Show i r i g E i the wicked i I 1 1 uncle 1 j sy 1 FRANK FILSON I 1 r C copyright leht by W 0 chapman Chap roan i 1 I was eleven eleven yesterday and I 1 haya have ha ive started tar ted a diary the first thing thine tl that hat I 1 must HUE t go ea into it IS ls about my wicked sod uncle me W whon hon fattor said bald casually to mo mother th e r neds written that hos hes comi coming n g 1 last east as t to tb pay us a visit next week woe k f abot her sighed d and flung up bei I 1 or I 1 h hands an da 1 I guess he wants some more money jim she said at such a time a as this im sure sura neds settled down and steadied himself during these seven years answered tather father it in their the man said bald mother in a curiously constrained voice like bul bill after lie ho had confessed to taid sheriff that lie he stole the girl to keep her away front from his rivals the tha outlaw of the plains I 1 must mui tell you you now that while wo we live in a magnificent mansion with tour four servants we are fast approaching bankruptcy father made some unlucky deals on the tha stock exchange and the war has cut off exports so what Is a man to do As aa father said to mother yesterday it those fellows would civo him time and his bank would advance bilm only ten thousand he ha could keep his head above water and no cottave not tave to take furnished rooms more than that he said it if that shipment comes through from rotterdam notter dam well be richer than weve ever been 0 av 4 1 4 1 wason guard day and night in our lives before but nobody will trust each other in these days of degraded politics and there been a man at the helm of the state worth his be salt at since grover cleveland left the white house said father youve lent that fellow ned at least ten thousand thou dAnd and said mother fi in the anguished tones of dinah when tle the outlaw ot of the plains lay dying yes said father but that was between brothers you know youve started him three or tour four times over youve put him on his feet and now he cant keep there and hes coming coining to borrow some more promise me you wont let himi him lieve C t tim eident of my benefactions bene factions tod will be ba measured by chicken teed feed dun dunes and nickels answered father tomorrow pur our wicked uncle starts east the wicked uncle has bas arrived he Is younger yo than father and reminds me very strongly ot of diamond dick the Pa mathans Pat haug thans woo though the look in ia his eyes softens at times like that of bill buffalos buffaloe Buff alos when dinah refuses to become an outlaws bride lie he shook hands with me very frankly certainly I 1 have received a not impression of my fathers brother was cool toward ned ned thiis what he has instructed me to call him confessed to me in an aate r tonn confidence dence that she always waa cool toward liard ahlm 1 ft I dont blame matilda he added with a mournful sigh SV jhb knows im no good and never likely to be any good la in this world I 1 laid my hand with a gentle but significant pressure upon the wicked uncles arm cheer up ned I 1 replied nona non 13 ot of us are wholly bad theres so BO much good in the worst of 0 us and so BO much bad in mhd best beat of ir us that it aint the job of any of us 1 l 14 to hit bit ouri ourselves elvea on tile tha chest ot us said the wicked wicked uncle yes yes I 1 know your words are infinitely consoling my dear boy but its hard I 1 to bear hard to bearl bear 11 net morning lie he had a long conversation with mother I 1 midat mean to overhear the first part buta but a fellow cant help it it hes makinia making a boat upstairs talis and people choose to hold it a conversation in the pas passage sigo mother was very angry with uncle ned I 1 could tell that by tha ano tone toia ol 01 her eer voice 7 my husband Is ruined sh ah e waa wa aayne i want you to that cle clearly irly ned i font dont insinuate that your visit here Is IB anything moro more than one ot of friendship but tho poor maxi man Is struggling hard bard to keep leei lila ilia head bead above water he got 1 a hundred dollars to lend ho he basil t got fifty ive given up my winter clothes and we dont oven even know ho charlie can go back to school I 1 boxt dext term my heart stopped boating beating it bennied ail too wonderful to be true ill all I 1 have bavo to say to you upon that subject ned she bho cont continued in aed as they moved away it you understand der stand that you are more than welcome here 1 I 1 understand matilda you always 1 did think tho the worst of in me eald Uncle ned r that set get no me thinking what was tho the purpose ot of uncles visit I 1 knew lenow ho he had bad been a desperate man in his day could he have come to rob us and had bad mother suspected his designs and uttered a friendly warning that they would not be tolerated for a day or two after that mother trailed the wicked uncle like a shadow especially when he was with father As for me I 1 repaired tho the old pistol I 1 had found in the empty r room oom and was on guard day and night I 1 loved uncle ned but I 1 would not sut to r him bim to rob those who had befriended trl ended him tho the mystery was explained about a week after neds arrival i mother and I 1 had seen him go out but a tow low minutes later he sneaked in by the back way and went straight to father in his library I 1 had spotted him A man does not a Inform his womenfolk when danger fa a imminent I 1 simply waited under the stairs the tha empty pistol in my hands I 1 know that bill buffalo had cowed the outlaw of the tha plains with a tobacco pipe arid and I 1 would not scruple to intimidate undo uncle ned with an empty weapon I 1 could not hear what the tha men were saying but all at once onca mother carne came hurriedly into the room her comans womans wo mans instinct never at fault as dinah know knew had told her that the crucial moment had arrived she went in and left tho the door unfastened her voice was angrier than I 1 had ever heard it before the men cowered before her feminine fury 1 I know knew when you came here she cried that you were going to iry try to induce jim to start you la in life again start you in life at forty five only forty three matilda said ned in a pained voice at forty three then my husband has done more tor for you than any broth er need do and you shall not take taka his last penny lit in the tha world do you think I 1 camo came to borrow money tilly asked tho the wicked uncle 1 I do it I 1 know you why tilly what an idea protested the wicked uncle 1 I made my pile in nevada last year and I 1 came home to pay back what I 1 had borrowed but I 1 knew a black sheel theeo never turned white arid and I 1 well my dear I 1 had a little fun with you all heros heres jims twelve thousand four hundred and nineteen cents the nineteen cents I 1 borrowed from him to buy a rabbit when we were at school together then followed a silence that might be felt then I 1 heard somebody L kissing iss somebody else youre still the same ned said father in an odd choked voice what pleases me best is that that little chap will be able to go back to school said undo uncle ned I 1 sheathed my weapon I 1 gritted gritter my teeth will baffled yago rase and sought the seclusion of my lair I 1 hate halo in my y wicked uncle |