"
"Complained about my lying here? what the hell!... look'e here, Jim
Small, there's no ordinance to prevent me from lying on the grass."
"Well, Johnnie, you either got to git up and sit, proper, on a bench, or
I'll have to pull you in, much as I dislike to do it."
"Jim, you just 'pull' ahead, if you think you're lucky ... it'll be a
fine thing for me ... I'll sue the city for false arrest."
Deputy Small was puzzled. He pushed his hat back and scratched his
head....
"Jim, who put you up to this?"
"The people what saw you lying here, as they drove in, stopped off at
the office of the _Globe_ ... it was 'Senator' Blair telephoned the
courthouse--"
"Blair, eh?... trying to get even for what we boys did with his dirty
paper ... he knows I like to lie out here and read my books of poetry!"
I was thoroughly aroused. I jumped to my feet.
"Jim, do me a favour, and arrest me ... and I'll sue you, the city of
Laurel, and 'Senator' Blair ... all three of you!"
"--guess I won't do it ... but _do_ sit on the bench ... I ask it as a
personal favour, Johnnie."
"As a personal favour, Jim, till you are out of sight. Then I'll go back
to the grass."
That night Blair, cocksure, had the story of my arrest in the paper.
But, as it happened, he was too previous....
Jerome Miller and Jack Travers joined me in going to the office of the
_Globe_, the next morning.
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