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At this unquestionably psychological moment Mr Tucker beckoned them froait approached a trot, although they had no particular reason to believe that it was his intention to offer them a drink It was merely a hope born of their thirst

Their reputation was such, however, that any one ished to demonstrate his friendship invariably evidenced it in this way, taking care, in violation of the ethics of bygone days, to do the pouring himself

Mr Tucker winked elaborately when he invited theed eloquent looks as they followed him to his Land Office in the rear of the store

Inside, he locked the door and lowered the shade of the single hich looked out on an areaway No explanation was necessary as he took a hatchet and pried up a plank This accomplished, he reached under the floor and produced a tin cup and a two-gallon jug

He filled it with a fluid of an unfamiliar shade and passed it to Pinkey, who s that et Wallie watched hiled down his throat

"Well?" Mr Tucker waited expectantly for the verdict

Pinkey wiped his o down for the third tiet it?" Wallie in turn emptied the cup and passed it back

"S-ss-sh!" Mr Tucker looked warningly at the door "I ar and raisins You like it then?"

"If I had about 'four fingers' in a wash-tub every half hour---- What would you hold a quart of that at?" Pinkey leaned over the opening in the floor and sniffed

Mr Tucker hastily replaced the plank and declared: "Oh, I wouldn't dast! I jest keep a little on hand for my particular friends that I can trust By the way, Mr Macpherson, what are you goin' to do with that hoht run across a buyer sometime and I wondered what you asked"

A hardness caoin' to charge you any commission--you've had bad luck and----"

"You're the seventh philanthropist that's wanted to sell that place in my behalf for about 400, because he was sorry for me," Wallie interrupted, drily "You tell Canby that when he makes me a decent offer I'll consider it"

"No offence--no offence, I hope?" Tucker protested

"Oh, no" Wallie shrugged his shoulder "Only don't keep getting me mixed with the chap that took up that homestead I've had my eyeteeth cut"