Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-02-16
SHORT
SHORT
STORY

4O1 lllC Pll1dOlC S1SllS VI lOlSSo olCt-
ing were tracing needless, prema-
ture lines between Bills handsome,
dark eyes. Bill wasn't complaining.
His chances were even at college
and he had chosen the theater in
stead of business. He had already
proven his ability, but the shows
were not going too strong just now,
and the managers were afraid to
take chance. Too much COMPETE
ton. Movies, you know.
Bill smiled. Break it easy, Al.
Murder or robbery"
BILL, I've always thought you
missed your vocation. AS an eff
cheney expert you'd make a fine ac-
tor. Here is your chance to try.
Remember Uncle Eb? He came to
visit me once at college, and you
entertained him for me because /
was forget the trouble. Well,
as sort of post mortem joke, he
left me the pulp mills as my share
of his fortune.
''The thing is this: Since have
been long-distance boss of said mills
they have barely been paying ex-
penses. They produced thousands
annually for Uncle Eb, under the
same regime"
Dawn is cracking, Al. My new
role is that of the little Dutch boy
who discovered the hole in the dyke
and put in his thumb to stop the
leak"
BILL, my relief is like sudden vi
sion to blind man. All you have to
do is to pretend you are me, call
someone's bluff, and collect a hun
dred a week as long as you want
the job? o. K.?"
Out of the first hundred Gin ad-
vance,, Bill adopted an orphan
sport model. He chugged into town
Saturday with the prospect of long,
lonely Sunday ahead of him. Then
he saw HER. She was so beautiful
that she left Bill breathless for a
moment. He approached her hur-
riedly, holding out small, newly
wrapped parcel and in his most per-
feet, irresistible, matinee-idol voice
he said, 81 beg your pardon, but
is this yours?"
Very seriously she took the pack
age. eff it isn't yours, perhaps it is
mine. Thank you"
She was leaving him. MAY I
give you a lift somewhere"
THANK you, Napoleon, but your
carriage awaits without-me. She
stepped into a shining new white
roadster and, without so much as a
backward glance, was out Of sight.
For a week Bill put all his time
into the mills, trying to discover
why such busy place was not pro-
ducing results. Everyone liked him.
He liked everyone but the manager.
Therefore he appointed the part of
villain to him and watched him.
This led to the discovery that very
often the white roadster was wait
ing outside to drive this villain away
of an afternoon. And from the rum
BILE seat two golf bags nestled lose
ly together and nodded wisely to
each other.
The day Bill decided that he was
taking money from his friend under
false pretenSes he saw the car drive
away from the mills with a single
passenger. Racing to his own cough
ing steed, he cried gayly: "Do your
stuff, T. B. This is just to say good
by"
The car Immediately stopped
sputtering and gave chase to the
sleek white beauty ahead. About
four miles outside of town he saw
the car parked by the roadside Just
ahead he saw another car wrapped
around telegraph pole She was
on her knees before the battered
form of the manager of the mills.
"Got a flask" she wanted to
know. mo, you wouldn't! Well, go
find doctor. No, wait. See what
you can do for him. I'll CO." In
:stantly she was out of sight.
"I'm in love-" sighed Bill, gazing
after the departing car.
The form on the ground moved
and spoke. "Josephine!"
THAT'S fine; you're doing fine,"
he told the man, while his heart
sang Her name was Josephine and
she had called him Napoleon. Sup
pose it was love at first sight with
her, too? The injured man was
speaking again. Josephine. l stole
the money from the mills because
wanted enough to marry you. We
must 60 away quickly now, because
think he suspects. Where are you,
dear?"
~ am here, dear. Where is all
the money now?" asked Bill, soft
ly.
''In the bank in New York. Safe
safe. We must hurry"
Bill sent telegram to Al later
that day, which read: "Got my fin.
ger in the hole in the dyke, and all's
o. K. Can't leave just yet. There
is a woman in the case"
The answer came Immediately
Zine. All ends as l expected. Sis
says if you don't propose soon she
is going to. Better keep that man.
ayers job as she likes living in tha