MUTT AND JEFF
THE KING OF BOLONEY HAS BO MUCH DOUGH HE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT ALL- YET I COULDN'T-GET Ä RRD CENT OUT OF HIM!
You COULDN'T
"HELLO,KING!' I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE LONESOME! HOW ABOUT PL"/IN"
A LITTLE GAME
OF POKER?
POKER? I DON'T
GAME! KNOW THE
YOU DONT KNOW HOW TO PLAY
POKER?
{INO!
WELL! COME ON!
I'LL TEACH YOU!
YOU SHOULD LEARN SO YOU CAN HAVE? SOME FUN WITH THE BOYS HERE IN AMERICA!
THE CHINA MAIL, FERUARY 23, 1989
THE
FAMILIAR SOUND OF
·CHIP GAINST CHIP
CLICK
OLICK
CLICK
By BUD VISHER
THE ROYAL
Condo Mark Zag 1, 1 Jan Otta
hushio bioza ka જાગને
||||||AGE||20|1||
EVERYTHING except EXPERIENCE
AGE 60
NOTHING but
EXPERIENCE
MAKE YOUR CHOICE WHILST YOU ARE YOUNG ENOUGH
THE
MANUFACTURERS LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY
-HEAD OFFICE
CANTON, 20, British Concession, Shamaan. Tol 1,379, V. E. Ferrier, Special Representative.
SWATOW General Agents's. Menuru. Catr
-Bon, Ltd.
Ancial Representative: G, B. W. Thomson. MAUAO: · F. Noronha, Agent,
TORONTO, CANADA
MAIL THIS COUPON NOW THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE CO.
T
Shell House," "Heng Boda. Plisas "send me tuli particulats of your Retirement Polloy,
NAME AUE (Nearest :-Birthda?) 12.1975äsencetines ADDRESS
7APB4
Dine at the
Parisian
Good Food
Grill
Dinner and Dance Music
by
"THE BLUE DANUBE TRIO
Open till 1 a.m.
Fine Wines
The China Sail
DEALS
CONCISELY AND ACCURATELY
WITH THE NEWS
“EARLIEST WITH THE LATEST
THE DAILY SHORT STORY
The Widow's Son
HERIFF Dudley Downe stopped his;;
SHERIF
"Sorr
this,
to disturb yuh like
understand it's in line of
rickety old T modél Ford on the Sarie, equally rickety wooden bridge. Sit duty." ting here he could look up the creek
"You drop by any time you feel like and see the cabin where the Widow Bas- sett lived. Even at this distance you it. Dud. Seems good to see a body could tell that the occupant of that now and then." cabin was neat as a pin.
When the sheriff reached the rickety
Mid-winter flowers, Southern Cali bridge on his return trip he stopped This spot was his favourite. fornia variety, made brilliant splashes again.
in the front yard. Starched curtains He liked to linger here, filling his pipe. hung at the windows. The pole fence and following with his eye, the green He was in good repair. Freshly launder-strip that marked the course of the
stream up the mountain side. ed clothes flapped in the breeze.
sighed as his eye caught once more the Sheriff Downe sighed as he studious- white-flapping clothes near the Widow ly filled and lighted his pipe. He hop- Bassett's cabin. In a way he was glad ed more than he cared to admit that he hadn't found Vic there. Sarie had he wouldn't find the cabin harboured had enough trouble: young Vic Bassett, Young Vic was the widow's only child, and he took after his father, Joe Bassett had been kill ed in a barroom brawl when Vic was tem. The widow had tried hard to rear the boy to honest manhood, but Joe's blood was in his veins.
Sheriff Downe's hand paused in its upward sweep with a lighted match. He stared and his mouth fell open. He remained poised thus for so long that
fingers. the match burned his
When the officer reached the sum- Vic had given his mother nothing mit of the grade behind the cabin for but trouble. She had managed-be- the second lime he parked the T mo- cause everyone felt sorry for her and del; unleashed his heayy six-shooter and admired her loyalty to the boy who went down on foot, keeping conceal- deserved neither loyalty nor affection ed as best he could behind the mos-`` -to keep him out of jail, managed, quite bushes. He was within fifty feet that is, until the day when Vic was of the house when he heard voices. He nineteen and had been caught with two heard Vic's voice, threatening, bully-
By Vic Yardman
others' attempting to blow the safe of ing; "He heard Sarie's pleading and the Swanstown Savings bank. A watch-weeping. man had been killed in that fracas and Vic was sent up for twenty years.
Theline about Sheriff Downe's mouth grow tight, He guessed that a That was four years ago. This morn- quick dash was as safe as anything, so ing Sheriff Downe had received word he sprinted. He didn't stop when he that Vic had escaped from jail after reached the cabin either, but burst killing a guard. The old law officer open the door and stepped inside.. didn't believe the kid would be fool
Vic Bassett, tall, thin, cruel-faced enough to visit his mother, but it fell had his mother's arm twisted behind. in the line of duty to make sure.
her back and was saying something about money. Sarie's face was pinch- ed and the blood had left her cheeks, but she was silent.
When his pipe was going well, Sheriff Downe started the T model rat- tling up the hill that led away from the river. Ten minutes later he const- ed to a stop before the Widow Bas Vic whirled, snarling, like an animal sets Cabin Perhaps, he thought, it at bay. He dropped his mother's arm would be better for hor and all con- and reached inside his shirt. The hand - came out, holding an automatic. But corned-if Vic were there and he gave the officer enough cause to shoot him, he didn't have time to press the trig Alive, Vic was a plague, Dead, his Ber. mother and everyone else in the neigh- bourhood would be better off.
him
Sheriff Downe's old six-shooter roar, ed. The first slug tore into Vic's stomach, folding him up, forcing a "The widow Bassett came to the door horrible gasp from his lips. The so- and stood with her hands wrapped in her apron. “Morning; Dud," she said cond straightened him, apun to Downe when he was half way up around. The third knocked him off balanco. Ho crushed against the wall, the walk. One look at her and he alld down to the floor, limp and still guessed Vio Tadn't boon around.
and dead. Morning, Sárie, Right smart mornin', eh Had any visitors late-
The "It was that washing, Sarie, things were on the line when I crossed. ly 7"
"Visitors? What are you driving the bridge, but had been removed whom at. Dud?"
I reached the cabin. I figured it was "Just this." Sheriff Downe decided rome sort of signal. Especially whet to be blunt. “Your boy, Vic, fescaped to-day is Thursday, and Monday In from the pen
yesterday morning. He wash day on' you always was a stickler killed a man doin' it. Now!!
for routine and doin' things proper You figure he might o' come home, Sario." He paused, feeling embar
there raseed and sorry and wishing Dwell, home's the first place a body was something he could do.
Look heads for in time of trouble." :
Sarlo, does that invitation atill hold about me droppin'
Not everybody, Dud. Come in," Dud stepped insido, removing his hat, conscious of his heavy, dust covered boots on Mr Bassett's spotless floor, He looked andund quickly, peered Inte the bedroom and kitchen.
The widow Bassett stared at hip dully. Then after awhile ahe nodded (Copyright 1989, by The Associate Newspapers).
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