The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-09
Chapter HI

ss M HOG IlSI4tlJ ppSii lol tApNC l lyet," I told Jane Ann, watch 1 ing her face to sec how the grub was setting. There won't be any ! one else unless the Indian digger comes in. Do you good to meet little company"
 Her face took on that shaGow that I'd noticed before. "Oh, no; I couldn't ;" she said.
 "Why not? He's harmless" "Please don't mind my not be- ing chubby"
 q don't mind anything" I said. "Just to prove it, I'm going to shoot you full of questions.
 What kind or questions?" I could feel her tense up.
 Snoopy ones, of course. NobodyIs got to look twice at you to see that you've been used to money. Plenty of it."
 "There isn't plenty of it any more."
 Then what are you here for?'
 She hesitated over that. Then she must have figured that I was friendly. She said, i've got to live somewhere. My theory is that I'll keep this up as long as I can and then go down with the ship" I liked the way she said it and the set of her chin and the look in her eye that said she wasn't asking odds of hell or horseflesh.
 Maybe the ship won't go down. I said, for an idea was fermenting ! in the old hrainpan
 Maybe not" she said.
 I tapped my garter and peeled off three ten-spots from the roll.
 What's this?' she said.
 "The first months rent"
 "Just for Wagon-space? It's too much"
 'Tts either worth that or noth- ing at all. My risk"
 She took the money then. All right, she said. Thank you She was coming unshrunk a little.
 I gave the space the once-oVe There was plenty to be done be- fore I could get going. First went to the stockade and touched Prof. Loren Oliver for brush hook. There's nothing like borrowing to start you on friendly footing with the neighborS.
 Weeds and scrub grew high was just working up nice sweat when jaloppy rattled in and a young Greek god got out. He was big. square-shouldered, flat backed Dlond-haired bird with nice friendly blue yees and Welliver football sweater He stopped to read my display banner that was spread across some bushes to let the sun deWrinkle it; then he came over to where I was slaughtering the vegetation.
 'Hiya, Nom Batlmer,' he said.
 That's me-" I said. Pleased to meetcha, Big-and Handsome.
 "The same to you' he said. How about spot of breakfast?"
 He yaWned faceful of the whitest teeth anybody would want
 'Breakfast" I said. Its two o'clock, D. m.
 It'll be breakfast for me. I could eat horse.'
 Just out of horsemeat. Eggs. Ham or bacon. Griddle cakes. Coffee and toast
 Right. That's my order" be said.
 In the grubWagon he sat at the table and chattad, very sociable about the chances of next falls team until the order came.
 "Your night on the tiles hasn't spoiled your appetite, Big Boy,' l said
 "1iles, your eye!' he came back at me. I've been gold prospecting. "
 And this is the Hotel Ritz said.
 No; I mean it. Haven't you heard It's headlined in the papers. They've struck gold again. Back in the Colony Hills"
 Well, I'd heard about some old mines there. But they'd quit work ing them before the Civil War.
 Find anything?" l asked. Not a sparkle. I've got no luck anyhow" And he smiled like a cherub on a pink cloud. You ought to be able to roll your own luck with the face ano shape,' I told him. Thanks" he said, finishing the last six cakes. How about putting this on the hook, Mom? I'm Angel Todd"
 So this was the Great Todd Nevertheless and notwithstanding as they used to say in Montana rules are rules. Angel or devil, there's no tick here" said. ''Thatll be sixty five cents, please He spilled bis rash-pocket spread Ing out two quarters, tnret dimes a nickel, and seven pennies. How much gas could buy for twenty seven cents?" he asked. The old boats about dry" WELL, I went soft I told him " to put his money back. And then, while he was promising that he'd be over to settle soon, his face lot T Jr. \,