The Tupelo journal., 1909-05-14
CHAPTER discontinued.

But ne MISSED HIS u6SSI N0u COLi
m%endation; indeed, he forgot it him
self; because, as he looked back at the
horses rearing on the sudden check
and tossing their auburn names, then
ran his scrutiny behind them to the
hack, he perceived no life in it; and
when his own passenger jumped with
amazing nimbleness from her seat and
flung the crazy door wide open, she
recoiled. exclaiming: Where are
they? Where did you leave them?"
Leave who?" queried the hackman.
"Say, what you stoppin' me fur? Run
min into me with your devil-wagon!
Say,"-then his wrath trailed into an
inarticulate mutter as he appreciated
better the evident quality of the gen.
tlewoman before him.
you may be mixed up in a peniten-
tiary o~ffense, my man." she said, plac-
idly. TT is a case of kidnapping. Where
did you leave that boy who was in the
cab? If you give us information that
will find him, there's five dollars; II
you fool us-well, l have your number
Where did you leave the boy?"
why, there was a cop with i'm
a cop and a gentleman. Amt you got
hold of the wrong party, lady,"
"A brown-haired boy in a gray suit
with a blue cravat-you know he was
In your cab. And how do you know it
was a real policeman"
COR he wasn't helping on the dew
iltry If it was?" sneered the chauffeur,
who had now become a full-fiedged
partisan. 'Ain't you lived in this burg
long enough to find out how to make
a little mazuma on the side? You're
too good for Frisco. Heaven is your
home, my Christian friend.p
Cut it out!" retorted the man. 81
guess l know how to find my way
round as well as the next n
Certainly you do" soothed Mrs.
Winter, who was lingering a crisp new
f%iye-dollar bank note, "and you are NO
kidnaper, either; you made no bar
gain with those men"
Sure l didn't" agreed the hackman,
NOR | amt standin' for kidnapping,
neither. Why, | got kids of my own,
and my woman she'd broom me outer
the house If / was to do them games,
Say, I'll tell you all l knows. They
got off, them three, at that there cor
ner, and | was to drive fast S l could
three blocks ahead and then git home
any old way. And that's Gods truth,
l."
You didn't see where they went?'
Mrs. Winter was quietly insistent.
mo, / didn't. | guess l was a dumb
fool not ter notice, but they paid me
we'll, and I'd a bad thirst, and l was
hiking to a place | know for beer; and
that's"
did the boy seem willing?"
HE didn't do no kicking as l seem
A few more questions revealed that
the man had unpacked his full kit OF
information. He had never seen eth.
err of the men before. The gentleman
yes, he was sure he was a gentle
man.; he wasn't NO swell confidence
guy; he was the regular thing-gentle
man engaged him to take a party tC
the Chinese quarter; he'd tell where
to stop; didn't need a guide; only
wanted to make a few purchases, he
said, and he knew where the things
was; yes, ma'am, hat was all; only
down there on Market street, or may
be-why, somewhere near by-he
stuck his head out and told him tt
turn the corner, and then he kept tell
ing him to turn corners, until finally
he told him to stop and they got out.
Mrs. Winter gave the man the banl
note, c~ounseling him to keep his eyes
open for the two men and the boy
and to report to her at the Palace no
tel, giving his number, should he see
either man or boy. 1t would be very
well worth his while.
The chauffeur did not interrupt, but
he shook his head W the departing
hack. He'd ought to have known Il
want on the square, but these hacl
drivers amt got good sense even wheI
they're, so to speak, sober, which aim
often" he s~oliloquized. WELL, lady, Il
they've took to the Chinese quarter
we'd better be looking up a Chink K
help us, ! guess. / know a fairly de
cent one"
Il think / know a better,r inter
rupted Mrs. Winter, with a faint smile
She had detected a suppressed pity
in the mans regard. Motor slowly
along the street. There Is a shop, l
/ can find it, where there ought to BIZ
a man"
MAN you know? Say. lady. l guess