The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-23
CHAPTER XIV.
Flinders.

Flinders.
If Halsey had only taken me fully
into his confidence through the whole
affair it would have been much sim
pier. If he had been altogether frank
about Jack Bailey, and If the day after
the fire he had told me what he sus-
pected, there would have been no har-
rowing period for all of us, with the
boy in danger. But young people re-
fuse to profit by the experience of
their elders, and sometimes the elders
are the ones to suffer.
l was much used up the day after
the fire, and Gertrude insisted on my
going out. The machine was tempo
rarily out of commission, and the car
riage horses had been sent to farm
for the summer. Gertrude finally got
a trap from the Casanova liveryman,
and we went out. Just as we turned
from the drive into the road we passed
a woman. She had put down a small
valise, and stood inspecting the house
and grounds infinitely. should hard
ly have noticed her had it not been
for the fact that she had been horribly
disfigured by smallpox.
"Ugh!" Gertrude said, when we had
passed, what face! l shall dream
of it tonight. Get up, Flinders"
"Flinders?" l asked. rs that the
. horses name"
1T is" She flicked the horses
stubby name with the whip. "He
didn't look like livery horse, ant
the liveryman said he had bough
him from the Armstrong; when the!
purchased couple of motors and Gu
down the stable. Nice Flincers-goot
old boy!"
Flinders was certainly not a CON
: mon name for a horse, and yet tn
t youngster at Richfield had named hi
3. prancing, curly-haired little hors
: Flinders! It set me to thinking.
At my request Halsey had alread
l from whom me had secured the house
: Also, he had called Mr.. Jameson b
1 telephone, and somewhat guarded
/ had told him of the previous night
events. Mr.. Jameson promised t
come out that night and to bring al
other man with him. | did not col
l. slider it necessary to notify Mrs. Arm
, strong, in the village. No doubt sh
:, knew of the fire, and in view of m
refusal to give up the house an int
8 view would probably have been Ill
pleasant enough. But as we passe
e Dr. Walkers white and green hous
r thought of something.
o "Stop here, Gertrude" I said.
g am going to get out"
IT ITO see Louise?" she asked.
~ mo, l want to ask this young Wake
- something"
NJ She was curious, knew, but l d
~ not wait to explain. | went up tt
~ walk to the house, where a brass sig
at the side announced the office, al
went in. The reception room W;
~ empty, but from the consulate
room beyond came the sound of tv
az :, voices, not very amicable.
!, at is an outrageous figure" son
H. one was storming. Then the doctor
~ quiet tone, evidently not arguir
TO- merely stating something. But l HI
not time to listen to some pers
ne probably disputing his bill, so
va coughed. The voices ceased at ono
NJ door closed somewhere, and the d.
ed tor entered from the hall of the hou
ne He looked sufficiently surprised at S,
~ ing me.
no Good afternoon, DOCTOR" 81
formally. 81 shall not keep you fir,
"n your patient. l wish merely to ash
er- question"
al "Nvon't you sit DOWN.
lie. at will not be necessary. Doct
SCI has any one come to you, either ca
'or this morning or to-day, to have !
Ell treat a bullet wound?'
az, Nothing so startling has harper
~ to me-" he said. "a bullet woul
>" Things must be lively at Sunnysit
~ Il didn't say it was at Sunnys
e0 But as it happens, it was. II any S
Gu case comes to you, will it be too M
trouble for you to let me known
lau 81 shall be only too happy" he s
'aa Il understand you have had fire
~ there, too. A fire and shooting in
,ne night is rather lively for quiet pl
II like that"
1T is as quiet as boiler-shop
sev replied, as turned to go. 4
rse And you are still going to stay
nit Until l am burned out" l resp
ed. And then, on my way down
cry steps, turned around suddenly.
Doctor" l asked at . vent