Show 1 THE HOUSE WITH THE 1 GREEN SHUTTERS 1 BY GEORGE DOUGLASS D D I j Copyright Cp co CHAPTER XI XI Continued But flut what boots It to tell of nil his schemes He Ho had the tho lucky eye eye and and everything e he Jook looked d on prospered Before Defore h he had been a n. week In Barbie he met Gourlay just at the Bend o othe o 0 othe the Brae In full presence pretence of o the bodies Remembering their first t encounter the grocer tried to lo outs re him bins but Gourlay Gourlay Gour- Gour lay hardened his glower clower and the grocer cro- cro roeer ro- ro eer blinked When the two O had passed I J I I e said s. th tho bodies dill did ye see yon yoP yop-they're yop they're n not t on speaking ng terms And they notched botched with gk glee gleo o oto to think that Courlay Gourlay had another ene ene- nl my Ju Judge le of their delight when they saw one day about a month later juit as Gourlay was vas passing un tin n the street t Wilson II on come ome down It with nith a n load of at coals for or a customer For he was often out road In the early mo morning miner and what was the use of an empty Journey back again especially especial as ho he had plenty of time In the middle of oC the da day to attend to lo other folks folk's affairs affairs so so to here he hc was started as a n. carrier In full opposition to Gourlay Did you 1 0 see Gourlays Gourlay's face faco chuckled the tle bodies when the cart wont wInt by Yon wa bash In the eye ec to him I Ha In ha hes he's he's hes not to havo have It all his own wa way now Wilson had hail slid Into the carrying In the natural development of oC business hulnes It was another of or the the possibilities he aw Kaw and turned to advantage ad The two other chief grocers In the place Cunningham the darty and Calderwood the drunken having no carts or horses of or their own were dependent on Gourlay Gourlay Gour Gour- lay a fa for I conveyance of f their goods from froni 1 But Wilson brou brought ht hison his hloi own on Naturally li h he was asked by hy his customers to bring a Jarc parcel 1 now flOW and then and naturally being the man he was S he made them pay for or the privIlege liege With that for a start shut the rest was soon Boon accomplished Gourlay hall had to pay now for tor his years of at In Insolence olence and tyranny tranny all who had hall Irked beneath his domineering ways got their carryIng carry carry- In ing done by Wilson on Ere lon long that gentleman had three carts cart on the road and two men under him to help In his various ls affairs Carting W was S only one of or several new developments In the business of J. J W. W When hen the nav les came In about the town anI and accommodation was III hI II to find Wilson rigged up an old shed In Inthe Inthe inthe the corner of oC his holm as a a. hostelry for ten of or them them and and the they had to pay through h the nose for fr r their nights night's lod ing Their food they obtained at the Emporium and thus the Wilsons bled them both ways Then there was the scheme of or supplying milk milk another another of the Hitherto In wInter winter winter win wIn- ter Barbie was dependent for Its milk supply on heavy carts farm that came lumbering down the street about half half- past 7 in the morning Jangling bells to waken sleepy c customers and carrying carryIng carry- carry Ing InC lanterns lanterns' that carved circles of ot hairy yellow out of oC the raw air ail But Mrs lIra Wilson got lI four our cows back- back calvers who would be milking stron strong In December and supplied milk to all the folk about the Cross She had a lass Jass to help her In the house now and the tho red headed bo boy was always to be en round corners corners corners cor cor- cor- cor ners like a weasel l. l running messages es hot foot errand to boy the thc In general Yet though everybody was busy and at It such a stress of work was accompanied b by much disarray dIMray i ar 1 was the strangest b ys Gourlays Gour Gour- Gourlays Gourlay's lays lay's was a pleasure to the eye everything every ever thing of the best hest and everything In order since the masters master's pride would not It to lo be other But Dut though Wilsons Wilson's Emporium was clean his back yard was littered with dirt dirty straw broken boxes boxe old barrels stable stable sta sta- ble refuse and the tho sky-pointing sky shafts of oC carts In between When hen boxes and barrels were flung out of oC the Emporium they generally ere al allowed allowed allowed al- al lowed to lie He on the dunghill until thc they were converted Into firewood lre Mistress Mistress Mistress Mis tress youre you're a n. trifle trine mixed said the Provost Pro In grave crave reproof when he went vent round to the back to see sec Wilson Wilson Wil Wil- son on on matter on-a-matter a matter of or business But Tut Tul cried Mrs Wilson lIson as she threw down a plank to lo make a n path across a L dub Tut dub Tut iho laughed the the cosier casler An And It was as astrue astrue astrue true as she said Bald Jt t. t The Tho thing thins went forward splendidly l In spite of ot its con con- fusion Thou Though h trade was sas brisker In Barbie than It had bad over ever been before Wilson ha had ha i already done injury to Gourlays Gourlay's s business as ns General conveyer But hitherto ho he had not Infringed ed on the therl