Show it iz X m I 1 e E v I 1 ams lh 1 I 1 p W 01 K R i 1 ma t 1 1 1 T L V t E M I 1 W j I 1 a 11 Z I 1 zo E L I f fc I 1 C A I 1 I 1 fes 1 f i 11 1 1 11 1 I 1 t I 1 i t W S ikas 0 MR 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 diw A 0 1 bygy t 1 gy l 4 IQ tw I 1 f gy 7 1 L X I 1 1 h J eibi ith mcgrata oC grata rod Z aback sam sandy hartog on oad beil barely fie fra M bf in 6 keenly aliv W ar d ty he h dreaded 4 the rough good I 1 a nature e of vaquero I 1 r e down lately 1 commented the J bedge postmaster notary storekeeper I 1 keeper all in one not inot up to date on war matters tt it warie var cried the hunchback who mo with what for reckoned as much returned the other with a complacent chuckle set rig at down in the store sandy an read yer papers find em real eye openers hold on an till the ste stage comes in an get the latest news i the hunchback hesitated then turned and entered the darkening store to his relief it was deserted by the usual frequenters neither lazy it jim green the man in politics nor smouse the socialist of 0 the hills was there he strode to where the western light filtered through a dingy pane and there read on absorbed breathless for him no waiting day by day tor for new developments relentlessly from the sinking of the maine to the call tor for volunteers marched events to the inevitable end the evening loafers unheeded dropped in by twos and threes lounged on the nail kegs near the door and awaited their sole eale touch of contact with the outside world the stage from las Pe litas sprawling on the counter was the man lu in politics a person ot of importance in the village his voice raised in lazy scorn broke in upon the hunchbacks hunch backs reverie fight not it I 1 know it ive been waiting ten years to get my hand baud into the county treasury its in now thank the lord and I 1 dont take it out tor for no blamed war bursts of obsequious laughter followed his hand in this same treasury was worth a dollar a day to many a banger on might as well go said another rolce Noth No thin ln else to do dry year aw aa no th no NG smouse shouted turning his gaunt unshaven face upon the speaker for there aint bothin in it look at me ill be d d it im shot for 13 a month ive never worked tor for two an a half a day id ruther starve on acorns fust begun already aint you times pretty tad bad in the brush hills eh eb I 1 I 1 1 1 I 1 ai i I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 U ai 11 I 1 1 I 1 r I 1 I 1 V I 1 I 1 I 1 ai I 1 STAGGERED FELT FELL id kinder like to drawled jim green the village hercules diverting attention from the angry smouse but the folks wont let me my rays I 1 aint big enough for shame cried the hoarse voice of the hunchback for shame to loaf at your mothers apron strings when those he be pointed to the papers strewn upon the floor when those call on you to fight fight echoed jim what tor for I 1 aint goin coln to be shot for a a lot of dirty CiA cubans bans worse n greasers anyway for your flag tor for your country your country right or wrong if I 1 had your strength it if I 1 he broke oil off with a muttered curse why dont you enlist said the man in politics with an airy wink at his constituents quit chopping wood you cant make bothin now its a dollar a cord an board yourself turn out that isug clug of yourn an git never mind your shape your arms as strong streng as others an an you can holler remember th the eM maine demaine aine with the best beat of lem em heres the stage boys in the stampede which followed sandy hartog harto mo mounted tinted nell and rode I 1 homeward through the gathering dusk on past fields of dried out grain past ace brush hills ulden laden with che chemical through them and ana bey beyond oid to where Lm mountain soared upward to the eastern sky halt haff way up the precipitous slope perched the cabin on kalmn a laiola a solitary spot fit abode I 1 lor for I 1 a lonely morbid man ld lowthe pent up misery miser y oi of childish yea rathe m 5 the adv adventurous jon longings gingi of othis IW yott th the bitterness oi of M a I 1 for swearing comans womans jdie itji r joy ai z i j ill n had bid van isheim 1 I a T 7 atis atlant A ji hedelt I 1 7 a i vh a c W az asile I 1 ihal di 1 d balm i ai Z 14 1 4 tta miki ng plana 4 M ne Nell anast I 1 Y r f i e t a s xa 0 o ir it say k n r T ta 31 1 f ei fg adu V ser y ou ald serl L he z 0 5 i i aw elia 1 awit T r 1 amur e P md T w iak v amm i aiji 1 1 aliw stait v 7 N Z 7 cail 0 fa r 7 va r I 1 i an ew cu our LA j ni it 4 ann t t kl X aai HeuP t V 1 45 17 I 1 t barev r lid C 1 i 1 1 on z r al U P 1 I 1 starred 1 I a a lk 1 s jr J I 1 a W a C W 0 i 91 a ivas iv I 1 9 44 v ac th Q Z bj as t lj sS lj bc A ht OZ u az 1 V 4 I 1 a r r n m 1 40 0 ii el 1 ethla 0 jwj ew j hla V it iak cora I 1 awed J MIP i 1 q f RZ t w rai g I 1 r V jiji l l A 1 t t R 20 R M g am r g va 7 14 f 1 1 S RO 1 sa 1 I 1 quickly t ii alio M t 4 lake din from liag laa I 1 peu to td the reci recruiting alting station 20 miles illes m away avay closing the door behind him huft stepped steppe ed out into their the ir fragrant he avoided vaquero water plunged into the ad atthe brush and with the north st star for his guide struck in into to the country con M try road some six miles nearer las Pell tas all night he tramped taint he felt and weary when to toward ward blawn dawn the cool breeze stirred among the fhe oak leaves he still pushed on resolutely turning away his thoughts from that clearing on the mountain where well nell lay in n the starlight with her face turned toward tho the sky next day he reached his goal merin gly in short broken sentences he set forth his errand kindly they listened viewed with compassion the misshapen body the haggard face the deep set eyes brilliant with a feverish light kindly still ignoring his deformity for mity refused him on the score of heart disease the hunchback thanked them and slowly turning left the room what now of the future return to vaquero water be a butt for the clumsy wit of the village store live without nell never one bright ray of hope had illumined his lonely life to darkness he could no more return near by an organ droned dronek out patriotic airs a heavy dray lurched in the roadway he crossed the street abruptly staggered fell dimly he be saw the crowd surge round him hla his coun arys anthem faintly sounded in his ear remember the maine he whispered feebly the flag of our country nell and the stage bore the news to vaquero water whoever thought the blamed fool would have done it irritably cried the man in politics he might have known we was only joshin him he was a fool said smouse thirteen dollars a month want worth it IL shot his horse too an never skinned it might ha gotten one fifty for the hide but six foot jim slipped out into the darkness the hunchback was a man he muttered and 1 I 1 I am the fool edith landale allandale Al in the argonaut |