The Tupelo journal., 1909-05-14
coRrRlGHE 1907

lD
N of us any time! You people may
enjoy this sort Of thing-you seem
to-but l don't. And | tell you frankly
that / am going to apply to the police
not to any private detective inquiry
office, as like as not in league with the
criminals"-thus ungratefully did Mrs
kMillicent slur the motives of her only
truly interested auditor-ebut real pc
licemen. l shall apply,
She did not tell where she should
apply, the words being snapped out o.
her mouth by the sharp tinkle of the
telephone bell.
Aunt Rebecca responded to the call
send him up" was her answer to the
inaldible questioner.
She laid down the receiver. Their
| she put it back. Then she stood up
her silver head in the air, her cree
| little figure held motionless.
Janet Smiths dark eyes sough'
hers; her lips parted only to close
firmly again.
Even the detective perceived the
electric intensity Of the moment, ant
Rupert shut his fists tight, with {
quickened beating of the heart; bur
emotional vibrations did not disturb
Mrs. Melville Winters poise. She
continued her plant.
This present situation is unbear
able, unprecedented and un-un-un
expected" she acclaimed, rather gro
| cirr Co.. n o1ipoov ,hiph occonod hor
Aunt Rebecca raised her hand.
Would you be so very kind, Mill
cent" said she, las to wait a moment
| am trying to listen"
Like a response to her words, thu
knob of the door was turned, the
door swung, and Archie entered the
| ROOM, smiling his odd little chewed-uI
smile.
Janet uttered a faint cry and took
| single step, but, as If recognizing {
superior right, hung back while thu
i boy put his arm about his great-aunt':
waist and rather bashfully kissed he
cheek.
She received the salute with entire
composure, except for a tiny splash O
red which crept up to each cheek
bone. rs 1t really you, ARCHER" sait
she. You are a little late for dinner
day before yesterday, but quite in time
for to-day. Sit down and tell u!
where you have BEEN"
quite sol" exclaimed Mrs. Mill
cent. Good heavens! Do you know
how we have suffered? Where have
you been? Why did you run away?"
But Archie, who had surrendered
one-half of him to be Rugged by Miss
Smith and the other to be clapped OF
the shoulder by his uncle, seemed tt
think a vaguely polite "How-de-do
Aunt MilIicent; I'm sorry to have wor
ried you!" to be answer enough. Only
when the question was repeated by
Mrs. Winter herself did he reply: I'm
awfully sorry, Aunt Rebecca, but I've
promised not to say anything about it
But, truly, l didn't mean to- bother
you"
Millicent exploded in an access o
indignation: And do you mean thai
you expect us to accept such a ridicu
lous promise-after all we have beer
through"
quite So" remarked Aunt Rebecca
with a precise echo of her niece's
most Anglican utterance-the gift o,
mimicry had been one of Mrs. VIII
ter's most admired and distrusted so
cial gifts from her youth.
Rupert Winter fastened to distract
Millicent's attention by saying, de
~cisively: IF the boy has promised
that ends it; he can't break his parole
Anyhow, they don't eem to have hur'
you, old SOM"
"Oh, they treated me dandy, those
fellows said Archie. Miss Janet,
know how to u an electric motor
car, except backing"
"I1l bet you do" muttered the de
tectiye.
Here the colonel anne to the boy:
relief a second time and drew Birdsal
aside. BEST let me pump the chap
little. You get downstairs and SCI
how he got here, who brought him
They'll get clean away. 1t is late To-
that as it is. You can report to-mor
row."
- "A