The Mena weekly star., 1909-04-15
ity. and wonld be hnck shortlr.

I SAtyF uih WOdiQ bt udCh SHDTllN.
 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 1 let Mrs. Winter examine her room: but he rather thought they would be seeing young Winter before then-oh, 1 his hat? They usually carried caps | in their pockets; and as to coats--- boys never thought of their coats. 1 The managers cheeriness did not es- pecially uplift the colonel He warmed 1t 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 q few inquiries among the hotel belboys. the elevator boy and the people in the res. taurant or in the office?
 Not at all. if he would be cautious
 So he sallied out, and, in the midst of his fruitless inquisition, Millicent appeared.
 Forcing a civil smile, he awaited her pleasure. Co on, don't mind me" said she. mournfully; you will feel better to have done everything in your power.'
 But I shall not discover anythiag?"
 T fear not. Has 1t not occurred to you that he has been kidnapped? ?"
 "Hmnl" said the colonel.
 And did you notice how perturbed 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 roti" sputtered the colo nel; then he begged her pardon.
 Wait" he counseled, and his mans resistance to appearances had it's ef- feet, as masculine immobility always has, on the feminine effervescence before him. Wait" was his word, "at least until we give the boy chance to turn up; if he has slipped by us, he is taking little pasear on his own 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, don't know what oughtn't to be done to him!"
 "Oh, well. let us walt and hear his story" repeated the soldier.
 But the last streaks of red faded out of the west; 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 cheerfuness, which his aunt told him bluntly, later in the evening. reminded her of physicians manner in critical cases where the patients mind must be kept absolutely quiet.
 But she ate more than he at dinner; although her own record was not very good one. Millicent avowed that she was too worried to eat, but she was tempted by the strawberries and fornia fowls really so poor; and gave the sample the benefit of impartial and fair examination, in the end making a very fair meal.
 It is not to be supposed that Winter had been 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 kinswoman in Santa Barbara.
 Sure the woman has fine house intirely, and she's fair crazy over the baby that's named afther her. for she's a widdy woman with never a child excipt wan that's in hiyin, little gurrl; and she wudn't let us rist til she'd got the cratur. Nor I wasn't objectin, for I'm thinking there'll be something doin' and the wimin is on convanient. thim times"
 Continued next week.