Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-29
CHAPTER XII.
The Charm, of Jade,


suit, that hurried sentence of Ran
dalls which had met the coloneps
angry appeal for Information. The
woman was not only repeating Mrs.
/ Winters message; the message itself
/ described 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. Amt that Master
Archie?"
Mrs. Winter saw for herself; the
| face at cab window, the waving of
slim hand-Archie's face. Arches
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 loggia. Don't stop met"
said Mrs. Winter, sternly. I've seen
Archie; Pm after him.
Stop" cried Miss Smith-but 1t
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. I'll go
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. at was the sight
Of his face-so suddenly; never ex-
pected any face would make my heart
pump like that again. All of which
shows"--she was speaking quite natur-
ally and placidly again-"that women
may grow too old for men to make
fools of them, but never for children.
Come: it was q 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 woman of words in any
case. Moreover, the pace which Mrs.
Winter struck vas too rapid for COM
ments or questions; it swept them
10Th ,ast the palm-shaded ~ctio INTO
the side hall, out on the noisy, daz-
cling. swaying street. Looking before
her, Miss Smith could see the dusty
body Of hack 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 touch of the lever.
Twenty dollars an hour if 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, it belongs"
II don't care to whom 1t belongs, I
have to have II" 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"
'I'll make it 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 proprietary irrita-
ton. This was instantly transfused
by more vivid emotion. The woman
looked shocked and compassionate.
"Oh, pal" she gasped, did you hear
that?"
The man was country banker from
Iowa. He had very quick, keen eye;
1t flashed. Cease of kidnapping, hey?"
snapped he, instantly grasping the
character of the speakers and jumping
at the situation; "Take the auto,
madam. Get move on you, Mr..
Chauffeur!"
ooh, I'm moving, all right" called
the chauffeur as he skillfully dived
his lower wheels under the projecting
load Of a great wagon and obliquely
bumped over the edge of street car
fender, pursued by the motorman's
curses Il see EN-, lady; see the red
tails; I'll catch 'em!"
His boast most likely had been made
good (since for another block they
bore straight on their course) but for
an orange wagon which had been over
turned. There was rush of pursuit
of the golden balls from the sidewalk;
a policeman came to the rescue OF
traffic and ordered everything to halt
until the cart was righted. The boys
and girls in the street chased back to
the sidewalk. The episode took barely
a couple Of minutes, but on the edge
Of the last minute the cab turned a
corner. The motor car turned the
same corner, but saw no guiding on
famine of waving red horsehair. The
cross street next was equally bare.
They were obliged to explore two ad-
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