Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-05-12

4 II. ~
no. Bob! 1t may be highly respectable
and all that, kut I've rot TO be where
! there's something doing. want TO
! get hacE into the street"
"Thcre's nothing to prevent you
from rcslgnips."
Except putting IL some one that'll
work things the way want GIN
worked. What do you say to cd Rim
norr'
'Eimmer Of Chicaeo:'
Yep: tie ono we nlppcd on short
holdings Sow. he hates me rs the
devil hates holy water. but he's Il huS-
tier, and he knows the railroad game
like Il book. He's down and out now.
but he won't stay down. and when he
gets up again I'd rather have him on
my side than against me. Guess he'd
rather he with me too. How about
Rimiucr. chI"
Mr. Dr.Scol song n quick but aprrt-
ciativc glance at the Cherub. Tic in
dorscl the Einmcr nomination.
Then that's settled" observed the
Chcrub. You send for him in the
morning and put it u? to him. fig.
ure that he'll he mighty glad to crawl
on the band wagon. Now for item
No. .. Bet n million YOU couldn't
guess what I've been doing"
stake too high" laughed Mr.. Dris-
coll, but think ] could come near
guessing. You've been getting mar
RED
"I-az-mg, but that was close--I don
think replied the Cherub you're
within gunshot. though. Bob. And
expect | might rs well own up that
Id like to. but there's no hope.
found the right girl. all right. and I'd
just told her about it, when who
should show up but n hubby"
Not hcrst"
Right. thought all along she was
q widow. Every one thinks so. He's
one Of these cheap macnroni counts.
regular wife heater and their honey
moon didn't last more than few
hours. She leaves him in Italy and
comes home Then is reported that
he has died in a sanitarium-fam
don't deny it. girl puts on black. and
all hands hope il will soon be So But
he refuses to die and comes over here
to hold them up for cash. AS it hap
pens the first person he runs across
is me. Now, what do you suppose !
did to him.
Mr.. Driscol's eyes concentrated Sc
riousy on the bland face OF Cherub
Devinc
II hope he began.
"Oh. | didn't hurt him" Interrupted
the Cherub I'm NO hothead-nevcr
struck man in my life--wouldn't
know how But perhaps did worse
| decoyed him 10 an icehouse and
locked him in there
You what" Even the composure
Of Bob Driscoll was stirred by this
unique confession.
Something had to be done right
away. SO just iollicd him along to
the icehouse. tolled him inside and shut
the door on him"
80 you locked him up. did you?
Why didn't YOU let him make his de.
mand and then have him arrested on
charge of blackmail?"
"Couldn't. That would bring out the
whole story. See? She's been posing
as a widow. That's her fathers work.
Think Of what the papers would make
Of that. No, no. We don't want to go
into court. and the count mustn't"
I'm afraid. Cheruh, that he's right
when he calls you a kidnapcr That
would he the technical charge. It's
rather serious oflense. too-felony.
you know"
All right; I'm not squeamiSh. Look
mp some good criminal lawyer. will
you. and have him let me know how
far can go:"
Nh murmurcd Mr.
Driscoll through pursed lips. "Why
not soothe him with few hundred
dollar bills and let him out:"
That's where my fool pride comes
In Fob, Didn't know had any. but
guess have. See here; can't buy
of the husband Of the girl l-well. it
don't seem right. That would stick in
my crop"
But you can't imprison man in
definitely on your own hook. Cherub.
Why. man, you would run the risk of
long term Of imprisonment"
81 suspected that. Well. can stand
1t II he can, And he gets his dose
first"
Mr. Driscoll looked long and earnest
~ at the Chcrub. At last he suggest
ed, "4ou must be very fonl OF the
yodnE woman. Devipc"
That's putting it mildly. Bob. and
shes worth It too. Why. say. she's
the finest, sweetest. cutest- But
there. I've got no right to talk like
that. rs all "a. There's that infer
nal CONT"
"Why hasn't sh" divorced him."
Against her principles. like her
all the better for it too. Oh. she's
the genuine article. Bob. And I've got
to give her up. Honest. it's tough"
For noment or so despair tred
to dim the cheerful CLEAN of Chrrub
Devines blue eyes Then. with
shake Of his shoulder. he It rev it off.
"But this isn't getting on, Rob. If
I'm going TO have dealings with this
Count Necchi. | want to know who he
is and all about him. Might stir up
something that would be useful. you
know"