The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-11-20

Lcopyrlght. ier. BY IIarry IIaron,l

JatnVs park, innuon, saw kvou A"oh~
Ing lady sitting on bench Conclud.
Ing by her appearance that sho 40 we'll
~ himself was an American. he mo-
ticed her as no passed, then turned and
walked hack She looked him In the
face and continued 10 DO 40 until he
stood before her Then M hc doffed
his hat and bowed she smilingly and
eweotly said,
II knew that you were an American
and would come back. VIII you sit
DOWN.
Mr., Clancy sat down after cxcuslng
himself. The nursegirls In the vicin
Ivy giggled, and a policeman passtag
along wlnkei at him In q solemn man
ner. but he refused to be perturbed. In
few minutes he discovered that no
had made no mistake. The good look.
Ing lady was not only an American.
but resident OF Chicago when at
homo. She was also n widow OF two
years standing. She had come over to
London. chaperoned by her mother and
escorted by her lawyer. to see about
some property. Her mother had been
taken M and was then unable to leave
her bed In the lodgings the lawyer had
secured for them She herself had got
out that day for the first time In q
week to get breath OF fresh alr. The
story up to this point did not call for
any great amount Of sympathy. but
there was more to II. The lawyer had
suddenly and mysteriously disappear.
cd. For week nothing had been
heard Of him. lie hadn't played any
shyster trick on them. but had proba-
bly, been murdered. Shc and her moth.
or had discussed the matter In all tn
bearings and could come to no other
conclusion.
The good looking lady had not gone
to the police, nor had shc notified the
American minister. She was feeling
helpless In the matter and wishing abe
had the advice OF compatriot In her
troubles, Harold Clancy was willing
aud anxious to advise. He convinced
her almost Mt once, but II was an hour
later when she asked him TO convince
her mother. Tho poor convalcscent
was worrying her heart out and would
probably have relapse unless she were
convinced that the lawyer had been
abducted and held for ransom instead
of being robbed and hung over the en-
banknent to float around In the mud.
dy waters OF tho Thames. Could She
dare she-ask Mr.. Clancy TO call ut her
house and cheer and comfort her
motherg
Mr.. Clancy promptly replied that she
could. He would 90 with her az once
right away. His motto was, "Aioth.
ers comforted and cheered while you
wait" There were tears OF gratitude
In the ladys eyes, but his promptness
was little too prompt. She must for
several reasons. some OF which she
mentioned and some she didn't, ask
him 10 defer his call until evening.
When this point had been settled they
rose and separated. Tho nursegirls
giggled again. and the policeman came
back with his solemn wink but tho
good looking lady pretended not to sec
or hear, and Mr. Clancy scowled nj
the nurses and clinched his fst at tho
guardian Of the peace and vowed that
he would lick him II he ever caught
the fellow In America.
There we're four hours to walt. Mr.
Clancy went TO his hotel to think and
dine. The lady (wlthont the adjective
this tIme) had not llsped the remotest
hint that money was needed. On the
contrary, she had carried the opposite
idea. Mr.. Clancy was an astute man.
however. He could see through a
square hole In round grindstone. He
had often been heard to say that the
want OF money caused. nine-tenths OF
the troubles In this world. He had
money III the hotel safe, He drew II
out and showed It down hind pocket
and felt himself heeled He would ad.
wise and comfort and cheer the mother
with words, but not with words alone.
When the proper moment came he
would spring his "wad' and beg moth,
er and daughter to accept few hun.
dreds as loan. As he thought Of
their tears and sobs OF gratitude he
had to use his own handkerchief to
chase away the yelling tears. The
walter half expected to be asked II
there was any eyewater on the bill Of
fare.
The hour arrived. So did Mr.. Clan
cy. 1t was walk OF only quarter
Of mile, and he stepped out briskly
His ring at the bell was answered by
q young girl who might have been
dressed and who might have had her
hair combed and her shoes tied but
Mr.. Clancy didn't dwell on triaes. lie
was told that he was expected and to
walk upstairs and knock at the first
door TO the right He followed In
structions, and the door was opened,
but he had scarcely set foot inside the
room when he received blow from q |
sand bag and knew no more for hours