Show fortunate honesty by ANN SAVILLE 5 mcclurr New newspaper syndicate service A ALTHOUGH customers seldom came into ill the store at night it was nas pa part rt of jadd raines balnes job to 1 keep eel it opet open until nine lie ile often decided laconically conically lii as lie settled seated himself before file coal stove that it was lucky for liim him lie could spend so much time drem dreaming ning and lie enjoyed it too till this 8 dreaming of the day when lie he could get belond file lie hill country into the cities where there was laughter and music the same as you yon heard over the radio of course it so BO pleasant when tits his dreams were inevitably grounded by a grim reality armoney at least rive five hundred dollars lie would need to go 0 qu in style such an impossible isible amount that it was fortunate the store cash never exceeded fifty dollars ile he was thinking along these lines lien a couple apical of the hardy hill folk entered wizened they were and you noticed it all the more because their eyes were nere so bright the alie nun man spoke first Is a courthouse hereabouts where we can set get married why yes theres a courthouse cross the nai but I 1 its is t too oo 00 late tonight have to stay over oer until lomonsow riming ding the old man ills brow in fatigue we come a long way make it no earlier ills bride to be patted his hand consolingly solin gly one more day aint we can call stay up to chouan Til lles over night taint the part that worries me file prospective bridegroom salil said then paused as his ebes roved about the store until they rested on a safe in the corner lie looked at it a while title then turned back to the clerk and studied him carefully jadd was becoming uncomfortable when nhen the old man spoke young feller he said you pear honest to me I 1 want vant to put this money in the safe till mornin I 1 dont trust cousin man a mite lie ile took the purse from the woman and handed hadded it to jadd jadd took it knowing perfectly well wel I 1 that he put it in the safe that was beyond ills his domain the man was saying wistfully fully athars nine hundred of em cm in that we saved quite a spell for that jadd muttered something unintelligible as the trusting pair made their way off ile he was left standing with the nine hundred four hundred dollars more than he needed lie ile looked at the clock on the wall its ticking was suddenly like a volley of rhythmic hammers eight fifteen thirty minutes until the only night train to the city pulled in the train would take jilin him to the city that had music and lights ue ile stood there a solitary figure fi gure his imagination picturing the new scenes that were now within his reach uis his eyes saw streets crowded with friend friendly y people and shining shilling with lights of brilliant hues and all at once another sort of light came into tits his vision lights that had been soft and starry lights that shone from the eyes of a wizened old lady a bride to be and still again appeared a different sort ot of light proud defiant that had accompanied the words of the groom we saved quite a spell for that cut but something that had always threatened the cash register still persisted it was saying that the little hill town had a heart a great big heart that would shower the poor couple after lie he was far beyond apprehension they suffer and he would gain the clock on the wall struck once in a startled start startling lID I 1 interruption of his thoughts eight thirty it left a dismal echo in the store to remind him that he had been standing there fifteen minutes the purse was still clutched tightly y la in his hand lie he wished suddenly that the train might corne come at once so that lie he need hesitate no longer suddenly he whirled around the door had opened and tha old man was again ag ain entering jadd stopped the purse into his pocket the old mountaineer leaned on the hie counter jes thought rd id run back n ast ya to go long to the courthouse tomorrow he said then added confidentially fidentia lly 1 I never liked cousin man lies iles got wicked eked eyes not straight like most fellas like yourn are jadd balnes baines eyes fell then lifted suddenly as a train whistled shrilly the eight forty five the engine had stopped and was panting impatiently at its inactivity jadd stood fascinated until the panting began to quicken bells rang w warningly arnin gly and then the panting became a steady purr then to the old mans astonishment he laughed A laugh that held a world of relief ile he stretched ills his neck and ran his handkerchief around the inside ot of his collir collar Wh atsa matter ills HIS trusting friend alend wanted to know that train jadd motioned in the direction of the station im just glad it early the old fellows brow wrinkled in puzzlement then he too laughed in a bewildered manner ile he bad dismissed it as something he understand der stand and he be was right about that cut but the next morning when a happy old man opened a decrepit purse to pay pas for ills marriage license and nine hundred pennies rolled out jadd balnes baines blinked at the pile ot of coppers and then understood marly many things filings among which was that honesty li even for dunate honesty pays |