Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-09
..'''c|717HOR
WElzAY


honest hands and run for itself The
trouble with Cary was that In order
TO keep control Of the property he
bought a lot of shares on margins, and
when they began to run doWnhill, ne
was obliged to borrow money on his
actual holdings to protect his fictitious
1 ones. The stock went SO low that he
was wiped out He wouldn't take my
advice earlier In tho game; and knew
that 1t would only be losing money to
lend Ii to him. later--still sometimes
have been rather sorry | didn t.
Would better try the spade, Berthe,
OF the diamond?'
The colonel advised the spade. He
wondered whether he should repeat TO
his aunt the few sentences which ne
had overheard from Mercer and his
companion; but belief that old age
worries easily, added to his natural
mans Discrimination to attack the FEM
inine nerves, tipped the scales against
frankness. Sc, instead, he began to
talk about Archie; what was he like!
was he fond Of athletics? or was ne
a bookish lad? Aunt Rebecca reported
that he liked riding and golf; but he
was not very rugged, and since MS
/ fathers death ne had seemed ltstless
to a degree. But he Is better now"
she added, with trace of eagerness
quite foreign to her usual manner.
Janet Smith has reused him up; and
what do you suppose she has done?
But really, you are the cause"
~" queried the colonel.
"Just you. Archie. Janet argued, Is
| the kind Of nature that must have
some one to be devoted to-"
And has he taken fancy to her?
Or to your"
! Aunt Rebecca's eyes dulled a little
and her delicate lips were twisted by
a smile which had more usefulness
than humor in It, I'm not a lovable
person; anyhow, he does not love cas-
tly. We are on terms of the highest
respect, even admiration, but we
haven't got so far as friendship, far
less comradeship. Janet is different
But don't mean Janet; she has grown
absurdly fond Of him; and think
he's fond of her; but what she did was
to make him fond of you. You. Gen.
Rupert Winter, why. that boy could
pass an examination on your exploits
and not miss question. Janet and he
have a. scrap-book with every printed
word about you, do believe. And
she has been amazingly shrewd. We
didn't know how to get the youngster
back to his sports while he was out
of school; and in fact, an old woman
like me Is rather bewildered by such
young creature, anyhow; but Janet
rode with him; you are a remarkable
rider; I helped there, because l re-
membered some anecdotes about you
at West Point"
"But, my dear aunt"
Don't interrupt me. BERTHE. It's a
distinctly American habit. And we
read in the papers that you had
learned that Japanese trick fighting
flu itsu-and were wonder"
I'm not, assure you; that beast OF
o newspaper man"
Never mind, IL you are not won
der, you'll have to be; you can take
lessons in Los Angeles; there are
quantities of Japs there. Why, even
in Chicago, Janet picked up one. and
we imported him, and Archie took
lessons, and practices every day.
There's book in my bag. In the rack
there, a very interesting book; Janet
and l have beth read it so we could
talk to Archie. You would better skim
1t over little If you really aren't an
expert, enough so you can talk jill
jitsu, anyhow; we can't be destroying
Archie's ideals until he gets better
appetite"
"well, upon my world" breathed tho
colonel "Do you expect me to be a
fake hero? l never took more than
two lessons in my life. That reporter
interviewed my teacher, who was
killed in the Japanese war, by the
way; he went to the army after my
second lesson. He didn't know any
English beyond yes and If you
please and he used them both on
the reporter, who let his own fancy
70 up like balloon. Well, where is
the book?"
He found it easily; and with a
couple of volumes of another kidney,
over which he grinned.
"The Hound of the Baskervilles and
the Leavenworth Case! I've read
them, too" he said; they're great!
And do you still like detective stories?
You would have made grand sleuth
yourself, Aunt Becky" Again he had
half mind to speak Of the occurrence
at the station; again he checked the
Impulse. II remember" he added,
that you used to hold strenuous opin-
Ions"
"You mean my thinking that the
reason crimes escape discovery is not
that criminals are SO bright, but that
detectives in general are so particular
~ stupid? Oh, yes, think that still.
So does Sir Conan Doyle And l have
often wished could measure my own
wits, once, with really fine criminal
intellect. 1t would be worth the risk"
God Forbid" said the colonel,
hastily.
There came tap at the door.
"Millicent!" groaned Aunt Rebecca.
IT know the creaking Of her stays.
No, don't stay, BERTHE; go and get
Janet and a rescue bridge party as
quick as you cant"