The Mena weekly star., 1909-05-27

were my friends and only wanted 10 find clew to my kidnapers; and the burning holes in mo was only a iose to give me an excuse to break ,av word uudor compulsion-why. theT- wouldn't hurt me for the worldi rre- tended to be fooled. and said 1t was all right. and looked pleasant; but I'd like to scare uam the same way. once. all the same"
 The boy caught at his lip which was trembling, and ended with a shalxy laugh. Miss Smith clenched the fist by her side but she dropped the arm near Archie and said in matter.of- fact. sprightly tone: Archie, you really ought to go dress-and wash for dinner; excuse me for mentioning it, but you have no idea how grimy you are"
 The commonplace turn of thought did it's errand Archie, who had been bracing himself anew against the her TOT which he remembered. droppo l back into his familiar habits and jumped up consciously. Its the dust. B. 1 ought to have washed before I came up. We'll. that's all; we came straight here. Now, may I go take a bath?"
 Aunt Rebecca was lingering a curl ous jade locket on her neck. She watched the boy gun to the open door.
 T wish you'd go into your room, colonel" said Miss Smith, "and see that nothing happens to him. It's silly, but am expecting to see him vanish again."
 Atkins" said the colonel, concisely.
 Tracy whistled and apologized. its blow" he confessed. That little wretch, He has brains to burn and not an ounce of conscience. You know he has been housing round at the hotels after Keatchams mail"
 He didn't get it?"
 No. Carey had covered that point. Cary has thought this all out very carefully, but Atkins has got on to the fact that Cary was here in this hotel with Keatcham. But he doesn't know where we come in; whether Keatcham's gang is just lying low for some game of its own, or whether we've got him. At least, I don't be- lieve he knows"
 You ought not to be talking so free ly with me; 1 haven't promised you anything, you know" warned the colo nel.
 But you've got your nephew back o1I ,.sr with you; why should you butt in? 1 know you won't"
 q don't seem to have a fair call to- observed the colonel.
 And 1 think the old boy is going to give in; he has made signals of dis tress, to my thinking. Wanted his mail and wanted to write; and in- formed Cary-he saw him for the first time to-day--that lie had bigger things on deck than the Midland and wanted to get at them. We're going to win out all right"
 Unless Atkins gets at him tonight" " the colonel suggested You oughtnt to have come here. Gardiner. Don't | go home, now. Wait until later, and let me rig you up in another lot of togs and give you my own motor car. Better"
 Tracy was more than impressed by the proposal; he was plainly grateful He entered with enthusiasm into the soldiers masquerade-Tracy had al ways had weakness for theatricals and some of his Nasty Pudding Portraits of Unknown People We Know" had won him fame at Cambridge. Ten minutes later, there sat opposite the colonel fiorid-faced, mustached, west ern commercial traveller whose plaided tweeds, being an ill-advised venture oi Haley's which the colonel had taken off his hands and found no subject oi charity quite obnoxious enough to de serve them, naturally did not fit the present wearer, but suited his inane complacence of bearing and might pass for bad case of ready made purchase
 Now" said the adviser, 'I'll notify Haley to have my own hired motor ready for you and you can slip out and take it after you've had something to eat. Here's the restaurant card Haley will be there. Leave 1t at the drug store on Van Ness street-Haley will give you the number-and get home as unobtrusively as possible You can peel of these togs in the motor if necessary. You've your own underneath except your coat. Wrap 1 that in newspaper and carry it. l 1 don't know that Atkins has any one on guard at the hotel, but I think 1t l more than likely he suspects some connection between our party and 1 Keatchams. But first. tell me about 1 Atkins: what do you know about him l It's an American name."
 America can the glory or him, l fancy" said Tracy. He's been | Keatcham's secretary for six years. | He seems awfully mild and useful and timid. He's not bit timid. He's full of resource: he's sidled suggestions l into Keatcham's ear and has been gradually working to make himself absolutely necessary. think he aimed at partnership, but Keatcham wouldn't stand for it. I think it was in revenge that he sold out some of Keatcham's secrets. Cary got on to that and has a score of his own to settle with him, besides. I don't know how he managed, but he showed him up: and Keatcham gave him the sack | in his own cold-blooded way. I know him only casually. But my cousin, Ralph Schuyler. went to prep. school l with him, so I got his character