"What is he doing? Is he putting his hand in my pocket? My wallet's there. And what about my watch? Yes, why, of all the nerve so that's it a pickpocket." He let the car slow down to about twenty-five miles an hour and wondered how he could unnoticeingly put his hand in his pocket and catch the boy red handed. The boy had shifted his position. His arms were now folded, but his eyes were the same. Changing his position at the wheel, he placed his hand in the right pocket his wallet was still there, and what about his watch? It was gone no, let's see -yes, it was gone. Something must be done right now, before it is too late. The gun what about the gun? After all what had he brought a gun along for anyway? "Best that I stop the car to avoid any accident," he thought. The boy was still staring at the road but sat with folded arms, unconcerned about everything that went on and when Evans slowed the speed he seemed to have little reaction to his attitude and showed no alarm when he started to stare at him. Quickly drawing the gun and yet trying to control his anger, Evans thundered forth with, "So this was your game, huh? Good thing I found out before it was too late. It's people like you who are a menace to society. Why did you take it? What good would my watch be to you? You can get out now, but first give me my watch!" "I'm sorry sir, I have no idea of what you think I am. I haven't your watch." Evans could see the flare of anger growing in the boy's eyes, yet he was a gentleman all the time. "Come on! I'd hate to have to use this gun. Hand it over or do I have to search you for it?" "Certainly after you have been good enough to give me a lift, you don't think I'd take anything, now, do you?" Strange, but the boy did seem innocent or else he was putting on a good show. Without waiting for further resistance, Evans grabbed him by the tie and practicaly choked him to death. "I demand that you give me the watch." With no protest from the boy, he started to search him. True his side pockets were empty, but in one vest pocket he found the watch. Taking it out and putting it in his pocket, he opened the door, pointed with the gun, and said, "Now get out, you ungrateful liar." Without further restraint or protest from the boy, he climbed out just as slowly as he had climbed in before. Evans started the car and pulled back on the road leaving a gust of dust in the boy's face. "That certainly was a close one. It's a good thing I caught him in time. Imagine the nerve of that kid. It wasn't enough to give him a ride, he had to have everything else that he could get. In all the times I've given kids a lift, I've never found one just like him. I wonder who he was? He never even told me his name. Probably he was an escaped convict afraid to tell his name for fear I'd recognize him. Maybe he was a moron the reason he wouldn't talk. But he certainly looked intelligent enough." It puzzled him. As he drove the rest of the way to Boise, he couldn't help but feel glad that he had caught him in his crime. It worried him so that he didn't think about falling asleep and he didn't fall asleep. Next morning it was late when he crawled out of bed and still he felt as though he migh never have reached home alive. He tried to eat his breakfast. "Mary, do you know the strangest thing happened to me last night. I gave a fellow a ride; he was a clean looking boy about twenty-five years old. And you know, Mary, I talked to him but he wouldn't talk back. I almost talked my head off. I thought he might be an ex-convict, because he wouldn't talk to me or even look at me. He seemed like a nice kid though. But he stared at the road all of the time, I don't believe he moved an inch for a hundred miles. Then when he did, he had the nerve to pick my pockets and take my watch." "Your watch?" Mary had a puzzled expression on her face. "Yes, but don't worry, I had my revolver there and luckily I just happened to notice it was gone in time. I got it back though. Just imagine, he might have killed me and taken the car." He talked of the incident rather jokingly now. "But Wade," she said as she left the room, and when she returned, "here's your watch. Don't you remember you forgot your watch yesterday. You left it on the dresser." Page Six Spring