Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-01-27
WEAH%N1M0JlN


could hear her talking to some one be-
hind the berth's curtains. Could those
doleful means emerge from Archie?
Could Winter boy be whimpering
about the Jar of the train in that
fashion? Immediately he was aware
that the sufferer was Randall, for Miss
Smith spoke: Bring the tea, and lie
down again, I'll attend to Mrs. Winter.
Don't you worry"
Getting solid with Randall" com
mented the colonel. Which is She
kind-hearted, or an accomplished vii
lainess? Well, it's interesting, any
how"
BY the time he had made his toilet
the train was Stacking speed ready to
halt In Council Bluffs, and all his sus-
picions rushed on deck again at the
sight of Miss Smith and Archie walk
ing outside
He Joined them, and he had to admit
that Miss Smith looked as pleased as
Archie at his appearance Nor did
she send single furtive glance, slant
ing or backward, while they walked
In the crisp, clean air. Once the train
had started and Miss Smith was in the
drawing-room, breakfasting with Mrs.
Winter and Archie, he politely attend
ed Mrs. Millicent through the morning
meal in the dining-car. 1t was so
good a meal that he naturally, al
though illogically, thought better Of
Miss Smiths prospects of innocence;
and cheerily he sought Haley. He
found him in the smoking compart-
~axcnt A6f the observation car, having
for companions no less personages
thsn the magnate and distinguished
looking New Englapder, who, Rupert
Winter made no doubt, was Harvard
professor of rank and renown among
his learned kind. He knew the ear
marks of the species. The New Eng
hnder's pencil was flying over little
improvised pad Of telegraph blanks,
while he listened with absorbed inter
est to Haley's rich Irish tones. There
was little sidewise lunge of Haleys
mouth, faint twinkle of Haley's frank
and simple eyes which the colonel ap-
praised at very nearly their real value
He knew that 1t isn't in Irish-Ameri-
can nature to perceive wide-open ear
and not put something worth hearing
into it. Besides, his sharp ears had
brought him key to the discourse, a
sorrowful remark of the sergeant's as
he entered: Yes sor, thin wather
torchures is terrible!"
He glanced suspiciously from one of
Haleys audience 10 the other. The
newspaper cartoonist had pictured on
all kinds OF bodies of preying crea-
lures, whether of the eGrth or air, the
high brows, the round head, the deli
cate features, the thin cheeks, the
straight line of the mouth, and the
mild, inexpensive eyes of the man be-
fore him. He had been extolled as q
far-sighted benefactor of the world,
and execrated picturesquely as the
king OF pirates who would scuttle the
business Of his country without
qualm.
Winter, amid his own questionings
and problems, could not help
scrutiny of man whose power was
greater than that of medieval kings.
He sat consuming cigarette, more
between his fingers than his lips; and
glancing under dropping eyelids from
questioner to narrator. At the colonePs
entrance he looked up, as did Haley
who rose to his feet with an uncon-
scious salute. "T'd be glad to spake
wild youse a minnit II might, gen.
eral,' said Haley, about where l put
your dress-shute case, sor."
The colonel, Of course, did not ex-
pect any remarks about suitcase
when he got Haley by himself at the
observation end of the car; but what
he did get was Of sufficient import to
drive out OF his mind curt lecture
about blackening the reputation Of the
army with lies about the Philippines.
Haley had told him that he had seen
the man with the two moles on his
face jump out Of his own car at Coun-
Gil Bluffs. He had simply stood on the
platform, looking to right and feft for
q moment; then he had swung him
self back on the car. Haley had
watched him walk down the aisle and
enter the drawing-room. He did not
come out; Haley had found out that
the drawing-room belonged to Edwin
8. Keatcham, the big railroad man,
sor.'
1T doesn't seem likely that he would
be an accomplice Of a kidnaper,"
unused the colonel The man might
have gone in there while he was out"
"sure, be might, sori twas mesilf