The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-02
The Mysterious
Signature.
BY j. LUDLUM LEE.



aud a snare"
"Suburbanltes are an unneighborly.
churlish lot"
Thus did Harriet and Pierce EIkins
respectively sum up their first month
at Meadow Manor, where, on the adj
vice Of old family friends, Mr.. and
Mrs. Sam Rogers, they had taken
picturesque bungalow for the season.
Harriet based her judgment on warp
ing doors and shortage in books and
other small domestic essentials, sum-
ming up with the announcement that
when women turned architects houses
would be properly planned.
Her brother founded his criticism on
the fact that the young woman whom
he had nominated as the Meadow Man
or beauty had SO far ignored his very
existence. She boarded the $50 train
with him five days out of seven and
yet seemed to hold herself aloof not
only from him, but all other masculine
creatures.
She was most competent young
person and never gave him the least
opportunity TO do her a service. In his
determination to make an opportunity
for knightly service he ignored the
friendly overtures of other neighbors.
At last opportunity appeared on the
horizon. Pierce had taken the 2:30
train home in hopes of getting turn
on the links to counterfeit the depress-
ing effects of falling stocks. and there,
walking briskly ahead of him under
the arching trees of the quaint village,
was the inaccessible beauty. And in
the dust at the right of her daintily up
lifted skirt lay handkerchief. Pierce
Elkins darted forward.
81 beg your pardon. but think you
dropped this"
The girl glanced first at the man.
then at the bit of cambria in his hand.
and smiled.
"But | did not drop it," she said and
in verification of the statement pulled
her handkerchief from her sleeve.
Mumbling inaudible words of apollo
gy, Pierce turned down the opposite
street toward home. Even golf did not
improve his humor, and the next morn
ing at breakfast his mood had not
changed.
"Will you have two lumps?" asked
Harriet as she was pouring the coffee.
"Seventcen.r growled Pierce.
Seventeen, all in one cupw cried
Harriet in amazement.
81 thought you asked me the day Of
the month";" explained Pierce. 1.-TWO
win do The fact is, Sis, | did not
sleep well last night, and my brain is
befuddled. That blamed roof leaked
again, and the rain came right in on
my bed. I've decided not to go to
town this morning, but instead Pm 60
ing round to see our landlord and tell
him what think of him."
1.-THE roof over the kitchen leaks
too" said Harriet plaintively. "You
might mention that also"
whats the beasts manner" asked
Pierce.
81 really don't know" Harriet an
swered. 1.-THE bills come in signed
M. NJ, per Hook & Hook"
"Well, won't bother Hook & Hook,
for they are like all agents." said
Pierce 81 want the man higher up
the owner himself. NJ. NJ" he mused-
81 bet his name is Mike Murphy, and
Pll also wager that I'll rouse his Irish
before ! get through with him."
"He lives in the little white bunga
low on Maple avenue. Mr.. Hook point
ed 1t out to me, &directed Harriet as
her brother started on his mission.
Pierce soon found the bungalow and
rang the bell. He waited a moment
and then rang again. He was in nc
mood to wait. From the hall inside a
voice called, Coming, comlngw :
And she came-the beauty!
Pierce gasped. He had evidently
made another mistake.
81 am looking for our missing land
lord" he exclaimed. 81 really dom
know his name-sonae Irish contractor
I'll bet, ashamed to sign his full name.
"Sit down on the porch, won't you
Mr. She hesitated. The beauty
would make no mistakes.
"Elkins is my nnme-Pierce Elkins-
and fear have made mistake. Ny
sister and | live in the little red cot
tage on New street. I'm searching fol-
our landlord-name unknown, bu
methods atrocious. Really Miss Miss
Now Pierce hesitated.
MAXWELL. she added
This landlord signs his receipts M
NJ and I'm after his blood" finished
| Elkins.
Wont you sit down?" again sug
gested Miss Maxwell. and she deftl.
turned the conversation into more
agreeable channels. The landlord wal
forgotten
81 wonder If your sister would lik'
to know me-" said the beauty finally
II know 1t Is my place to call, but
rather hesitated- well. fer several rea
sons"
"oh, | do wish you would call OF
Harriet! She's brick all right and al