gurly rl ones one's other monopolies His Ills chance came at last He lie appeared appealed on a a. market day In front of or the Red Hed Lion a n. piece of or pink pink- cy-brown cy paper In Jn his hand That was the first telegram ever seen In Barbie and it Il had been brought by special messenger from han It wa waa short and find to the thO point It ran Will YI buy stone cheese heese S 8 shillings stone stono delivery at al once and nd was signed by bya byn a n merchant In Gourlay was talking to old Tar mulan mu- mu lan Jan of when Wilson Vilson pushed in and anI addressed without a glance glauco at the tho grain Have Ha you OU n. n kane Wane o 0 che cheese sc to sell was his blithe saluta samuta- tion I J have said and he eyed him suspiciously For what was vas Wilson for tor He a a. cheese merchant How much the stano stana are ye asking ort fort said Wilson lIson I have Just been asking Mr 11 Gourlay Gourlay Gour Gour- lay Jay here for tor seven ven and t sIx Ix said Ir Ir- Ir but he winna rise a penny on the seen seven rim Ill gle yo ye 0 seven ven and six said Mid Wilson Wil Wll- 11 son and slapped hi his long thin bankbook bankbook bankbook bank bank- book far too ostentatiously against the I knuckles of his left hand land nut Hut But but stammered suspicious still but melting to the offer of of- fer you have e no means of or I storing chee cheese chees Oh said Wilson getting betting In a fine tine one at al Gourlay theres no drawback In that The rhe ways way o 0 business have havo changed greatly since steam tm came mc mcclos close clos lo to our doors Its It's nothing but vanity nowadays when whon a country merchant merchant mer mer- chant w wastes mone money on a 1 ramshackle of C buildings for or storing storing theres there's theres no need for Ol that If It he only onh had lad brains to develop devel devel- op 01 quick deliveries Some Seine ome folk no doubt like to build monuments to their own pride but Im I'm not one of that kind Theres There's not enough sense In a athing athing thing like that to a n man like me My Iy offer ofer hold you OU understand understand under under- stand unless you deliver the cheese at han station Do you accept the condition Oh yes yee said Im willing to agree to that into the Red Lion then said VIl on on and well we'll wet the bargain with a drink to make It hold hOllI the tighter tight tight- CI er Th Then n a strange thing happened Gourlay bunny had a curious stick of foreign wood one of oC the trIfles he fed ted his pride on ox the crook of oC which curved back to the stem stein adhered adhere leaving space only for tor the fingers The wood w was of or wonderful toughness s. s and Gourlay Gourlay Gour Gour- lay 11 had been known to lo bet that no noman noman noman man could break the handle of or his stick by a single grip over 1 the crook and under It Yet now as he sa saw his him and bargain whisked awa away from listened to Wilsons Wilson's Jibe the the thing snapped In his hla grip like hike a rotten twig I IHo Ho lie stared do down doun n at nt the broken pieces I for tor a while as If wondering how they came there and then dashed rt them on the ground while Wilson stood od smilIng smilIng smiling smil smil- ing by hy And AIl then ho strode with strode with a CL alook alook look on his taco face ace that made tho the folk tolk tall fall away Hes hellish angry they grinned to each other when their foe had gone and lau laughed hed When hen they heard th cause of It Ha lIa ha Wilsons Wilson's the bo boy to diddle him And Ana yet they looked queer when told that the famous stick slick had snapped In his grasp like a worm worm- c eaten len larch Lord cried th the bak baker laker r In admiring awe did dill he break break- It with ae no chirt Its It's been leen tried by scores of or fellows for Cor the last twenty years ears and never a man of or them was up tuiuti Lads lad theres there's something splendid splendid did about wrath What aman a n man he Is when the paw slon grups im him i in dye cat said Raid the Deacon Deacon Dea Den con He lie may thwing In a a. to towe we for or his wrath yet From that da day Wilson Vilson and Gourlay Courlay were a pair pall of gladiators for whom the people of oC Barbie rondo made a ring rh They y pitted the protagonists against each other and hounded them on to lo rivalry rl by their comments and remarks takIng taking tak tak- ing lag the side of the newcomer le less from fromI I I partiality to him than from hatred of or I their ancient en enemy my It was waa as strange e I that a thin thing so Impalpable as gossip should In Influence so o strong a man as John Gourlay to his ruin But Bul It OUI did The bodies of or Barbie became not only the orus oris of or Gourlays Gourlay's tragedy buzzing bussing bus buz zing sing It li abroad and discussing his downfall down down- tall fall the they became also alo mere merely b by their maddening tattle a villain of or the piece and an active of the catastrophe Their Theil gossip seemed to 0 materialize Into Inton a n single le entity a n. something propelling propelling- that spurred Gourlay on to schemes scheme that ruined him He lie was not to he be bedone hedon done don he said he would show the tho do dogs dog s what he thought ht o of them And so o he plunged h headlong while the wary Wilson Wilson Wil Wil- son