Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-02-17

| knew, sun, certainty 90. but-
Mercer's Jaw fell; he turned sharply at
the soft whir of an electric stanhope
gently entering the patio through the
great arched gateway. 1t stopped
abreast of the group, and its only oc-
cupant, handsome young man,
jumped nimbiy out of the vehicle. He
greeted them with polite removal of
his cap, a bow, and flashing smile
which made the circuit of the behold.
ers. Birdsall and the colonel recog.
nized the travelling enthusiast of the
Fireless Stove.
The colonel took matters into his
own hands.
81 think you're the young gentleman
who took my nephew away" said he.
"Will you kindly tell us where he is?"
"And don't get giddy, young gentle
man." Birdsall chimed in, because we
know perfectly well that you are not
the agent of the Peerless Fireless
| Stove"
i've got one here on trial, and I've
come back to see if they like it, ex-
planned the young man, in silken &C.
cents, but with aJdancing CLEAN OF the
egcs.
I'VE are going to keep it, said Mer.
Ger. "Kito," calling the unseen Jap,
fetch that Fireless Stove this gentle
nan left us, and show it to this gentle
man here"
"oh, cut it out!" Birdsall waved him
off. Its only ten minutes before our
fellows viii come. You can put the
pclice court wise with all that Try
it on them; 1t don't go with US
Where is the boy?" said the
colonel
Tell him, If you know" said Mer-
Ger. This gentleman, he explained,
left a stove with US to test. He was
here about it this morning, and we
gave Archie to him to take to the
Palace hotel"
And he is there now" said the
young man
Did you leave him there?" asked
the colonel
''Yes. did you?" insisted Mercer.
The young man looked from Mercer
to the other two men There was no
visible appeal to the soulherner, but
Winter felt sure of two things: One,
that the newcomer was MERGERS con-
federate whom he was striving to
shield by pretending to disavow; the
other, that for some reason Mercer
was as anxious for the answer as were
they.
'Why7y," hesitated the stove pro-
moter, you see, Mr.-ah, gentlemens
you see, l was told to take the boy to
the Palace Hotel, and l set outa to do
it. We weren't going at more than an
eight-milean-hour clip, yet some fooz-
Ter of cop arrested us for speeding.
It was perfectly ridiculous, and l tried
to shake him, but it was no use. They
carried us off to police court and
stuck me for ten dollars Meanwhile
my machine and my passenger were
outside. When | got outside | couldn't
find them. l skirmished around, and
finally did get the machine I'd taken
the ,precaulion to fix it so it couldn't
be run before left it-took the key
out, you kuow-it must have been
trundled off by hand somewhere
but couldn't find the boy. Naturally,
was bit worried; but after l had
looked up the force and the neighbor-
hood, it occurred to me to phone to
the Palace. | did, and | was told he
was there"
WHO told yc1?" The question came
simultaneously out of three throats.
Why, Mrs Winter-thats what she
called herself"
But not three minutes, ago Mrs.
Winter told me that he wasn't there"
remarked Mercer, coldlyf when did
you telephone?p
1T was at least Is minutes ago."
the young man said dolefully. Il say,
wouldn't you better call them up
again? There may be some explana-
tion. l shouldn't have come back
without the kid if hadn't been sure
he was safe"
WAS it Mrs. Melville or Mrs. Win
ter you got?" This came from the
colonel Did she by chance have an
English accent or was it SOUTHERN"
"Oh, no. not southern" protested
the young man. Yes, l should say
1t was English-or trying to be-"
ut would be exactly like Millicent,"
thought the colonel. wrathfully. ito
try to fool the kidnapers, who had APP
parently lost Archie. jby pretending he
was at the hotell"
!, He made no comment aloud, but he
nodded assent to MERGERS proposal
to telephone; and then he walked up
to the stove man.
'The game is up" he said, quietly.
"We have lot Of men waiting ..out-
side. If we signal, they will come any
minute; if we don't signal. they will
cope in ten minutes. Give us chance
to be merciful to you. This is no kind
Of scrape for your fathers son-o-
for Arnold'sY
+ Shot without range though It was.
Winter was sure that 1t went home un-
der Ali 1ii,t =.,;:s.ss fallnzy,s assumed be-
wilderment He continued, looking
kindly at him: