The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1909-04-29

earnestly beg of you to listen to
me. and to believe me, for your
nephew's sake. 1t is the only way
now. When you came, we handed him
over to this gentleman, exactly as we
have said. | do not know why he
should have been stopped I do not
know why he left the machine"
Might he not have been carried
away?" said Winter.
He might; but | don't know what
motive"
What motive had you? You kid.
mapped him!"
Not exactly. We had no intention
OF harming him. He came accidental
ly into the room between Mrs. Win
ter's and Mr.. Keatcham's suites. Stand
Ing in that room, trying to stanch
the bleeding of sudden hemorrhage
OF the nose, he overheard me and my
friend"
"You?" asked the colonel, laconical-
ly. OF the young Harvard man
81" smilingly confessed the latter
Il am ready to own up You are a
decent fellow, and you are shrewd.
You ought to be on our side, not
fighting us. tell you, you don't want
to have the boy turn up safe and
sound any more than l do. Mr.. Mer-
Ger was talking to me, and the kid
overheard. We heard him and went
into the room"
How"
Knocked on the door and he opened
1t. And we jumped on him. 1t was
life and death for us not to be blown
on: so, as we didn't wish to kill the
kid, and as we didn't know the young
ster well enough to trust him then
although we might, for he is game and
the whitest chap.-but We didn't know
why, we just told him he would have
to stay with us a while until our rush
was over. That was all we meant;
and we let him phone you"
How about his great-aunt-the
cruel anxiety"
Anxiety nothing" began the other
man, but a glance from Mercer cut
him short.
The southerner took the word in his
slow, gentle voice. Il tried to reassure
our aunt, Col Winter. | think | sue
ceeded. She telephoned and told her
1t was all right As for Archie, after
we talked with him. he was willing
enough to 60 He stole out with my
friend inside of five minutes, while
you all were searching your rooms. 1t
was he insisted on calling you up, lest
you should be worried. He said you
were right afraid of kidnapers, and
you would be sending the police after
us. You can call Mrs. Winter up and
find out if | am not telling you the
exact facts"
Very well, / WILL" said Winter.
They met the sullen detective at the
door. Cary Mercer. with his mirthless
smile, led the way. Mercer rang up
the hotel for Winter. himself. To the
coloners vast relief Aunt Rebecca an
swered the call "Est-ce que c'est
vous-meme, mon neveu?" said she,
dryly.
"Mais oui, ma tante. Why are you
speaking so formally in foreign
tongues? Is Millicent on deck"
.In her ROOM" came the answer,
still in French. We'll, you have got
us in a pretty mess. Where is my
boy?"
Il only wish l knew! Tell me now
though, is MERGERS story straight
Absolutely. You may trust him.
"Wbat's his real game, then? The
one he was afraid Archie would ex-
pose?"
ASK him.
"But YOU are in it, aren't YOU?
Enough to ask that you abandon
the chase-immediately! Unless you
wish to ruin me-
you'll have to speak palmer, I've
been kept in the dark as long as can
stand in this matter
But before he could finish the sen
tepce. Pas lei, pas maintenance est
trop de peril" she cried, and she must
have gone. for he could get no more
from her. When he rang again. hah-
dali responded;
"Mrs. Winter says, sir, VIII you
please come up here as quick as you
can. She's gone out. she ,housh'
she caught sight of Mr., Archie on INC
street" ,,,o
To the colonels demand: "nele'
how did she see him. he optalheu no
answer. and on his vicious peaiihs VI
tho hell there came, eventually hiei'
low Anglican accents, which asked a.,
ives? Whom do you wish 10 sec
II is an evidence of the undiscipnheu
nature of the sex that the soiuiei
made a face and-hung up 'he io
ceiver IT. 20
He found hlmself-althoush TINS 10
n really open mind is no eHcuSeI 1Ia
middle of conflicting impulses s1e
was on edge to get into the SUI nos
tho hoy. ne Hdo