The Mucker

led grub, he rustled rhyme,'" quoted Bill

about the sward quite close to them, and from the branch of a tree a hundred yards away came the sweet piping of a song bird. Farther off were the dista

ched. Billy rose to his

," said Bridge. "

lied Billy. "That's m

at's the part that has come nearest making me turn res

he trudged, whistling. He felt happier than he had for many a day. He

lled with water, at the edge of the kindling, and waited. There was nothing to cook, so it was useless to light

l emanated. The farmer saw him coming, and ceasing his activities abou

ething to eat,"

y for it with?" aske

me partner an' me are h

the rear of the house. Billy looked in the direction thus

block, and, shedding his coat, went to work. The farmer resumed his chores. Half an hour l

wood in the county to get a m

for me partner, to

and turning toward the kitchen door, he called: "Here, Maw, fix this b

aden with milk, butter, eggs, a loaf of bread an

an' it makes me feel better to act like she'd want. That old farmer guy, now. Who'd ever have taken him fer havin' a heart at all? Wen I seen him first I thought he'd like to sic the dog on me, an' there he comes along an' tells 'Maw' to pass me

e numerous packages in the forager's arms, he was repeating, over and over, as though the words held

grass beside the fire. The milk was in a clean little graniteware pail, the eggs had b

s, fresh, clean, and inviting, Bridge close

e hard?" h

hard?" demand

dog, of

as I know of,

they let you get away with all this with

relieved-the red mark around Billy's wrist pe

ack upon the grass and smoked

ed Bridge, "wh

hikin'," s

et are tired and need a change. Co

d not yet eaten, and made two equal-size

ained, "and here, drink the rest

g to do with the p

Billy. "'Maw' just

them kindly, thanked Billy for returning her pail-which, if the truth were known, she had not expected to see aga

sighed. "Nothing on earth l

Penelope'?"

dge. "I have no Penelope, but

lear-eyed woman who had brought him into the world. The

n an effort to change the subject. "That's an odd name. I've h

ard before, so he called me 'The Unabridged,' which was too long. The fellows shortened it to 'Bridge' and it s

s true name, any more than Bridge would have questioned him as to his, or of his past. The

on a freight train, but for the most part they were content to plod joyously along the dusty highways.

y were smoking by their camp fire one evening, "tha

tuff-it don't get under your belt-the divine afflatus is not there. I may start out al

y of it?" a

e I camped once," said Bridge, reminisce

illy. "I bet it has Knib

d his throat,

are the

are the

re the

are full

twitching at the corners of his

ratched

said Billy, candidly. "There is so

ed Bridge,

fe for another round

lders, the deep chest, the mighty forearm and biceps

you occasionally drop, and from the way you handled those two boes the night we met I should rather

e fight once,"

The food he gave Billy was wrapped in an old copy of the Kansas City Star. When Billy reached camp he tossed the package to Bridge, who, in addition to his honorable p

ween a position of considerable elevation to that of a deep frown. Occasionally he nodded knowingly. Finally he glanced up at Billy who was just rising from his ablutions. Hastily Bridge tore from the paper the

ed lids, and often he found his eyes wandering to the red ring about the oth

Billy had a dollar in his pocket-a whole dollar. He h

n' sleep in a bed just to learn how much nicer it is sle

ligate, Billy,

d Billy; "but if it's somethin

cents. It was rather a high price to pay, of course, but Bridge was more or less fastidious, and he admitted to Bi

he bed. After he had left the room Billy chanced to notice a folded bit of newspaper on the floor beneath Bridge's coat. He picked it up

ion entered them-a hard, cold gleam such as had not touched them since the day th

what Bil

neider, the old West Side saloon keeper, hurled himself from the train that was bearing

from Lemont. He was uninjured. He says that Byrne got a good start, and doubtless took advantage of it t

ll and complete description of Billy, a record of his long years of transgression, and, at last, the mention o

the bed. A moment later Bridge entered the room. Billy caught himself looking often at his companion, and always there cam

he might read upon his face the purpose which lay in the man's heart. "He don't look it; but five hundred dollars is a lot o' coin

e, leisurely way along shaded country roadsides, or paused beside cool brooklets that meandered lazily through sweet-smelling meadow

ng out there amidst the vastness of rolling hills, of woods, and plain that there had been induced

the next bend of a peaceful Missouri road was so preposterous and incongr

n localities had been gained amidst the primeval jungles of far-away Yoka. There had been no detective sergeants there-unquestionably there could be none here. Detective sergeants were indigenous to the soil that gre

man he met might be looking for him, or if not then the very first policeman they encountered could arrest h

hirt from eart

is my cal

each day as

k to un

s good eno

sy of G

re's a

tter with going out now and wrapping ourselve

possible that Bridge could

hirt from eart

is my cal

f aloud. They renewed his co

?" asked t

Billy; "s'mo

about the Midland?" and he grinned at his li

a man might dine well and from a clean platter for two bits. Billy had been keeping his eyes open for detectives. They had passed no uniformed police-that wou

ad of him. Just for an instant he, himself, paused at the head of the stairs and looked about.

for he turned slowly and with deliberate ste