Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-04-07

OF breath Of air was stirring IN the writ
~ ng-room of the St Louis Club it stinngl
Y hot and for the twentieth time Hldrch moppe
the perspiration from his face
For the twentieth time also, he glanced a
J letter. lying open before him The occasion Of hi
jerpexity lay in this open letter. which ran thus:
DEAR FRED: I'm writing detective yarn which call
lor scene on the St Louis lovce. As haven cvei
been in the city. I'm decidedly shy on local color
Send me few points like the good old chap You al
ways were, and shall be
Your eternaly grateful
Wfc5s.
ITildrcth's reply began bhhcy enough like this
DEAR W1cKsrE What in thunder do you thiu,
know about the lcvee? As for its local color.
But there he stuck. In vain he proddcd Two ink
vel till it danced 1t only after much mo0ninc
that he proceeded
unprotected observer might call it pretty
black.
And there he stuck again He was still 7roiding
ropping and muttering when Daniorth looked in
." Oh, it's you. is it," drawled the newcomer
'Thonght I smecd something irving
Illdreh smiled the lackluster smile OF the man who
bols funny to others
II you want to save my reason. paniorth, he
}ecgcd, tell me something about the ievee'
The levee What in thunder"
I've said that. And that it's dirty What next: "
Why-I don't know. But" Frightening tip "I1l
yet Tonan does"
"Who's Tolmar,"
\ friend of mine from up North He's brought a
party down here on house-boat and m going down
With him to dine on board soon as he finishes
scphoning Come out here and III introduce you as
seeker after truth about the levee. He weighs two
hundred and It's most all heart, SO maybe he'll ask
pou to go along.
And it even So After feeble protests from Hill
lreth into which he vainly endcavored to put some
backbone Toman led the way his touring car which
vas waiting outside.
Perhaps Id better own up" he said as they were
about to start intended to do the bold buccaneer
and surprise Daniorth by carrying him off: but
ron't treat you so unccrcmonously, Mr.. IIildreth
t've Just teephoned the whar-boat to have my crew
&c up Wen go up the river this evening and
Be back here by nine or ten in the morning. II either
81 YOU want send word to anybody, you can tele-
phone from the Planters on the way down.
Danorth closed his eyes and leaned carefully back.
Don't wake me-" he whispered Its the first
pleasant dream I've had this summer.
"And you:" laughed Tolman turning to Hidrctf.
cts too late to lose me-" was the firm reply
"1ve had lifelong yearning to be carried Off by
pirates"
So it was settled; and as the auto stemmcd the tide
OF homeward traffic Hdrcth idly wondered what sort
Of an experience was in store for him,
At the hotel, Danforth disappeared in the telephone
booth, from which he shortly emerged breathing male
fiction
4 told you not to let me wake up" he groaned
Here I've got to go to Chicago tonight"
.Aterward, when Hidrcth tried to account for thu
.ontrctcnlps at which he arrived. Daniorth's iaiur
10 go with them that night doomed big the begin
ming OF it all
Halfway down Tolman pointed to two dazzing
white boats, the house boat in front, the steamboat
Jnugglng close behind it. Screen awnings, cool greer
Ind white, dropped on the sunny shorcward sid
md a little breeze lazy worrying long pcnnant
fIldrcth drew a deep breath OF pleasant anticipation.
" This being carried off by pirates is all my fame
painted it,, he remarked they UP a groove
gang plank and nosed in between several other
on the forccasc OF the steamboat
The statcrooms the house-boat full,
said Tolman, as he led the way upstairs but here's
room and a bath where you make the best OF you
captivity I'll send boy to see what you need, an
III come after you in time for dinner.
Hildrcth emitted the usual inartcuatc munblcs al
In hospitablc Western fashion, he presented t
person after person. When he finally took the plac
beside his host, he retained but two facts out OF tn
medley OF introducons The small boy was. his host
little son Harold That TACT not particularly il
tercsting but at the thought OF the other he shot
satisfied glance toward the opposite end OF the table.
1t the place where one would naturally expe
TO find the wife oi ones host but llldreth recalle
with satisfaction the words OF their introduction
Tolmans hearty voice:
"Doly, here's prisoner | captured at the clu
Mr.. TIildrch, my cousin Miss Neville
1t went over and over in his mind " My cousi
Miss Neville. My cousin. Miss Neville" Just the
her brown eyes flashed him smile and TTildrcth fe
little thrill explore every corner OF his being.
II that afternoon, when he was struggling vainy
define the local color Of the cvcc ANYBODY had hntt
that inside of two hours he would be going into
tremor at glance from girls laughing eyes.
would have scorncd the prophecy.
OF course, the idea OF love at first sight had swce