The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-02

seeing young Winter before then-oh,
his hat? They usually carried caps
in their pockets; and as to coats
boys never thought of their coats.
The managers cheeriness did not es-
pecially uplift the colonel. He warmed
1t over dutifully, however, for his WON.
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 few
inquiries among the hotel bellboys, the
elevator boy and the people In the res.
taurant or in the Office?
Not at all, If he would be cautious.
So he sailed out. and, in the midst
Of his fruitless inquisition, Millicent
appeared.
Forcing civil smile, he awaited her
pleasure. go on, don't mind me-"
said she, mournfully: you will feel
better to have done everything in
your power"
But shall not discover anything?"
Il fear not. Has it not occurred to
you that he has been kidnapped"
"Hmn!" 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"
ooh. what rot!" sputtered the colo
mel; then he begged her pardon.
"Wait," he counseled and his mans
resistance to appearances had Its eff
feet, as masculine imnobility always
has, on the feminine effervescence
before him. wait" was his word, Eat
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. we'll, 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 wait 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 military
cheerfulness, 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
carp, and wondered were the Cali
fornia fowls really SO poor: and gave
the sample the benefit Of impartial and
fair examination, in the end making q
very fair meal.
1t Is not to be supposed that Winter
had been idle; before dinner he had
put guard in the hall and had seen
Haley, who reported that his wife
and child had gone to a kinswoman in
Santa Barbara.
"Sure the woman has a fine house
intirely, and she's fair crazy over the
baby that's named afther her, for she's
o. wildly woman with never a child
cxcipt wan that's in hivin, 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
convenient, thin times
The colonel admitted that he shared
Haley's opinion. He questioned the
man minutely about MERGERS conduct
on the train. 1t was absolutely COM
monplace. II he had any connection
Gas the colonel had suspected) with
the bandits, he made no sign. He
sent no kilograms; he wrote no let.
ters; he made no acquaintances,
smoking his solitary cigar over
newspaper. Indeed, absolutely the
only matter of note (if that we're one)
was that he read so many newspapers
buying every different journal
vended. At San Francisco he got into
cab and Haley heard him give the
order: ''To the St. Francis" Having
his wife and child with him, the ser.
gcant couldn't follow; but he went
around to the St. Francis later, and in
quired for Mr.. Mercer, for whom he
had a letter las was indeed the case
the colonel having provided him
with one), but no such name appeared
on thu register. Invited to leave the
letter to await the gentleman's arrival,
Haley said that he was instructed to
give it to the gentleman himself;
therefore, he took it away with him.
He had carried 1t to all the other