The Tupelo journal., 1909-05-21
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that | learned enough to know they
put up a job with the justice, all right;
got lex to that game without any
Machiavellian exertions. But they got
away. Who is it? Any Of Keatcham's
gang?"
Atkins" said the colonel, concisely,
Tracy, whistled and a~pologized. TITS
a blow" he confessed. THAT little
wretch! He has brains to burn and
not an ounce Of conscience. You
know he has been housing round al
the hotels after Keatcham's mail"
"He didn't get it?"
mo, Carey had covered that point
Cary has thought this all out very
carefully, but Atkins has got on tc
the fact that Cary was here In this
hotel with Keatcham. But he doesn't
know where we come in; whether
Keatcham's gang is just lying low fol
some game of it's own, or whether
| we've got him. At least, I don't be
lieve he knows"
you ought not to be talking so free
ly with me; l haven't promised yor
anything, you know" warned the colo
mel.
But you've got your nephew bach
all right; we have been on the square
with you; why should you butt in?
know you won't"
Il don't seem to have a fair cal
to-" observed the colonel.
"Anc l think the old boy is goins
to give in; he has made signals of dis
tress, to my thinking. Wanted his
mail; and wanted to write; and in
formed Carlyle say him for the frs
time to-day-that he had bigger things
on deck than the Midland; and wanted
/ to get at them. We're going to wiz
out all right"
Unless Atkins gets at him tonight,
the colonel suggested. You oughtn'
to have come here, Gardiner. Don
go home, now. Wait until later, ant
let me rig you up in another lot o
toys and give you my W motor car
Better"
Tracy was more than impressed b,
the proposal; he was plainly grateful
He entered with enthusiasm into tn,
soldiers masquerade-Tracy had al
ways had a weakness for theatricals an,
some of his Hasty Pudding Portrait
of Unknown People We Know" hat
won him fame at Cambridge. Tel
minutes later, there sat opposite tn
colonel a forid-faced, m~ustached, west
ern commercial traveller whose plaide'
tweeds, being an ill-advised venture o
Haley's which the colonel had takel
off his hands and found no subject o
charity quite obnoxious enough to de
serve them, naturally did not fit tn
present wearer, but suited his imam
c~omplacence of bearing and might pas
for a bad case of ready made purchase
Now" said the adviser, I'll motif.
Haley to have my own hired motto
ready for you and you can slip out an
take it after you've had something t
eat. Here's the restaurant care
Haley will be there. Leave it at tn
drug store on Van Ness street-Hale
will give you the number-and ge
home as u~nobtrusively as possible
You can peel off these toys in tn
motor If necessary. You've your ow
underneath except your coat. Wra
that in a newspaper and carry 1t.
don't know that Atkins has any on
on guard at the hotel, but l think
more than likely he suspects som
l o0nnaatinn hofu,oon orr norfv on
Keatcham's. But first. tell me abou
Atkins; what do you know about him
It's an American name"
America can take all the glory {
him, 1 fancy" said Tracy. Hes bee
Keatcham's secretary for six year.
He seems awfully mild and useful an
timid. He's not a bit timid. He's flu
of resource; he's sided suggestion
into Keatcham's ear and has bee
gradually working to make himse
absolutely necessary. l think he Anne
at a partnership; but Keatchal
wouldn't stand for 1t. / think it vas |
revenge that he sold out some {
Keatcham's secrets. Cary got on I
that and has a score of his own t
settle with him, besides. l don't kno'
how he managed, but he showed hil
up; and Keatcham gave him the sac
in his own cold-blooded way. l kno
him only casually. But my cousil
Ralph Schuyler, went to prep. scho'
with him, so l got his characte
straight off the bat. His father was
patent-medicine man from Mississippi
who made a fair pile, a couple of hui
dred thousand which looked good
that section, you know. | don't kno
anything about his people except tn;
his father made the Celebrated A
A, kins' Ague Busters and that Atkir
was ashamed of his people and shoe
, his married sisters who came to Sc
! him, in rather a brutal fashion; but
know a thing Or two about him; /
| was one of those Founders who cur
favor with the faculty and the popul;
boys and never break rules apparentl
but go off and have sly little bats
themselves. He W. was popula
l yet, somehow, he got into things;
knew where to lend money; and
t was simply sickeningly clever;
t math. he was a wonder. Ralph hate
j him. For one thing, he caught him
a dirty lie. Atkins hated him bae
and contrived to prevent his beir
elected class president, and when l
couldn't prevent Ralph's making h
senior society the happy thougl
struck Atkins to get on the initiate
g committee. They had q CHEEKY lit
? branding game to make the fellow
quite sure they belonged, you kno,
9 and he rammed his cigar stumn In