The Argosy, January 1907 — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

244 It may have been natural enough; the druggist could not consider it so. After his time of striving to please, indigna- tion boiled up within him at the way visitors seemed to shy from his immedi- ate vicinity. And. there “was no doubt whatever about it—they were doing that and noth- ing else. When he stepped from behind the counter and crossed the store the genial slap on the shoulder, the cheap joke, were conspicuous by their utter absence. The people appeared to shrink from actual contact with him, as if in fear of some unknown peril. They watched him furtively when he was not looking; he could feel the eyes on his back. They whispered when he was in the rear, and suddenly straight- ened up and looked unconcerned when he appeared. ‘The soda-fountain was shunned absolutely. Perhaps he could not altogether blame them, but—well, it cut into him, some- how. He had done his level best to invite and to justify confidence in ]im- self and all that he did; he had _ be- lieved that he had gained it. Now, be- eause the eminent Mr. Bandmann had chosen to walk in and die, it was dis- sipated in a twinkling! Supper-time came, and Radford; sore and weary and sick at heart, sent Miggs to the near-by restaurant for a meal. He could not contemplate the ordeal of supper at his boarding-house, with the dozen curious tongues and the two dozen curious eyes to quiz him. Alone, he was eating without interest, when some one entered. Radford dropped his napkin -and arose, but he was no more than on his feet when around the _ prescription- counter corner appeared gray Phil Sher- wood, sheriff of Bond County! “Evening, Bert!” that person said, without looking at him. ‘Good evening, Sherwood.” “Don’t bother gettin’ up, boy. Go on with your fodder. I'll sit here. "Tain’t any hurry.” Albert nodded listlessly and continued to eat. Here, he presumed, was another series of questions to be answered. Sherwood was about to take a part in the in- THE ARGOSY. vestigations, too. Well, it should be staved off as long as possible. * Radford sipped his coffee slowly and listened to Miggs, in the outer store, re- lating the tale of the tragedy for the nine-hundred-and-ninetieth time. He put down the cup at last and turned to the sheriff. Sherwood, with a nod, drew his chair closer and laid a hand on Radford’s knee. “ Boy,” he said solemnly, “I guess I’m going to turn tail on my duty as an officer of the law for once.” “Eh?” Radford’s eyes opened sud- denly. “ Why?” “Mainly because your paw and I worked together forty years back,. Bert. Because he was one o’ the best fellers that a man ever knew, and his sons are ‘bout the same. Because I owed him more than [ could ever pay back before he died, Bert; and just now, if I can make things a little easier for his young- est boy—well, I’m goin’ to shut my eyes for once.” | “ But good Lord!.” The druggist sat back and stared. ‘‘ What the dickens is all this mystery for?” “Hush!” Sherwood held up a warn- ing hand. ‘“ There’s no particular use in havin’ a crowd back here, Bert. What I have to say I don’t want to be leak- ing all over town.” ‘But do you mean to tell me that you're not here simply to get an account of the affair, man?” ‘ Bert,” said the sheriff, “ I’ve got too darned good an account of it as it is, I’m afraid! ”’ ‘And what the deuce does that sig- nify?” Radford sat up, tracted. The sheriff’s own eyes dropped. His hard hands clasped; the lines in his face told of real mental suffering. ‘ Bert,” he said, almost in a whisper, “they've got an almighty black case against you!” “A case against me! druggist. ‘Shut up, boy. ing more or less. and his eyes con- 19 gasped the Yes, that and noth- It’s a wretched, black- looking thing from one end to the other.”’ of But 2? “Say, I don’t believe for a minute EOPMICLOOOKS (C@)