The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-05-07
CHAPTER XII.
The Charm of Jade.

1t was no false lure to distract pur
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 itseli
described fact. AS she stood at hel
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.
"Oh, 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, Archie's
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!"
1t 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 mel"
said Mrs. Winter, sternly. I've 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. I'll go
with you" she said. There was no
vibration in her even tones, although
a bright red fiickered 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 a second. 1T 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 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; 1t swept them
both past the palm-shaded patio into
the side hall, 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 sever.
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"
81 don't care to whom il belongs, !
have to have it," announced Mrs. Win
ter, calmly. Whoever hired it can get
another. I'll make it all right. You
start on and catch that hack with the
auburn-tailed horses"
"Ill make it right with your fare,
Miss Smith cut in before the chauffeur
could answer. It's a case of kidnap-
ing. You catch that cab" She was
standing on the curb. and even as she