The All-Story, March 1914 — page 184: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE DEVIL AND DR. FOSTER. “Then Til do it, Mr. Tupper,” the by cried. ** Here's my hand on the bargain.” Sam accepted the outstretched paw, but quickly dropped it and blew on his own palm. " “Mv, how hot your flesh is, [key !” he exclaimed. ee CHAPTER IN. A SLOTHEUT, SERVANT, For some weeks affairs at the Tup- pr farm pursued the even tenor ot their ways, and the peace of life in Oxville remained undisturbed. The only change in relationships was that resulting from the addition of Ike Jackson to Sam’s forces. When Sam had approached Iis Uncle Peter with a proposal to buy the boy’s time, Mr. Jackson had hard- ly been able to conceal his surprise. Ike's reputation in the neighborhood for industry and promise along lines of agricultural endeavor was so de- etvedly bad that his guardian would have looked for an outburst of merry hughter from his wife as soon as for a genuime offer for the orphan’s SIVICES. By the exercise of Herculean eftort, however, he managed to hide his true feelings under a cloak of pretended affection for the lad. “T don't doubt but what you mean well, Sam,” said he, “ but it would be lke cutting off an arm to lose Ike. He's such a help round the place, and then \lis’ Jackson sets a store by him.” “Well, ‘taint as 1f you were never yong to see him again, Uncle Pete,” Sam cncouraged him. “ Any tine Mis’ Jackson feels as if she couldn't gt along another minute without a weit, she can run over, and he can wine home nights to sleep. The fact 8, we ain't got room to sleep him at our house, anyway, but I guess we can manage to eat him there.” "All three meals?” asked Uncle Peter. i2§ 657 “Yes, and four if he wants them. I should like him to get over before breakfast, anyway; and he wouldn't get his chores done till after supper- time.” | “What do you want hin for, any- way, Sam?” Uncle Peter demanded, unmasking his curiosity. “ Why—well, the truth ts,’ Sam re- plied, thinking quickly, “I got to have more help on the place, what with sumnmer here and all, and Wes can't do as much as he used to since he got to be jailer.” “T shouldn't think that would take hint much time,’ Uncle Pete rejoined with a hint of suspicion in his voice. “ There’s hardly ever any one in jail. I heard there was some talk of closing it up for good ‘nless they got a pris- oner before long. Wes wouldn't lose much if they did, seeing’s how he only gets board-money when he has some one to look aiter.” ‘“He’s had two tramps in there iri only the short time since hes been jailer,” Sam rejoined cheerfully. ‘ Be- sides. Wes ‘lows a good deal on hold- ing public office. Some men are that Way. “But the jail has to be kept swept out whether or not there's any one there, and on top of that since Wes got married he has his own garden to make and—well. a married man has a good deal-more use for his time than a single man.” “That's so,” Uncle Pete sighed syim- pathetically. “ Now, about Ike.” He felt that he had not reached the hot- tom of Sam's desire for the lad, and an old doubt revived. “ Look here, Sam—you ain't aiming to get the keep of him from the tewn yourself, are your” “Sho, Uncle Pete, you know I wouldn't do anything like that,” his nephew protested. “Well, I dunno. After you pasting him full of birdshot I kind of thought— But how much’ll you give? He's quite a good deal of use to me with only Bill Moloney to help round comicbookks.€c@