The Democratic advocate., 1907-08-02

guess we re not suSpectlnS them Mrs.
Dixon sends barrel now and then So
do the people on the Lawrence farm; that's
been an experimental poultry farm for the
last year. hear they report they lost
badly through raid by the thieves two
months ago. The Elliotts, over at Orwell,
send dressed poultry, too, but never very
much. 1t doesn't seem-''
''No, it Doesn't said Dorothy, looking
perplexed. ''But these chickens have got
to get to market, Frank, somehow. I've
started to hunt this county over till | find
what's become them. guess I'd better
drive to the other stations up and down the
road. They d be likely to choose a stupid
agent to ship through, SO l don't wonder
they keep away from here.
Then she flushed at having paid Frank
a compliment, and Frank flushed, too,
with pleasure, for he knew that his pretty
schoolmates never said things unless she
meant them. 1t put him on his mettle.
''But see here, Dorothy, why do you
have to drive up and down the road ?
What the matter with my telegraphing
instead? Come in and sit down, and I'll
get you all the information you want in
half an hour,
So Dorothy sat and listened to the click
ing wires, and took some brief notes on
telegraph pad that Frank pushed over to
her across the table.
"Wagner, at Dorrance station, says that
the Lawrence farm sends barrel now and
then and crate occasionally. The Widow
Ransom is the heaviest shipper--sends both
crates and barrels. Jones, at Pond Station,
says Hank Janeway ships barrel some
times; so does the Lawrence farm. The
Browns send crate now and then-white
Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks. Collins,
at Pelham junction, says that Mrs Robin
son ships more than anybody else, but Jim
Henry sends barrel or crate now and
then, and so does the Lawrence people
Plymouth Rocks, mostly. King, at Belle
vue station, says everybody sends in crates,
except a barrel now and then from the
Lawrence people and Sally Walker
Frank leaned back and whistled softly.
Dorothy smiled and pushed the telegraph
pad under his eyes. Five underlinings
marked the name Lawrence" repeated
in each of the five reports from Milby,
Dorrance, Pond, Pelham and Bellevue.
"You clever girl p said Frank.
''Yov've got hold of the righ end. No
honest poultry farm ever shipped that
much to the city, and through five differ
ent stations in small lots. But supposing
it's so, how are we going to prove it The
man doesn't live who can identify an
ordinary white Leghorn hen or Plymouth
pullet.
''But the girl does |! cried Dorothy, tri-
umphantly. ''Since day before yesterday
| can pick out any one of my forty Leg
horns with absolute certainty, Frank. l
i dipped their legs, every one of them,
in fast black that won't come off, SO
that could know them again if they were
stolen.
Frank Evans lay back in his chair and
laughed delightedly.
Dorothy, you always were at the head
of the class he said, heartily. 'But
what are you going to do now p
'Tm going to the Lawrence farm, )"
said Dorothy, unfastening the hitching
strap.
''You mustn't do that. They might
do you an injury. Wait till | can get
constable and a search warrant. You
mustn't go alone, Dorothy. won't have
it,"
81 don't mind search warrant, said
Dorothy, with composure. ''That is what
| bought this for"
She pulled out the mysterious box, and
disclosed various brightly labelled bottles
and packages. 81 am Miss Jane Smith,
Frank, agent for these poultry remedies,
which am driving about the county in
Producing among intelligent poultry farm
ers shall get into the Lawrence chicken
yards, and come away again without any
trouble, thank you. But should like the
constable to be at the end of the lane,
ready to come in little later.
''rn get Dick Williams to tend the
station,' said Frank, ''and drive you over
past the constable s; and he Il hitch up and
follow us to the Lawrence place, and you
can drop me in the lane when we get there.
Then I'll be right in call. III not have
you 90 alone, l tell you.
''Oh, | shall be glad enough to have
you within reach" said Dorothy, frankly.
81 do feel little queer at the idea Of -
thieves. But know they won't suspect
me or give me any trouble.
Nevertheless, it was a somewhat timid
young agent who hitched her horse at the
Lawrence gate, having left young man
down in the lane behind the hedges wait
ing for Constable Parrys slow old mare to
come along.
81 have some very good poultry reme
dies here, she began, taking couple OF
bottles from her box as a rough looking
youth come from round the house. eff
your chickens suffer from roup, l have a
special antiseptic mixture here which is an
unfailing remedy. | am introducing also
a cholera preventative and curative, to be
mixed in soft food, and
Jim might like that roup medicine.
He fancies them sort of things" said the
lad ''Come this way, Miss and Dor
othy and her bottles were escorted around
a corner to the chicken yards-suspiciously
small for the amount of poultry shipped.
Here are some Plymouth Rocks, fat and
placid, and group of buff Wyandottes;
and plenty Of Leghorns in the further yard,
where man was catching them, one after
another, and killing them as if for market.
"Hi, Jim called out the youth.
'I'll go over, and not bring him out
from his work, said Dorothy, hurrying
forward. While she produced her bottles
and urged her wares, she saw all she need
ed in the plump pullet that "Jim' held,
with its legs showing black against the
white feathers. She hurried through her
sentences but the man seemed interested