The Irish standard., 1909-01-30
CHAPTER xI.
The Charm Of Jade,

suit, that hurried sentence OF Ran
dall's which had met the colonel's
angry appeal for information. The
woman was not only repeating Mrs.
Winters message; the message itself
described a fact AS she stood at her
room telephone, Aunt Rebecca had
!! happened to glance at Randall. supple.
menting the perfunctory busting of the
hotel maid with her own sanitary,
damped. clean cloth; Randall's eyes
suddenly glazed and bulged In such
startling Transformation that. instead
Of questioning her, Mrs. Winter
stepped swiftly to the window where
she was at work to seek the cause OF
her agitation.
ooh, Lord! Oh. Mrs. Winter!"
gasped Randall. "Ain't that Master
Archie?'
Mrs. Winter saw for herself; the
face at a. cab window. the waving of
slim hand-Archie's face, Archies
hand. Brief as was the space Of his
passing (for the two horses in the cab
were trotting smartly). she was sure
of both. Give me my bonnet" she
| command. "any bonnet, any gloves!
And my bag with some money!"
It was as she flung through the door
that she threw her message to the
colonel back exactly as Randall had
submitted it. Miss Smith was coming
along the logga. Don't stop me-"
said Mrs. Winter. sternly. Give seen
| Archie: I'm after him."
| "Stop!" cried Miss Smith-but IT.
was to the elevator boy who was whiz-
zing below them in his cage, not to her
| employer; and she boarded the eleva-
tor with the older woman. 'T'll 90
with you," she said. There was no
vibration in her even tones. although
a bright red flickered up In her cheek.
But Rebecca Winter caught savagely
| at her breath. which was coming fast.
"1t is not with the running: you
needn't think It, Janet" she painted,
sharply. in second. 1T was the sight
| of his face-so suddenly; I never ex-
pected any face would make my heart
pump like that again. All OF which
shows"-she was speaking quite natur-
| ally and placfdly again-"that women
may grow too old for men to make
fools OF them, but never for children.
| Come; It was a shabby sort of hack
| he was in, drawn by two horses with
auburn tails. Here's the office floor"
Not word did Janet Smith say;
she was not a woman Of words in any
case. Moreover, the pace which Mrs
Winter struck was too rapid for com.
ments or questions; it swept them
both past the palm. shaded patio into
the side hail. out on the noisy daz-
zling, swaying street. Looking before
her, Miss Smith could see the dusty
body OF hack a block away. Mrs.
Winter had stepped up to a huge
crimson motor car, in the front seat
of which lounged the chauffeur, his
forehead and eyes hunched under his
leather visor. The machine was puff
ing, with the engine working, ready
to leap forward at a touch of the lever.
Twenty dollars an hour II you let
me get In now" said Mrs. Winter.
lightly mounting by his side as she
spoke.
"Hey, me? what" gurgled the
chauffeur plucked out Of a half.doze.
"Oh, say, beg your pardon, lady. but
this is hired, 1t belongs"
II don't care to whom It belongs.
have to have It," announced Mrs. Win
ter, calmly whoever hired IT. can get
another. I'll make 1t all right. You
start on and catch that hack with the
auburn-tailed horses"
It'll make 1t right with your fare!"
Miss Smith cut in before the chauffeur
could answer TITS case of kidnap.
ing. You catch that cab!" She was
standing on the curb, and even as she
spoke an elderly man and his wife
came out of the shop. They stared
from her to the automobile, and in
their gaze was a proprietary irrita-
ton. This was instantly transfused
| by more vivid emotion. The woman
looked shocked and compassionate.
ooh, pa" she gasped, did you hear
| that?"
! The man VISA cnuntsE banker. from