The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-19

ibid you ten them anythlngw asked
Mrs, Winter
Archie looked At her reproachfully
Did she think that he had gene TO
bcurdns school for nothing? He ex.
plalnet that. being a stranger n the
town, he could not tell anything about
whore he'd been. There was an agent az
the house trying 10 sell stoves, and they
let him take him on back 10 the hotel.
The man seemed 10 know All about
who he tArchiel was. and about his
having gono away. The men asked
him an awful lot Of questions about
how he was taken away IIn said he
didn't know, and he'd promised rot to
toll. He couldn'. tell They said he
would have to 80 to jail " he didn't
tell, because the men who had him
wore such bad mon Hut he didn't
tell.
did they try TO frighten you--to
mako you tellg" said Mrs. Winter.
"0h, they bluffed little, returned
Archie, carelessly, yet the keen eyen
on hliu-cyes both worIdly.wlse and
shsewd--noted that the lads color
shifted and he WINGED the least IN the
world over some remembrance
But they didn't hurt you? They
didn't burn yon or cut You or twist
your arms, or try any other Of their
playful ways?7 Mrs Winter demanded
and Janet began feeling the boys
arms, breathing more quickly The
colonel only looked.
mo, they didn't do q thing. knew
they wouldn't, too" Archie assured
her, earnestly 4 told them II they
did anything Uncle Rupert and you
would make them pay"
And you weren't friehtened, away
from every one-in that hideous guar,
ter?" cried Miss Smith. "Oh, my
dear" She ehoked
Well maybe ! was a little scared
kept thinking Of rotten yarn Of
KiplingE something. happened to him.
down IN the underground quarter. In
just such hot. nasty.smelling hole,
| guess, as was in YOU remember.
Miss Janet, about the game Of cards
and the Mexican stabbing a Chlnk for
cheating, and how Kipllng jumped up
and ran for his life, never looking
around; and don't YOU remember that
nasty BIT how he felt sure they had
dealt with the greaser their own way
ana he'd never get up 70 the light
again"
I've been remembering that story
fnll this afternoon" answered Miss
1SSth shudder.
Agreeable little tale" said Aunt
Rebaoca dryly. Archie, you must
rayc had right nasty quarter Of an
Smith with ehudder,
why d chink came and called tho
l.Wo man OF; and lhero was q lot OF
atkins Which | couldn't hear. and the
COP was swearing; | think they didn't
like It. But, IN a minute the China
man--ho was an awful nice little feller
--he came up TO me and took me out
led me All sorts Of ways. not bit
like the way came III. and got me ont
TO the street The other fellows we're
very polite; they told me that they
were my friends and only wanted TO
find a clew to my kidnapers and the
burning holes In mo was only a Joke
TO give me an excuse 10 break my
word under compulsion why. they
wouldn't hurt me for the world pro.
tended 10 be fooled, and said It was
all right and looked pleasant butt
I'D like 10 scare them the same way,
once, all the same"
The boy caught a. bis llp which was
trembling, and ended with a ahaky
laugh Miss Smith cienched the iist
by her sdc: bdt She dropped the arm
near Archie, and said in a matler-of
fact sprightly tone. eArchle you
really ought to go dress and wash
for dinner; excuse me for mentioning
It, but you have no idea how grimy
you arc"
The commonplace turn Of thought
did iis crrand Archie. who had been
braeIng himself anew against the hor-
ror which he remembered, dropped
back into his familiar habits and
Jumped up consciously "It's the dust,
motoring" he offered. bashfuly =
ought to have washed before came
mp. Well, that's all; We came straight
here Now. mny ! 90 take bathg'
Aunt Rebecca was lingering q curl
Gus jade locket on her neck. She
watched the boy run 70 the open door
n wish you'd SO into Your room,
colonel said Miss Smith, and see
that nothing happens to him It's silly
but am expecting to see him vanish
agalnl"
The sentence affected the colonel
unpeasanlly: why need she be posing
before him. az IT that first disappear
unoe had had any real fright IN lt9
or course she didn't know yet tal-
though Aunt Rebecca might haze told
her she ought TO have told her and
stopped this unnecessary dcceltl that
he was Oh to tho game. put~-he didn'S
like II unconsclously. his inward
criticism made bis tone drler as he re-
piled with d little bow that he i'm
aglned Archie was quite safe now,
and he would ask 70 be excused as be
had q attend TO something before
dinner
Was It hts fancy that her face
changed and hef eyes looked wistfuil
Il must have been lie walked stiny
| aWaY. HnrdI4 bad he entered bis