The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-09-29

THEN GAME MORE CARESSES AND PLEAD
ING.
vastly interested in the movements of
Dave Ryder, one of the summer board
ers at Cassell's, who would stroll osten-
tatiously toward the village, only to be
seen returning from the opposite direc-
tion an hour or SO later.
This action was suspicious. Detec-
tive Samuel took the trail, and, like the
human bloodhound that he was, he
Swallowed the suspect. 1t was rather
disconcerting to have Ryder turn after
q mile or more had been covered and
rudely command him to be on his way.
Ryder even called him ''little boy"
Sammys heart rose hot within him,
and he assured himself that Ryder
must be a very desperate criminal.
But practice makes perfect, and the
time came when Sammy learned to
maintain a safer distance between him
self and the object Of his suspicious,
and at last he tracked him to his lair.
The lair was disappointing. 1t was
not cave reached through cunning
" hidden trapdoor. 1t was not even a
rude shack such as the one in which
Billy, the Silent Sleuth, found Pete
Pomero, the head of the train wrecking
band
1t was Just little nook in bend of
the creek, with fallen log for seat,
and with his own sister Lucy sitting
there apparently waiting for the arrival
of the desperate.
1t was rather disconcerting to find
ones own family mixed up in such af-
fairs, but duty Is duty, and Sammy
wriggled as close as he dared and lis
tened to the low murmur Of CONVERSE
ton
1t all seemed absurdly simple. Ryder
was not planning burglary. He was
kissing Lucy many times, and between
caresses they were discussing how best
to approach her father on the matter
of their marriage.
Judged by the stern, unyielding stand
ards of Josiah Temple, Ryder was far
too gay a young blade to be trusted
with Lucy, who was destined to marry
q minister when her father could find
minister of whom he could fully ap-
prove. Lucy feared to let Ryder speak
TO her father lest she be forbidden to
see or speak to him. Ryder, on the
other hand, was urging her to consent
to test of fate.
81 feel like a scoundrel meeting you
IN the woods this way" he urged. "If
your father refuses to give his con.
sent, then we will elope."
Lucy shook her head in dismay.
IT couldn't do thatw she cried. 'It
would break fathers heart"
Better his heart than yours" sug
gested Ryder selfishly. Then came
more caresses and pleading, and Sam
my, tired of such talk, wriggled softly
through the brush and headed for home
He had been wasting all his time on
a pair Of silly lovers when he might
have been better occupied with his
books.
AS he turned into the yard his ia
Their called to him from the porch
"Did you read your chapter Of Jose
phus?'
Sammy's face grew long with dis
may. Josephus was dull reading for O
ten-year-o but it was a duty, like
watering the stock and feeding the
chickens. In his eagerness to trail
Ryder he had forgotten all about it.
what were you doing?" continued
the old man.
~ was down by the creek" explain
ed Sammy uacomfortably.
"And what were you doing down
there?" came the prompt question.
Sammy was no George Washington
but the habit of truth was strong with
In him.
81 wanted to see what Dave Ryder
was doing down to the creek" he ex
planned.
"And what was he doing7" asked the
elder
kissing Lucy" was the startling re
Spouse, and the old man sprang from
his chair in sudden anger.
Bit by bit he forced the frightened
lad to tell all he could remember of tbs
conversation. He found relief in the
statement that Dave wished to marry
Lucy. but his lips frightened anRrily al