"
"Harkless, if you have the strength to walk, come down before the
convention. Get here by 10.47. Looks bad. Come if it kills you.
"K. H."
"You entrusted me with sole responsibility for all matters pertaining to
'Herald.' Declared yourself mere spectator. Does this permit your
interfering with my policy for the paper? Decline to consider any
proposition to relieve me of my duties without proper warning and
allowance of time.
"H. FISBEE."
CHAPTER XIX
THE GREAT HARKLESS COMES HOME
The accommodation train wandered languidly through the early afternoon
sunshine, stopping at every village and almost every country post-office
on the line; the engine toot-tooting at the road crossings; and, now and
again, at such junctures, a farmer, struggling with a team of prancing
horses, would be seen, or, it might be, a group of school children,
homeward bound from seats of learning. At each station, when the train
came to a stand-still, some passenger, hanging head and elbows out of his
window, like a quilt draped over a chair, would address a citizen on the
platform:
"Hey, Sam, how's Miz Bushkirk?"
"She's wal."
"Where's Milt, this afternoon?"
"Warshing the buggy." Then at the cry, "All 'board"--"See you Sunday over
at Amo.
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