Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-08-24
(cHApTER xXI-Continu

thing picturesque, WIN low Wluuo"
and a porch only a foot or SO above
the lawn There was a baby carriage
In the path, and from swing at the
side came the sound of conflict. Three
small children were disputing vocifer-
ously, and faded young woman with
kindly face was trying to hush the
clamor. When she saw us she united
her gingham apron and came around
to the porch.
Good afternoon" l said, Jameson
lifted his hat without speaking.
came to inquire about child named
Lucien Wallace"
81 am glad you have come" she
said. "In spite Of the other children
think the little fellow is lonely. We
thought perhaps his mother would be
here today"
Mr.. Jameson stepped forward.
you are Mrs. Tate? wondered
how the detective knew.
Eyes, SIR
aMrs. Tate, we want. to make some
inquiries. Perhaps in the house"
Come right in," she said Hospitality.
And soon we were in the little shabby
parlor, exactly like thousand OF It's
prototypes. Mrs. Tate sat uneaslly,
her hands folded in her lap.
How long has Lucien been here?".
Mr. Jameson asked.
Since a week ago last Friday. HIS
mother paid one weeks board in ad.
rance; the other has not been paid.
WAS he Ill when he came?'
mo, sir, not what you'd call sick.
He was getting better Of typhoid, she
said, and he's picking up fine"
aWill you tell me his mothers name
and address?"
~That's the trouble" the young
woman said, knitting her brows. "She
gave her name as Mrs. Wallace, and
said she had no address. She was
looking for boarding house in town.
She said she worked in a department
store, and she couldn't take care or
the child properly. and he needed
fresh air and milk. had three chill
dren of my own. and one more didn't
make much difference in the work,
butt wish she would pay this weeks
board"
did she say what store 1t was?"
mo, sir, but all the boys clothes
came from Kings. He has far too hne
clothes for the country"
There was chorus of shouts and
shrill yells from the front door, fol-
lowed by the loud stamping of chill
dren's feet and throaty whoa,
whoa!" Into the. room came tandem
of two chubby youngsters, boy and
a girl, harnessed with clothes line.
and driven by laughing boy Of about
seven, in tan overalls and brass but
tons. The small driver caught my
attention at once: he was beautiful
child, and, although he showed traces
of recent severe illness, his skin had
now the clear transparency of health.
Whoa, Flinders he shouted.
You're goin' to smash the trap"
Mr.. Jameson coaxed him over by
holding out lead pencil, striped blue
and yellow.
Now, then" he said, when the boy
had taken the lead pencil and was
testing it's usefulness on the detec.
tive's cuff, now, then, I'll bet you
don't know what your name is"
Il do," said the boy. Lucien Wal
lace"
Great! And what's your mothers
name?''
Mother. of course. What's your
mothers name?"
And he pointed to me! am going
to stop wearing black; it doubles q
woman's age.
And where did you live before you
came here?" The detective was polite
enough not to smile.
"Grossmutter," he said. And I saw
Mr.. Jamieson's eyebrows go up.
German, he commented well
young man, you don't seem to know
much about yourself"
''I've tried it all week." Mrs. Tate
broke In. "The boy knows word o.
two of German, but he doesn't know
where he lived, or anything abou
himself"
Mr.. Jameson wrote something on {
card and gave it to her.
Mrs. Tate" he said, II want you t.
do something. Here Is some none,
for the telephone call. The instant th'
boys mother appears here, call vi
that number and ask for the persol
whose name is there. You can rul
and do it quietly. Just say, The lad
has come"
1.-The lady has come" repeate'
Mrs. Tate. Very well, sir, and / hop
1t will be soon. The milk bill alone
almost double what it was
How much is the child's board ?
asked.
Three dollars week, including hi
washing"
every well,' I said Now, Mr.:
Tate, am going to pay last week
board and a week in advance. If tn
mother comes, she is to know nothin
Of this visit-absolutely not wore
and, in return for your silence. yo
may use the money for-somethin
for your own children"
Her tired, faded face lighted up an
saw her glance at the little Tate
small feet. Shoes, divined-the fet
Of the genteel poor being almost {
expensive as their stomachs.
AS we went back Mr.. Jamiesc
made only one remark: I think
was laboring under the weight of
great disappointment.
oTNDEN ro,,nfon,s and rbus