The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-05-21
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The sentence affected the colonel
unpleasantly; why need she be posing
before him, as if that first disappear
ance had had any real fright in it?
| OF course she didn't know yet (al,
though Aunt Rebecca might have told
her-she ought to have told her and
stopped this unnecessary deceit that
he was on to the game; but-he didn't
| like it, Unconsciously, his inward
criticism made his tone drier as he re-
piled with a little bow that he i'm
agined Archie was quite safe, now,
and he would ask to be excused, as he
had to attend to something before
dinner.
Was it his fancy that her face
changed and her eyes looked wistful?
1t must have been He walked stiffly
away. Hardly had he entered his
room and turned his mind on the
changed situation before the telephone
appraised him that gentleman Mr..
| Gardiner, who represented the Fire
| less Cook Stove, said that he had an
appointment with Col. Winter to eX-
plain the stove; should he be sent up?
Directly, Endicott Tracy entered,
smiling. Where's the kid? / know
he's back" were his first words; and
be explained that he had been hunting
the kidnapers to no purpose. Except
that | learned enough to know they
put up job with the justice, all right;
| got next 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 apologized. ITS
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 at
the hotels after Keatcham's mall
He didn't get it,"
mo, Carey had covered that point.
Cary has thought this all out very
carefully, but Atkins has got on to
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 for
some game of its own, or whether
we've got him. At least, [ don't be-
lieve he knows"
You ought not to be talking so free
ly with me; | haven't promised you
anything, you know warned the colo
mel
But you've got your nephew back
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 call
to-" observed the colonel.
And | think the old boy is going
to give in; he has made signals of dis
tress, to my thinking. Wanted his
mail; and wanted to write; and in
formed Cary-he saw him for the first
time to-day-that he had bigger things
on deck than the Midland; and wanted
to get at them. We're going to win
out all right"
UNLESS Atkins gets at him tonight"
the colonel suggested. You oughtn't
to have come here. Gardiner. Don't
90 home. now. Wait until later, and
let me rig you up in another lot of
logs and give you my own motor car.
BETTER"
Tracy was more than impressed by
the proposal; he was plainly grateful
lie entered with enthusiasm into the
soldiers masquerade--Tracy had al
WAYS had a weakness for theatricals and
some of his Hasty Pudding Portraits
of Unknown People We Know had
won him fame at Cambridge. Ten
minutes later, there sat opposite the
colonel a fiorid-faced, mustached, west
ern commercial traveller whose plaided
tWeeds. being an ill-advised venture of
Haley's, which the colonel had taken
Off his hands and found no subject of
charity quite obnoxious enough to de-
serve them, naturally did not fit the
present wearer, but suited his inane
complacence Of bearing and might pass
Tor a bad case of ready made purchase.
Now" said the adviser. "Ill notify
Haley to have my own hired motor
ready for you and you can slip out and
take ii after you've had something to
eat. Here's the restaurant card.
Haley Will Dt lhtIt. Leave II at lut
drug store on Van Ness street-Haley
will give you the number-and get
home as unobtrusiyely as possible.
You can peel off these toys in the
motor if necessary. You've your own
underneath except your coat. Wrap
that in a newspaper and carry it. l
don't know that Atkins has any one
ON guard at the hotel. but | think it
more than likely he suspects some
connection between our party and
Keatcham's. But first. tell me about
Atkins; what do you know about him?
It's an American name"
America can take all the glory of
him. fancy" said Tracy. He's been
Keatcham's secretary for six years.
He seems awfully mild and useful and
timid He's not bit timid. He's full
of racourca- hos gfd1od cupuoefiOng