Page:Teeftallow-1926.djvu/268

Then Sandage recalled a disagreeable rumour that Abner Teeftallow had got into trouble with Perry Northcutt's daughter and that Perry had run Abner out of the county. This report disturbed Mr. Sandage. He had always been fond of his foster-son. He knew, of course, that young bucks would be young bucks, but it troubled him that his boy, Abner, had fallen into this ever-waiting pit. Cheek by jowl with this disapproval, Mr. Sandage was a little gratified that it was with the banker's daughter. Evidently Abner had been getting on in society . . . with a banker's daughter. Still, it was bad business, bad business. He should have warned Abner against it. Only it was impossible for a man to warn a lad against that sort of thing and keep his own face. The best any man could do was what he had done: pass over the topic in silence.

The county trustee walked through the main passage in the courthouse to one of the smaller rooms in the northeastern corner of the building. The place was empty and his steps echoed through the corridor. He produced a key, unlocked his door, and opened it, still thinking of Abner. He went around to hang his hat on a nail behind the door when he heard a noise. He glanced around and saw a tattered figure rise up from behind the trustee's desk.

A combative thrill went through the trustee. He thought of the money in his vault, a pistol in a drawer near the robber. He took a stride toward the fellow.

"What in the hell do you mean—"

"It's me, Jim," interrupted the figure in a low hurried tone. "I come to borry your gun!"

The trustee's advance was checked to an astonished staring. The face before heim seemed to change from that of a stranger to the strained worn countenance of Abner Teeftallow, the boy he had reared. The reappearance of this Abner in the place of the simple Abner he had known amazed the trustee. He could scarcely credit his eyes.

"Abner!" he ejaculated incredulously. "Is that you? How did you get in here?"