The Store Boy

me a

oned man, with a beard of a week's growth, wearing an old and dirty suit, which would have reduced any tailor to despai

rd looking one!" s

being naturally reluctant to h

y?" demanded the tram

room on that seat,

you going?"

ou are-to P

s cordial, and he halted his horse till his

he circumstances. His companion pulled out a dirty clay pipe from his pocket, and filled it with toba

tch, boy?

to have escaped the off

ipe with a look of disappointment. "If you had a matc

d Ben, hardly able to re

kids that want to be an angel, hey? Pah!" and the

aid Ben coldly, feeling more an

school," said his comp

for milksops

better for not going?"

a straightforward man, I am. You always know where to find m

Ben. "I believe e

to doubt my word, nor no boy, either

N

me? A dim

o money t

yer to-

working in a store for a very smell sal

se s

any better for my telling you that, un

here. Crawford keeps

es

s your

feeling rather annoyed at what h

e tramp quickly. "Not

son of John Barclay, deceased, but how could

father?" asked th

," answered the tram

feeling that be had a right to

tin' cards with me," an

t I told y

l you mine. You can

eal name," said

s," said the tramp. "If you don't like Jac

laug

uld suit, he said. George W

at?" demanded the tra

, who did not care to get in

uickly about him, he observed that they were riding over a lonely sec

ut he was a boy of truth, and could not say so truly, though h

ive it to me right off o

bills on the way. All this money he had in a wallet in the pocket on the other side from the tramp. But the money was not his; it belonged to his employ

he answered in a firm tone, tho

. "D'ye think I'm goin' to let a

when a fortunate idea struck Ben. In his vest pocket was a silver dollar, which had been taken a

m his pocket, and flun

'll have to get out

being genuine. It was not much-only a dollar-but he was "dead broke," and it was wo

hold upon Ben. "Why couldn't you give it

en boldly, "I didn't

and get i

answered

se and give me a c

do t

lief. He had to walk around the wagon to get at the coin. Our hero brought down the wh

tramp, but Ben had no

et another chance to ride w

in, and his practiced eye

a bad one after all." He looked after the receding team and was half dispo

s way into the woods, and, stretching himse

reputation of being the prettiest girl in Pendleton-at any rate, such was Ben

nment at the Town Hall this evening, Ben?" sh

n, "but I am afraid I can't be spa

or anything. I hope I

ll the more then." an

r me," said the young l

nestly. "Won't you get in a

oper?" asked Mi

rse it

I'll v

and the two drove into the village together. He liked h