The Tupelo journal., 1909-04-09

ance public. I'VE want to find him"
was her grim addendum; land we
can't have the police and the news
papers hindering U.S."
In the office he found external
courtesy and a rather perfunctory
sympathy, based on a suppressed, but
perfectly visible conviction that the
boy had stolen out for a glimpse OF the
city, and would be back shortly.
The manager had no objection to
telling Col. Winter, whom he knew
slightly, that the occupant of the next
room was a New England lady OF the
highest responsibility, Mrs. Winthrop
Wigglesworth. If the young fellow
didn't turn up for dinner, he should
be glad to ask Mrs. Wigglesworth to
let Mrs. Winter examine her room;
but he rather thought they would be
seeing young Winter before then-oh,
his hat? They usually carried caps
in their pockets; and as to coats
boys never thought of their coats.
The managers cheeriness did not es-
pecially uplift the colonel. He warmed
it over dutifully, however, for his wom-
ankind's benefit. Miss Smith had gone
out; why, he was not told, and did not
venture to. ask. Mrs. Melville kept
making cautious signals to him behind
his aunt's back; otherwise she was
preserving the mien of sympathetic
solemnity which she was used to show
at funerals and first visits OF con-
dolence and congratulation to divorced
friends. Mrs. Winter, as usual, wore
an inscrutable composure. She was
still firmly opposed to calling in the
aid of the police.
Did she object to his making a few
inquiries among the hotel bellboys, the
elevator boy and the people in the res
taurant or in the office?
Not at all, if he would be cautious.
So he sailed out, and, in the midst
of his fruitless inquisition, Millicent
appeared.
Forcing a civil smile, he awaited her
pleasure. go on, don't mind me-"
said she, mournfully; you will feel
better to have done everything in
your power"
"But l shall not discover anything?'
81 fear not. Has it not occurred to
you that he has been kidnapped"
Hmm" said the colonel.
"And did you notice how p%erturbed
Miss Smith seemed? She was quite
pale; her agitation was quite notice
able"
"She is tremendously fond of
Archie"
"Oh-she knows more than she will
say"
"Oh, what rot!" sputtered the colo
mel; then he begged her pardon.
wait" he c%ounseled, and his mans
resistance to appearances had its eff
feet, as masculine immobility always
has, on the feminine e~ffervescence
before him. Wait" was his word, "at
least until we give the boy a chance to
turn up; if he has slipped by us, he
is taking a little pasear on his W ac-
count; lads do get restless sometimes
if they are held too steadily in the
leash, especially-if you will excuse
me-by, well, by ladies'"
"If he has frightened us out OF our
wits-well, l don't know what oughtn't
to be done to him."
ooh. well, let us wait and hear his
story" repeated the soldier.
But the last streaks of red faded out
of the west; a chill fog smoked up
from the darkening hills, and Archie
had not come. At eight, Mrs. Winter
ordered dinner to be served in their
| rooms. Mrs. Smith had not returned.
The colonel attempted a military
ch~eerfulness, which his aunt told him
bluntly, later in the evening, reminded
her of a physicians manner in critical
cases where the patients mind must
be kept absolutely quiet.
But she. ate more than he at dinner;
although her W record was not a
very good one. Millicent avowed that
she was too worried to eat, but she
was tempted by the strawberries and
carp, and wondered were the Cali
fornia fowls really SO poor; and gave
the sample the benefit of impartial and
fair examination, in the end making a
very fair meal.
1t is not to be supposed that Winter
had beer idle; before dinner he had
| put a guard in the hall and had seen
| Haley, who reported that his wife
and child had gone to a kinswoman in
Santa Barbara.
"Sure the m has a fine house
| intirely, and she's fair crazy over the
| baby that's named afther her. for she's
a wildly woman with never a child
EXCEPT a that's in hivin. a little
gurrl; and she wudn't let us rist It'll
she'd got the cratur'. Nor / wasn't
objectin', for I'm thinking there'll be
something dom and the wimin is on
convanient, thin times"
The colonel admitted that he shared
Haley's opinion. He questioned the
man infinitely about MERGERS conduct
on the train. It was absolutely com
monplace. If he had any connection
(as the colonel had suspected) with
the bandits, he made no sign. He
sent no kilograms; he wrote no let
tiers; he made no acquaintances
smoking his solitary cigar over q
newspaper. Indeed, absolutely the
only matter of note (if that were one)
was that he read so many newspapers
| buying every different journal
/ vended. At San Francisco he got into
a cab and Haley heard him give the
order: ATo the st. Francis" Having
his wife and child with him, the ser
geant couldn't follow; but, he wen1
around to the st. Francis later, and in
uuired for Mr.. Mercer, for whom he