Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-08

Aant ana / should show the check in
proof-in most conclusive proof-that
she'd bought and paid for them. Sim
pie, int it,"
| began to laugh; this commercial
innocence was novel.
"And then, of course, they'd go
away-and l return the check to dear
Aunt, and all is well. That's how it
| looks to her"
"And you actually got it?"
He took slip OF pink paper from
his pocketbook, and regarded it af
| fectionately. eyes. l actually got it,
But seeing that &c banks all close
so early on Saturdays"
He sighed and returned it to it's
cover.
Its playing it rather low down en-
dear Aunt, l admit he said, sorrow
fully, especially as she had crossed
the thing to make it safe. She thinks
she has just lent me her signature
| for few days. But suppose I hap
pened to lose it, and somebody else
found it and discounted it--with a
little hard swearing thrown in
what? And that's where you come
| in"
"And she'll believe all that-that
footle?"
ITO the simple all is simplicity"
| quOth he, "and | don't think the dear
lady knows what 'footle' means"
A violent ringing of the telephone
bell interrupted us for a moment
That's the worst of fixing up ones
rooms like some beastly Office" oh.
served my Cousin Randolph casually.
Hang on to the thing and see what
it wants. You're nearest"
"And if it's anything unpleasant"
he went on, as the bell rang again,
SAY I'm away and you're my clerk.
Say I'm dead, if you like
I'm hanged if I do" I retorted.
'Hullo!" l held the tSaing to my ear.
A squeaky voice, small and distant,
responded. "Are you there?"
Eyes, thanks. What is it,"
I'm the Grand Hotel-the-yes-
what? l can't hear-the Grand Ho-
tel. Smithers, my name is, Miss
Smithers. S-m-i-t-h-e-r-s;" she spell
ed it for my better understanding.
'She says her name is Smithers
and she's the Grand Hotel" I an
nounced. You'd better take it on
now"
My Cousin Randolph retorted brief
ly. Don't know the lady-never
heard of her-never talk to strange
ladies through the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
my principles
Against your"
The little voice interrupted. 81
want Mr.. Randolph Strangeways," it
said. is that you?"
She's pleading for you" | told
MIN; this is beauty in distress.
Come on, Lothario."
I'm Lady Julias secretary" said
the voice, land l want to speak to
Mr.. Strangeways about check. It's
most important"
Lady Julias the Aunt, the Aunt
I've been talking about observed my
Cousin Randolph, with deadly distinct
ness.
The voice took it up.
about that check AS Lady Julia's
only got a few hundreds at the
| bank"
"A few hundreds!" groaned my
Cousin Randolph, and then rounded
off the remark in his own peculiar
fashion.
II don't think he ought to swear"
the voice continued-it seemed to me
that laugh was borne along the wires.
"Of course, poor dear Lady Julia does
get so muddled up with her bank
balance and her pass-boOk, and she
hasn't been at all we'll, and she quite
understands that Mr.. Strangeways
only wants to show the check to his
creditors" I was quite sure now OF
| the laugh. "Of course, under the cir
cumstances, it can't matter at all to
him that"
My Cousin Randolph had seized the
second receiver and was listening
with all his might. Cant matter at
all that-what? Go on
THAT Lady Julia had stopped pay
ment of the check in case it should
happen to get lost or anything, you
know. One has to be so careful.
| thought Mr.. StrangeWays might like
to know. What? Oh, please don't
keep on swearing SGT does unnerye
me-"
ITO the simple" I began, incau-
tiously.
My Cousin Randolph retorted with
emphasis. "This is the straw that
broke the camePs back" he said.
The squeaky voice again interrupt
| ed. eff you wouldn't mind letting me
! finish" it said. II won't be long and
then you can go away and have a nice
comfortable swear all to yourselves.
What? | can't hear. Yes; Lady Julia
does think it funny that the mere
sight Of a check will satisfy a credi-
| tor-yery funny; but she says 1t