Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-29
He Avowed Ignorance.

through incredibly narrow lanes: he
progressed sometimes by luffs, like a
boat under sail when the forward
passage much be reached in such in
Ddirect fashion; but the crowd Of I'M
calmly vehicles, loaded dizzily above
his head, made the superior speed OF
the motor of no avail. In spite Of him
they could see the red tails lessening.
Again and yet again, the hack turned;
again, but each time with loss, the
motor struck its trail. BY now the
street was changed; the dingy two
story buildings lining 1t were bright
ened by the gold-leaf and vermilion;
oriental arms and garbs and embroid-
cry spangled the windows and oriental
faces looked inscrutably out of door,
ways. There rose the blended odors
Of spice, sandalwood and uncleanli-
ness that announce the east, reeking
up out of gratings and putting out Of
shops.
"Ah." said Mrs. Winter, softly to
herself, Chinese quarter, is it?
Well" Her eyes changed; they
softened in fashion that would have
amazed one who only knew the sur
face of Mrs. Winer, the eccentric so
ciety potentate. She looked past the
squalid, garish scene, past the shin
ing sandhills and the redwood trees,
beyond into stranger landscape glow
ing under binder glare of sun. Half
mechanically she lifted tiny gold
chain that had slipped down her throat
under the gray gown. Raising the vel
low thread and the craven jade orna-
ment depending therefrom, she let 1t
lie outside amid the white lace and
chiffon.
We're making good now" called
the chauffeur. ''Will / run alongside
and hail 'em, or what?"
She told him quietly to run along
side. But her lips twitched, and when
she put up her hand to press them
still, she smiled. to. discover that her
hand was bare. She had forgotten to
pull on her glove. She began to pull
1t on now.
THE road is narrow" said she. run
ahead of the back and block its way.
You can do it without hitting the
horses, can't you?"
"Well, I guess returned the chauf-
feur, instantly accomplishing the
maneuyer in fine style.
But he missed his deserved COM
mendation; 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 nimb1eness 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 peniten-
tiary offense, my man." she said, plac-
idly. at is 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; if
you fool us-well have your number.
Where did you leave the boy"
why, there was a cop with i'm
"a cop and gentleman. Amt you got
hold Oft wrong party, LADY,"
"a .brpwn-hairsd boy in a gray suit
with a blue cravat-you ;know he was
in your cab. And how 90 you know it
was real policeman
"Or he wasn't helping on the dew
iltry II it WASP" sneered the chauffeur,
who hadspow become iull-aelged