Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-09-11

IL lONaIGS MS i!ltlll.
Nov. John, read ii again."
Il tell thee, Curtis, thou'rt ridiculiMs
me, and It's not to be borne"
II was never more serious in my
life
"But It's all nonsense!'
lis nauaht OF The kind
Well said the ether. trying to
smile, in order TO keep hlmseif from
growing veyed again. give it me and
he read IL sgain
NOV solve it
Rob. lis unfair ia you TO carry sle
thing TO secli lon&tha.
lis Yea that are unfair, lns
friend. answered the other, seriously
enough.
IN ny. can answer it in Il moment
So. times is "a. 5 times is
John Acton, said Curtis niilliHs up
II his Walk and facing his friend.
'Milaf is Thy name o.
Come, laa, lot ii drop" said the
other in an altered tone lest lose my
temper.
Thy name mani"
40 toni" roarea the lieutenant, nov
actually Initiated.
What does ii begin With"
IA! but Will not
What is QUA friends name who left
us a few days ago.
Acton looked at the other moment
ana tncn Sslld SiDMIS.
And his name begins"
With b."
And my name--
Is Curtis and begins with c." said
Acton, pulling long face and looking
at the paper in his hand.
Now read Problem g again said
Curtis, putting in the names.
Acton began:
Aei,,,, ,1.,, rid, ~
Which might be- interrupted tho
other, without much change
North Castle nlutterea Acton.
Acton can ride to North Castle in four
hours at six miles ain hour by the
shorter road. Isalfort can do il in
three hours at eight miles an hour on
the same road, starting eariief-
(which he has already done" put in
Curtis.
How far must Curtis go by the
longer road, If he travels six hours and
goes at the rate represented by the
sum of one-half the rate OF each of the
others, and when should he start, in
order to arrive half an hour after Ac-
TOM"
The men looked at one another With
the two different expressions of coun-
tenance that may We'll be imagined,
I've thought often since how ] would
like to have seen them then. Finally,
Acton gasped;
Rob, am indeed an Idiot"
Ills precisely what l said am
swered the other dfyly.
Then we meet Balfort at North
Castle. 2"
Certainly"
And you go by the lower and l by
the upper road?"
"Precisely."
And you are to get there half an
| hour after me-"
Exactly" curtis replies We're the
/ pith of dryness.
And you are to start an hour ana a
| half after me?o
Correct again
Then we shall not be noticed leav-
/ ing here nor arriving there? p
~ e grow sagacious my friend
lis not only idiocy; tbs nigh upon
stupidity!"
(Which presumed to suggest but a
moment ago" replied the lieutenant
But wilt tell me, then, how. in
heavens name, the thing came into
\ my pocket?'
AYE, now, that's H. Hon think yer
Acton said not Il lN2rd.
WAS 1t there before llnch?"
Let me SEQ moi it could not have
4 been. set that kerchief in my peck ct
just as we started for the mess"
'Didst sit by amy one at lunch, per-
haps?" asked Curtis, slandiy.
Aye, sat- Rob, Rob, We would
not tell me We do not mean that Nh
Argyle Bartlett. merchant OF Boston
was Merton 8alfort?'
AT last said Curtis casting his
eyes heavenward.
..W7ell, may ! be damned" exclaimed
Acton.
Nay answered the other. laugh
he, To, b,,r
per road to North Castle in four hours
But this must be serious, If suct
care Il; necessary"
"s;till more, it would seem importan-
L that no American soldier should know
of it,.
And hoM DO we get leave TO go?M
There you haze me- replied Curtis
lis the one thing that catches me
Yet IL l5allort finds ii necessary to g
10 this length TO insure secrecy, yol
may say surely he has arranged il
some way for Our absence. So let u
90 back get ready, andwait." lIpol
which they returned TO the barracks.
) Acton wars On the point Of puttinl
together a few necessaiies for tn
reported that Colonel Livingston
would sec him at headquarters AT once
He smiled as ne thought of what per
plexity he might have been in If cur
lis had not cleared the way. Passn'
by his friends quarters. he stepped il
and found him quietly smoking.
, Il have my summons already, salt
he softly
And must be III Headquarters a
) This ufternoan,' piled tile other.
"DcciGadly the thing is serious
Decidedly"
BY $50 Curtis had passed the pick
: cts to the south.
by I Acton took the upper road an
started his horse ut a six mile gait flo
. North Castle And it seemed as il n
one in the world knew anything of a
this, but General Washington in Tap
pan and the two men themselves be
:. sides Colonel Livingstone. Yet thing
!, are not always rs they seem.
CHAPTER NIv.
THE EPISODE OF HoI.aNs TAVER.