1938-08-27 — Page 8

MUTT AND JEFF

I'LL INVEST YOUR FIFTY BUCKS AS A DOWN PAYMENT ON.

A LOT AND THEN.

SELL. IT AGAIN AT

A GOOD PROFIT!

YESSIR, ALL MY LOTS IN THIS ROW

ARE SOLD FOR

1,000 A LOT!

AND YOU WANT #1,000 CASH FOR. A SMALL LOT··

25 BY 100?

(7:23

THATS MY PRICE,

·SIR! TAKE IT- OR LEAVE IT!

WE'LL LEAVE IT!

·COME ON,JEFF!

WAIT, MUTT, GIVE THE MAN

FOUR DOLLARS!

By BUD FISHER

FOUR DOLLARS?

WHAT FOR?

PASPIECE OF DIRT FLEW IN MY EYE AND I CAN'T GET IT OUT!

THE DAILY SHORT STORY

Contract Deal

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DUFE DURKIN sighted along the

R

"Taint wuth it," Rufe grumbled.

long barrel of the squirrel rifle. "Probably got a revenuer guardin' the His finger tightened on the trigger. place. Then where'd we be? Besides, Simultaneously, with the explosion of I give him a contrack."

All the same, Rufe was grimly deter- the gun, the small, rat-like animal which was his target, completed a half mined to out-smart these jiggers who He somersault and vanished into the bow. were playing him for a sucker.

spent four days looking for another els of the earth.

"Doggone durn"! Rufe, grunted, dis- trade, but without success. The fifth gusted. His face was black with bit- day à man in an automobile stopped ter thoughts as he trudged back to the him.

"El- "Friend," said the man, "you're a slab shack that was his home. miry," he stated to the worn, tired type. How'd you like to looking woman who stood at the sink, in the movies?" "this here blisterin' par-boiled country ain't no place for us. Why, dad blast it, them there ground squirrels ain't squirrels atall. They're rats! We ot ter git back to Kaintucky.”

"We cain't," said Elmira flatly. “We ain't got the money."

"How much?" said

0 to work

suspicious-

"Twenty-five dollars a day. All you have to do is talk a little and walk around."

ly.

Rufe was mighty leery, but when an automobile arrived the next morning Which was true. Two months ago he decided to take a chance. He fet- Rufe and Elmira had traded their ched along his squirrel rifle just to be Kentucky mountain shack, even Steven, on the safe side.

not The experience was novel and sight unseen, for an alleged beautiful home in Southern California, where very pleasant. He decided he must be there squirrel shooting was excellent. in an insane asylum. He was sure of The beautiful home proved to be it when at the end of the day a man nothing but a desert shack surround- handed him five crisp five-dollar bills. ed by unproductive, sage-dotted land. For three days Rufe was driven away The squirrels were unedible gophers. in an automobile, and each night re- The heat was merciless. and without turned with five crisp five-dollar bills. The third night his face wore a griev- relief.

Rufe caressed the shining barrel of ed look,

A "I figured there was a catch in it,” the squirrel rifle, thinking what pleasure it would be to train its sights he told Elmira. on the two-timer who had traded him

"What's happened. Want us

to

By Richard Hill Wilkinson

their present home. Presently, how trade our date farm, do they?”

more - "Mounts to that. They want to ever, his thoughts changed to serious and imminent matters. They gimme a contrack. I told 'em notin' had barely enough money to keep going doin'. I'd got hooked twice on contrack another week. After that, what? Rufe deals, an' I wasn't gonna get hooked ran an oily cloth through the barrel of, agam.

.

the rifle. He supposed it wouldn't be "Rute, you sure are smart," Elmira ́any more difficult to stick up some said admiringly. one like a revenuer here than it was

back in Kentucky. However, he didn't

“Mebbe", said Rufe. "But what are

like the principle of the thing. Durn we gonna do now?”

We

it, he'd promised Elmiry to lay off that "Why, shucks," declared Elmira, sort of business. Still, this was dif- "we're goin' back to Kaintucky. ferent. He'd been taken advantage of, got enough of them five-dollar bills and they needed food bad.

saved to git us there an' to buy us a shack after we arrive.”

!

Back in Kentucky Rufe had been re- garded as a smart man. He could be smart here too. Maybe he could trade their desert home for something more profitable. He sighed and got to his feet.

2

Rufe stared at her incredulously. "By gum, Whoops," he ejaculated.

got a hald for Elmiry, you shore figures. Jinka. I reckon I kin hardly wait to get some good squirrel huntin'

"Elmiry," he cautioned, "you keep your eye on that likker I got brewin. ngin.” Last batch blew to high heaven. I'll be back.

And the next day the Durkins pack- ed up and went home.

(Copyright, 1988, By The Associated

It was nightfall when Rufe returned. He was high in spirits. Luck had beer with him. He'd met a man who own Newspapers) ed a date farm, who wanted a desert home so he could raise cattle. ́. had traded him, even. He had the contract with him. They were moving -to-morrow.

Rufe.

Elmiry said nothing. Her face wore a resigned look. Long ago she'd made up her mind that never again would ehe, see the beautiful hills of Kentucky, nor feel the cool mountain wind, nor

BE A MAN OF FEW WORDS if you wish, but don't tolerate a directory of few words. Get

hear the friendly bark of Rufe's squir- KELLY'S DIRECTORY

rel ride over in Mendon's Ravine."

They moved the next day. Rufe

wak,fublliant. Hlișubilation died that

Afternoont A neighbour dropped in and

were

n that the tree, hed bought right, but, they'd never bear aten because they weren't the kind, Elmira; owed some fine spirit for the first time since they'd come

irrel'

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urers

and Shippers of the World

Obtainable Millington Limited

1717