The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-07-09
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Aunt Enen's Captive
By Lawrence Alfred Clay

got you, and that is enough Keep
your hands on your knees. We are
going to sit right here till the folks
come home. Then we'll have a con-
stable from the village and you'll be
taken to jail"
Who are the foIks?" gently in
CURED the young man.
None of your business! l have told
you who l am, and that's enough"
This is certainly what is called
contretemps."
~ don't know anything about con-
tretemps, but l do about shotguns and
robbers, and don't you try to play amy
game on me. l used to live out in
Kansas, did. and I've killed rattle
snakes and coyotes. When my Peter
died they sent for me to come on and
live with them. I've made things
hum around here since. That tin
peddler got the best of me, but I've
made up for it by capturing Raff1es. as
they call you"
Madam" replied Mr.. Semple in his
softest tones, 'let us look at the stu
alton as it is. l am a gentleman. A
friend of mine at the club wagered
500 against $50 that l could not
drive my auto 10 miles and back.
have lost 1t stands out there as dead
as Julius Caesar. l really came in
here to borrow a wrench to make re-
pairs. If l am arrested l can easily
prove who l am, but if the club gets
hold of the matter shall be guyed to
death Can't you tell by my looks that
am no robber?"
No, sir, l can't" was the firm re-
ply. Out in Kansas l could tell
preacher from a Iightning-rod man,
but here in the east everybody is
mixed up. And don't you be purring
as soft as an old cat, thinking to bam-
boOzle me and get me off my guard!
There are 20 buckshot in this gun. and
if l pull the trigger they will blow
a hole through you as big as a red
parasoli"
And Mr.. Semple talked no more
not out loud. What he said to him
self is as sacred as the account books
of the beef trust.
1t was the longest two hours he
ever put in before Mrs. Williamson
and her daughter Florence returned in
their auto from a ride. They saw the
dead machine in front and were a
trifle curious, but they were hardly
prepared for the sight that met them
in the sitting room. There was Aunt
Ellen, gun in hand, and looking az
large as she could, and there was g.
gentleman with his hands on his
knees, trying to look as small as he
felt.
h4I hack
and now you can telephone for the
constable" proudly announced the
woman of the shotgun.
But there was no telephoning. There
were questions and answers and ex-
plantations, and the woman and the
gun passed into the kitchen, though
very grudgingly. 1t isn't very hard to
identify a gentleman and an honest
man who has the documents with him.
Everybody had the sense to treat the
affair as a joke, and that made things
easy. No wrench was needed to re-
pair that dead auto. Miss Florence
had been driving her own for year.
She went out with Mr.. Semple to spy
out the trouble and it was soon found
and rectified. Then they took spin
for a mile or so, to be sure. Then they
laughed again over the Rafdes busi-
ness, and Mr.. Semple begged the
privilege of coming down now and
then to take a lesson, and when he got
back to the city he paid that wager
with a smile on his face. The boys at
the club wondered why he should
smile, and it was months before they
were made wise. Some one in the
club read the engagements in soci'
ETY. paper and called out:
Say, you fellows, no wonder Fred
Semple smiled when he forked over
that hundred! Looks to me as if he
was a million dollars ahead of the
camel"