.
ers, Andy. Business is picking up. -
Andy glimpsed the crowd and
sensed its hostility. His lips sci
firmly and his eyes narrowed. A
new dignity sat upon him and he
spoke quietly. "You-an stay right
here"
Something wrong?"
| "Yeh. But l can handle it,"
Kay put her hand on his arm,
She felt suddenly ill-knowing the
answer to the question she was
about to ask.
Something about me, Andy?"
MAYBE. But you-an amt got any.
thing to do with it,
Clad in overalls and light flannel
shirt, Andy moved down the middle
OF the old warehouse, toward the
men who were crowding through
the door. Andy said. "What do vol
WANT"
Ernie Watts stepped forward
I'm kind Of cravin' to have a little
talk with you, Andy"
Go ahead"
"You was in the Bon Ton this aft.
ernoon, wasn't your"
Eyes"
"You tore pitcher off the win
dow, didn't your"
yes"
"An' you said you was gonna whir
the man that put it there, didn't
yo,.?"
Somebody" said Andy, seem.
70 have been tellin' you the truth. ;
Margaret Hamilton had beer
watching the scene with quiet. OBJ