Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-07-20

cry, Cut behind" and he would have to
walk.
Fortune favored him, however, and he
rode on over the stones undisturbed, and
was spry enough to jump off before the
fare alighted at great station, where the
| puff of the engines told of the ever ebbing
and flowing tide of travel.
! The well knit figure rushed up the steps,
the smaller one but few steps behind, and
stepped out into the waiting crowd just as
a train drew into the station. From the
number of passengers that passed through
the gates a lady, heavily veiled, stepped
aside, and the tall man made a little, quick
rush toward her, and without more ado
hurried her down stairs again to the wait
ing cab.
Petey was not close enough to hear the
words, but there was no mistaking the
warmth Of the greeting. "Ah, ha," thought
petey, Il sees which way the land lays
Yesterday de bird buys dimints. and today
he meets a lady what's closely yelled. l
see it all, +" and with another chuckle he re-
sumed his position on the back of the cab.
On and on they go, the street they are
coming to is familiar to the amateur de-
tective, and before he has time to recover
from his surprise the cab draws up before
611. Here's a CO." he says to himself as
the passengers alight. Men what meets
ladies don't bring them to their house.
Leastwise, | wouldn't if it was me. Butt
and here light beams on Petey's clouded
brain. my, but he's foxy" is the invol-
untary homage that he pays the man he
has watched for two days. THE missus is
away. 1t couldn't be safer. He knows a
thing or two, does that one. He's dandy,
he is. Well, I'll just scoot around and tell
what's going on, and then hang around
and see the fun"
The house he went to was almost as hand
some as the one he just left In answer to
his inquiry for Mrs. Bryde he was shown
into cozy little nest all blue and white,
where sat the lady whom he sought, with
traces of recent tears on her cheeks, and an
other to whom she has evidently been tell
ing her woes.
"Ah, here is Petey at last" she exclaims
as the messenger boy comes in. "Now tell
me what you have discovered today"
"Yes, ma'am, but"-and he glances in
voluntarily at the other lady.
"Oh, that's all right, speak out. You
see," she says, turning to her friend, seven
this boy has some delicacy about mention
ing the horrible discoveries he has made
friendship now as / never needed it before" {"
well, ma'am," commenced Petey,
"somethin orful has happened today" and
he pauses like trained actor to note the
effect of his words.
II knew it," sobbed the wife, while the
other, despite her friendly interest, looked
keenly alive to therevelation she was about
to listen to-
He didn't do nothin much this mornin,
but this afternoon, ma'am, he took cab
and drove to the station, where he met a
yelled lady, and I'll be blowed if he didn't
take her to your house, and she's there
now," he concluded in positive whirlwind
of satisfaction rs he noted the sensation be
had produced.
"Alice, you hear-you, dear, will be wit
ness-little boy, l can never thank you
enough. At my house, did you say? Alice,
did you-did you ever hear of anything so
shameless? | will 90 around there now and
show him / am not the meek mouse he
takes me for And the woman-just wait
until she hears what l have to say to herl
Oh, it is awful, awfulr' and she rock ed her
self to and fro in the very frenzy of her
grief while her friend pinned on her hat.
Petey assisted with her overshoes, and the
frightened maid managed to button her
gloves and help her on with her wrap
How they got around to the house Petey
never could tell; the few squares were ira
versed ON run and several people stopped
to watch their very unconventional method
of progress. With her fingers pressed op
the electric button with nervous energy
Mrs. Bryde sent thrill through the whole
house that brought the maid to the door
in double quick time.
"Where is he-where is sheS" she de-
manded, as she rushed by the girl and with
Petey at her heels hurried up the thickly
carpeted stairs to the floor above.
With face as white as death, and hands
that trembled as with palsy, she threw
open the door of her room and stood aghast
upon the threshold. Petey, who at this
time was nerved up to face almost any de-
nouement, peeped in expecting to see he
knew not what, and was decidedly disap-
pointed at the very mild and gentle tableau
that greeted his eyes. In rocking chair
sat an old lady, while by her side stood the
man whom he had watched with leather
case in his hand. That was all, and more
over they did not look one bit guilty, though
decidedly surprised. Mother" cried Mrs.
Bryde as she rushed into the arms held out
to her, "when did you Gomez"
'ODly JuSO arrived, my uedr. JACK naQ
prepared my visit as a little surprise for
you, but some one must have told you. We
were great conspirators, we two, my big
son and /, hoping to have me arrive in
time for your birthday, and more kilograms
and letters have been exchanged than !
would care to confess You know it is al
most as bad as moving a menagerie to get
an old woman like myself from home in
the winter. We did it pretty well, dearie,
didn't weS though / can see that Jack is
provoked because you caught sight of the
present he meant to keep for tomorrow.
Never mind, dear, one day sooner won't
make much difference after all. How
strangely you act, dear. Aren't you glad to
see mel"
"Yes, mother, dearest, only-only am so
surprised" And the poor little woman,
who had expected blow to her life's hap
piness, now that it had turned out so diff
ferently, did as all women do after the dan
ger is over-calmly tainted away.
Petey at this move slipped out in the hall
to wait further developments and was not
surprised to be called into the room when
Mrs. Bryde had fully recovered. He found
her sitting with one hand in her mothers,