The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-19
MEn4NDc.11M0JR.

c0mposurc, except for q tiny splash OF
red which crept up TO each cheek
bone, rs It really YOU, ArohleT said
shc you are a litile late for dinner
day before yesterday, but quite In time
for today. Sit down and tell US
where you have been"
Quite sol" exclaimed Mrs. Min.
cent. Good heavens DO you know
how we have suffered? Where have
you been? Why did you run away79
But Archie. who had surrendered
one-half OF him to be hugged by Miss
Smith and the other TO be clapped on
the shoulder by his uncle, seemed to
think a vaguely polite "iIow.de.do.
Aunt MIillcent; I'm sorry to haye wot'
rled you" 10 be answer enough Only
when the question was repeated by
Mrs Winter herself did he reply; I'm
awfully sorry, Aunt Rehecca. but I've
promised not 10 say anything about It.
But. truly ! didn't mean TO bother
you
MilIlcent exploded In an access OF
indignation "And do you mean that
you expect MS to accept such a ridIcu-
lous promise after al We have been
through?
Quite so remarked Aunt Rehecca,
with a precise echo OF her niece's
most Anglican utterance- the gilt Of
mimlcry had been one Of Mrs, Win.
ter's most admired and dlslrusted 90.
cial gifts from her youth.
Rupert Winter fastened to distract
MIllicents attention by saying, de-
clslvely. III the boy has pIomis,d,
that ends Il; he can't break bis parole.
Anyhow, they don't seem 70 have hurt
you, old song'
eOh, they treated me dandy, those
follows" said Archie. Miss Janet,
know how to run an electric motor
car. except backing
"I'li bet you do" muttercd the de-
tectlvc.
Here the colonel came to the boys
relief . second time and drew RIrdsall
aside. "Best LET me pump the chap a
little You get downstairs and see
how he got here. who brought him.
They'll get clean away It Is late for
that as II Is. You can report tc.mor-
row
II was the colonel. also, who elm
mated Mrs. Mllllcent hy the mastery
sratagem Of suggesting that she pass
the news to Mrs. Wigglesworth Ho
artiully added that IT would require
tact 70 let the lady from Boston un-
derstand that the lad had been found
without IN any way gratifying her
natural curiosity IN regard to the man.
ner Of finding or the cause Of disap.
peamnce tll have d leave that to
you." he concluded Maybe yoa can
see way out; confess my hands
are IN the air.
Milllcent thus relegated 70 the am
hassadors shelf, the colonel slipped
comfortably into his pet armchair
facing his nephew on the lounge be-
tween Aunt Rebecca and Miss Smith.
Miss Smith looked frankly. charmingly
happy. Arnt Rebecca looked rather
tired.
a0f course" he remarked. = under.
aland old man. that yon have promised
secrecy to the Fireless Stove gang,
as wen call them; but the other kid.
napers, the crowd that held up your
car and then switched you OF on q
side track while young Fireless was
detained-they haven't any hold on
youg"
No, sir said Archie; "but--you
see. that strange gentleman and Aunt
Mllllcent--I was scared lest I'd give
something away"
They're not here now Al friends
here. Suppose YOU make clean
breast Of your second kidnapping. II
may be important you should.
Nothing loath. Archie told his story.
Left outside while Tracy Went into
the office with a policeman. 70 whom
he gave his assumed name, he re.
mained Cor hardly two minutes before
n gentleman and cop" came up 70
him. and the latter ordered him to
descend from the maehlnebui not
until they had found il Impossible 10
move the vehicle. When they did dis.
ceyer that the key was ont and gone,
tac man sln citizens clothes hnHed a
cab and the officer cnrtly informed
Archie that Gardiner fTfacy'a travel
ing namel had been taken 20 another
court and ne was 20 follow lie dldn't
suspect anything beyond collision
with The speed regulations oi the city.
but had no seen a chance to dive under
hts cacrgts arm ihe boy would have
taken Il. Such chance was not a.
forded him. and all he vas able 70 do
was to lean out suddenly as they
passed the Palace and to waye a Ran.
dell. Il wanted them to stop md let
me get some enc 10 pay my hnel said
Archie, "but they said was only a
wltnnus. They wouldn't let me stop;
they run down the curtain-ak least
so far as It would run. Il WIS like
All those haek curtains. you know-all
out Of order"
Archie the colonel lnteriected
here was one Of the men a little Iel.
low. clean.shaven, With around black
head, bite eyes one Of his eyes winlh.
4 little faster than the nther7"
Yes. ST. How did fpu know
I didn't know. ! guessed. Veil xet
on. they wanled io pulnp yoa Hheh
they Kos suu Aaiely ont y sIghIsH
Yes, Archie said. Tihef HHl uo