on watched him smiling at the sight There was vas a pretty hell-broth hell brewIn brewIng brewIng brew- brew In Ing In tn the little town CHAPTER XII Aye man Its It's you rou I said paid Gourlay coming forward with great heartiness Aye Ae man and how howare howare howare are ye Into the parlor Good evening Mr Gourlay paid ald the Templar Tem His manner was as curiously curious curious- ly h subdued Since his marriage there was a great change In the thc rubicund Hitherto Hith Hith- elto erto he ha lived Jived In sluttish comfort on his own land content with the little It brought In and proud to be the friend of lC Gourlay whom everybody feared If It ever dawned on his befuddled mind that Gourlay- Gourlay turned the friendship friendship friendship friend friend- ship to his own account his vanity was sas flattered by the pre prestige he acquired acquired acquired ac ac- because of ot It It Like many another another an an- another other bl big toper the Templar Tem Tern vial was a a. chicken at heart and to be In with ith ouIla Gourlay lent Jent him a conse consequence Onse- Onse nse- nse quence that covered J his de deficiency Yes Im I'm sleepy sleep he lie would yawn In Mart I had a l yes yes- es treen lIeen wI wl John and he would slap his boot with his switch riding and feel like a e I h hero ro I know how It is I kno know how v it is Is' Is Provost Connal of Barbie used to cr cry Gourlay both courts ourt and cowes him him first first he courts and then he ho cowes and cowes-and and the Templar hasn't the coura courage e to break It off oat om The Pro ost hit the mark But when the Templar married the millers miller's daughter of the thc Mill IIII 0 of Blink Blinka a a. sad come down come down said foolish neighbors neighbors neigh neigh- bors for a Halliday of at there was a a. sudden change about the laird Jaird in our good Scots proverb A millers miller's daughter has a shrill voice and the new leddy of or a leddy Jeddy she Is said the frightened housekeeper Justified the proverb Her voice went vent with tho the skirl skin of an nn East wind through the riddled rat-riddled mansion of ot the Sh She was twenty and and ana a a. birkie woman of and nine can make a good husband out of ot very unpromising material ma ma- The Templar oro ore a scared look In those days and went home be be- times His Ills cronies knew the fun un was over o when thc they heard what happened to the great punch bowl bowl she she made It t Ita ta a swine h. h It was s the heirloom of or a hundred years ears and arid as ns much as a aman aman aman man could carry earn with his arms out a massive o curio In stone but to her husbands husband's plaint about Its Oh she cried it 1 never know the tho difference renco Its It's been been used to swine But she was was not content with the cessation of the old the she was as determined determined deter deter- mined on bringing bringing- In the new For or a a. twelvemonth now she had urged her husband to be rid of oC Gourlay The country was as opening up she said and the quarry ought to be their own A dozen times he had promised her to warn sarn Gourlay that h he e must yield the quarry when his tack ran out at fit the end of or the ear car and a a. dozen times he hail had shrunk from tb tha tho encounter Ill write he said feebly Write said she lowered In her pride to think her husband was as a cow COW- ard nid Write rite Indeed Man Ian have hn ye yeno yeno e eno no spunk Think what he ho has made out o 0 ye Think o 0 tho the mon money that has gone Bone to him that should have como come to you youl You should be glad slad o 0 the chance to lo tell him ot My ly If I was you OU OUI I wouldn't miss it for the world world just Just to let him know of oC his Oh Its It's very right that I she l she sounded the I very big and brave Its brave its very ery right that I should live JIve lIv In this tumbledown hole while ho he builds a Q palace from rain your plunder Its It's right that I should put up with this she this she flung hands of oC contempt at her dwelling Its dwelling Its right that I should hould put up with ith this while yon on trollop has a splendid mansion on tho the top of o the brae And An 1 every of hla hlll fortune has haa come out of ot you you you- the fool Cool makes nothing from his other business busIness he he would have to be a a. pauper p. If he hadn't met a a. softie like ilke you that he could do o what he liked d with Write Indeed I ha e no patience with a a. wh en of men Them hem do the work worle o a the world The They may wear weal the breaks but the women wear We-ar the brains I trow Ill I'll have hll It Il out with the black c k brute myself screamed the hardy dame lame If it youre you're fal feared of or hl his glower If you ou haven a the pluck for It It I have Write Indeed In you go so to the meet meet- big ing that ass of or a Provost has convened con con- and dont don't show your our face in till you OU have had It out with Gourlay No wonder the Templar looked d sub sub- dued When hen Gourlay came forward or with his usual c calculated heartiness s the laird remembered remember d his wife and arid felt fell uncomfortable It was Ill to round on a man who always as Imposed d on on him a hearty and hardy poo good l Gourlay greeting him so warmly gave sa him no excuse for 01 an outburst t |