The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-07

by petrfying force Then he ''came to-"
 James Whatleys Sons were ,the best | people in America. There was a chance | in their ranks. Only it was not often-this | Bigelow did not know-that a II. P. A.
 man got inside those ranks.
 Tony clutched him. dripping from the | rain outside, and hauled him into the | kitchen of the fiat.
 "Oh I know, I know it's all right, and
 I've got a little supper for you out here 1 Grace is asleep. Oh, tell me- tell me all
 about 1t. Isn't MT. McCaIlum a dear!'' "Whatr Tom relaxed the fervor of his embrace to look into her face What do
 you know about it? Who has been here?'
 NO one I've been there. Eat boy, eat, and I'll tell you-'
 Been"
 Eat and don't say a word" commanded | Tony q remembered this afternoon that Hollie Vanderwenter married a MoCallum | and lived somewhere in this state. We | used to be the greatest friends at boarding
 school. and I went to call on Mrs. John
 McCallum on the chance" "Tonyp'
 Don't interrupt. My heart was digging deeper and deeper holes in mo when I climbed the steps. The butler was fright | fully impressive"
 "I know"
 And said not at home,' and then he | saw how crushed was and told me that Mrs. McCallums little girl was Ill. Oh, I I'm so sorryl' I cried. and I said 1t quite l loud, so if the rustic I heard back by the stairs should be Hollie she would hear me. l It wasn't, and I went away and walked l and walked and thought and thought, and 1 then I found a florist and spent all my l silk jacket money for flowers and carried 1 them back. Please tell Mrs Mccallum I'd like SO much to know how the little 1 girl is said. If you'll wait a bit the h,tfIa n ffa Wh | thing I knew I was in the house and | Hollie was crying in my arms. I petted | her-every one pets Hollie- and, o, Tony, | Tony why did I send her to that horrid l schoo? she kept saying. She's only | seven, and all we've got and know it's
 catching, but if you dared-she's the | sweetest little and knew she wanted me to see the child. We went straight to ! the nursery-Dont. Tommy. Listen to mel saw right away 1t wasn't so bad as Tfollie thought. MT. McCaTfum was l out hunting for the trained nurse they'd , had before and the doctor had gone. The l little thing was all swadded in blankets | and fretting. just took her in my arms | and told her stories The midget-she | isn't bigger than a fairy-fixed her black i eyes on me and Tell me mother she kept croaking till the nurse came, and 1 then she went off to sleep like lamb. That's because you soothed her so,' Hollie said, and Mir. McCalium gave me 1 a tremendous grip with his big hand. It
 was awfully late, and I went down to l dinner with them. At first I'd been so | miserable for poor Hollie I'd almost for l gotten your troubles, but before I got l through the stories I felt like Schehera- zade, and when they asked me how I l happened to be in town I told them i everything Of course Hollie couldn't i listen in the least and he was watching l all the time for news from up stairs but when I said Bicks he picked up his ears 1 and asked questions. Before we were l through with desert T guess I'll look in 1 on that meeting he said, and he swore
 at the chauffeur because he was slow bringing round the machine. I enjoyed l hearing him swear. Who are James 1 Whateley's Sons? Mr. Mo-
 1 And I was mad at youl Oh. Tonyi" cried Tom and gathered her into re- | morseful hug
 | Tony grinned cheerfully when she sent | him off to his interview with Levin in Lake City Do just what MT. McCalum said," she advised.
 | Levin was cordial, even honeyed. ! "I congratulate you; you're the first | agent that ever got ahessS of Mrs. Bicks," ] he buzzed mellowly.
 .sThank you Lat I--began Bigelow. 1 You mustn't run such risk again" Levin grew less honeyed. ''The U. P A. won't stand for It. You've got to get | your methods up to date.'
 "I don't believe I want to-" said Bige- l low with amiable deliberation. No words I he had ever uttered had sounded moro pleasantly in his ears. I've come to say goodby to the U P A"