The Mena weekly star., 1909-05-06

Jou, uOt cigar, either. Now Mr. Mercer to come to the point, I want my nephew. 1 understand he is in this house"
 You are quite mistaken" Mercer responded, with unshaken calm. "He is not"
 Where Is he, then?"
 T do not know Col. Winter. What should recommend is for you to go pack to the Palace, and if you do not ind him there-why, come and shoot us up again." His eye strayed for a second to the blackened, reeklng mass on the great stone hearth.
 Have you sent him home? Is that what you mean to imply?"
 T imply nothing, colonel; I don't dare to with such strenuous fighters as you gentlemen; only go and see, and if you do find the young gentle man has had no ill treatment, no scare -only little adventure such as boys like, l hope you will come out here, or wherever l may be, and have that cigar you are refusing."
 The colonel was frankly puzzled. He couldn't quite focus his wits on this Drayado which had nothing of the bravo about 1t, in fact, had a tinge or wistfulness in its quiet One would have said the man regretted his com pulsory attitude of antagonism; that he wanted peace
 Mercer smiled faintly. You ought to know by this time when man is l lying, colonel" he continued. but I will go further. l may have done plenty of wrong things in my life, some things, maybe, which the law might call crime; but I have never done anything which would debar me from passing my word of honor as a gentleman; nor any one else from taking it. give you my word of honor that l have meant and l do mean no slightest harm to Archie Winter; and that, while do not know where he Is at this speaking, l believe you will find him safe under your aunts pro lection when you get back to the Palace"
 Call up the Palace hotel, MT. Bird sail, was the colonels reply MT. Mercer, l do not distrust that you are speaking exactly, but you know your Shakespeare; and there are promises which keep their word to the ear but break 1t to the sense."
 T don't wonder at your mistake; i; but you are mistaken, suh." Birdsall was phlegmatically ringing up Mrs. Winter, having the usual ex. perience of the rash person who in. trudes his paltry needs on the com plex workings of great hotel system. No, l don't know the number, haven't the book here, but you know, Palace hotel. Well, give me Informa- tion, then-Busy? Well, give me an. other Information, then-yes, I want the Palace hotel-P- P-a-l-a-c-e-yes, yes, Palace hotel; yes, certainly. Yes? Mrs. Archibald Winter. Yes-line busy? Well. hold on until it is dsen. gagged. Say, Miss Furber, that you This is Birdsall & Gwen. Yes. Give me Mrs. Winter, will you, 337? This ~HiSs " AiAbti Oh. W hSh VIII oht Dt back? Is Mrs. Melville Winter in? Well. Miss Smith in? She's gone, too | Has Master Archibald got back, yet 1 to the hotel? Hasn't? Thank you eh?' in answer to the coloners inter ruption. What say, colonel?"
 Tell her to call up this number, the colonel read it out of the tele | phone book-"when Master Archie does get back. will you? l am afraid MT. Mercer, that you will have to al low us to trespass on your hospitality for little longer"
 He suspected that Mercer was an noyed, although he answered lightly enough: AS you please, Col. Winter l am sure you will hear very soon Now, there is another matter. your machine; l understand you left 1t out side. Will you ring for Kito, colonel | Under the circumstances you may pre- fer to do your own ringing. l will ask him to attend to the car"
 The colonel made proper acknowl. edgments. He was thinking that had Mercer cared to contiscate the motor he would have done it without ring. ing; on the other hand. did he desire some special intercourse with his re- | tainer, wherein, under their very noses, he could issue his orders-well, | possibly they might get whiff of the secret themselves were he allowed to try. At present the game baffied him. Therefore he nodded to Birdsall's puckered face behind Mercers shoul- der. And he rang the bell. The Jap answered 1t with suspicious alacrity.
 "Kito," said Mercer, will you attend to Gen. Winters car? Bring 1t up to | the court"
 Absolutely harmless, to all appear ances, but Birdsall, from his safe posi- ton behind master and man, looked shrewd suspicion at the soldier.
 Shall your man in the hall go with nim?" asked Mercer.
 The colonel shook his head. NO, he said, quietly, i've have other men outside If he needs help. Call Skid nlease." But when Birdsall attempted | to get central there was no response
 The colonel merely shrugged his shoulders. although Birdsall frowned with vexation. What pity!" said Winter, softly. Now, the fellows will come when the time is up; we cant call them off"
 Mercer smiled faintly. There are two more telephones in the house" he