Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-02-14
"A GIRL E GRIT !
BY MAJOR ARTHUR GRlTflTfS. !
Copyright Fenno& C
+ r. + + ~.
'py right, 1900, by n. F. Fenno 4


1T was sort of wooden erection
something between scaffold and a
bulkhead; two great upright timbers,
wedged in tight between the ceiling
and the stone iloor--might have been
n support. pillarlike for the roof or
ceiling. but we could see it was meant
to make some one fast to--a pair of
stocks, You might say, or q whipping
post. And so it had been used no
doubt. For there We're a long chain
and paddock hanging between the up
rights just over a low bench that
served as Il seat for whoever was held
there Il prisoner.
This was where the coole ragged
about most fiercely. shifting. seeming.
hunting to and fro. always under the
encouraging voice of missy, Who shout
ed, Lu>lu-lu. good dog: find him, then
Where is he? Out with him Lu-lu."
Or course his master had been there.
None of us had any doubt of that, any
more than of the plain fact that he was
not there now. We looked at each other
blanklN. after bit, hardly knowing
what TO do or say next, TIL miss
stamped her foot and cried, "Well?"
II have my suspicious" began the
sergeant, Knocking his hands together
rather jovially, TIL the dust flew out of
tts' iiAlC iiSlc loves. IL s MOI
all fair and square. shall make re-
port to that effect and await ins,ruc-
tions."
"Psha%." Interrupted Miss. And
meantime Mr.. Wood may be murdered.
shall offer a reward of $500 to who
ever finds him, but 1T must be within
the next twenty-four hours
Now you're tallitng,"I said heartily,
and / don't see we can gain much
NV t.tp
and We've got to follow the birds wher-
ever they have flown.'
If You will excuse me-. said the
sergeant, who had got mighty eager
when he heard of the reward, 1.-The
most proper course. as / see it, is to
start from this here house. Whose is
it? Who took it? Likewise who put
up this apparatus, and why? When
those questions is answered by the
and such like, we may come to lay our
fingers on them as is responsible for
this here business"
You had better do all that, then
said the general very discontinued,
and | shall go to New Scotland Yard
to the fountain head. There's more in
this man than you buffers seem to
think. We want the best man they've
got, real detective, to take up the
case"
This was aimed at me. 1t was UNI
kind, you'll say. But after all how
much had i done and where was boy
Joe?
Its not like him. / was saying half
to myself as we stood together, miss
and L. While she was taking the rib
bons and With one neat brown shoe on
the step was just getting into her cart.
EITHER he's been caught spying-and
that's rot like him-or he's hanging ON
to their heels like q bird lime. But
What in thunder's that?"
| saw some rough writing in white
chalk upon the gate, and an arrow fig
ured there With the point toward Lon
don:
cooked 1t. Follerin on joe
They We're as plain as print, so was
their naming, and / pointed out the
words triumphantly to Miss Fairholme
Il knew that boy wouldn't fail me.
He's got grit, he has. Some day he'll
be able to teach me my business"--
II wish he would begin soon," said
miss peevishly. Its always the same
story. Some day, one day, next day
never. And all this time he-poor Cap
tain Wood--is'-
With that she gave her pony a smart
cut with her throns, and the beast
nearly springing through his collar
started OIL llke MAD thing, With the
other mad beast of q dog yelping and
screeching and jumping UP at his muz-
zle or trying to bite at his heels. The
general also gave me a contenptuous
good day and springing on to his
bike like boy went off at real
right down scorching pace after the
buggy.
l expect that is the last | shall see OF
her for She never took q card of mine
or asked where she could find me
again, and I've fully made up my auimd
that never so long as | live will / hunt
after her. When Joe rcappears, as
tell you, gentlemen, i most contidentl,
expect he will at any moment and
with important news, SO that | can picl
up fresh threads, I'll do the next iol
alone don't want any highfalu;ii
young duchesses treating one like dirt
for true born American citizen is as
good as amy emperor let alone a peri
mink with ever SO pretty face We
shall see. III there was no better rea-
son than the wish to humble her,
mean to see the thing right through to
the Very end.