Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-25
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR SEPTEMBER u.s. 1910
Torchy Hits a Testy One


I'm at Our Lenox place, you know
and l want to get word to him not to come.
Do you see? He may be starting now, for
all l know; but if it is possible l want you
to find him and give him that message
I'm wise" says l. "You want him
headed off. The cooks quit, or there's
case of measles, or"
"You may tell him." says Mr.. Robert,
"that Aunt Verona is here. He'll under
stand"
Its cinch he does" saysI l. But where
do look for him?"
GO to the Grand Central and watch the
Berkshire Express" says he. Perhaps you
had better board it. Only stop him!''
ooh, I'll flag him if he shows up says l.
"Shall beat it up there now?'
AT once says MIR. Robert. "You have
no time to lose"
I'm on my way, them" says l. And l
don't even stop to leave word with Piddie,
but makes a jump for the elevator and
scoots for Fourth-ave. car.
And, say, when they get that new station
fixed. | expect it will be a jim hickey; but
with the mess things are in there now it's
wonder even the reg lar commuters can find
their trains. | wastes five or six mighty
valuable minutes buttin' around in that
plank puzzle on Lexington-ave. before | To-
rollin' the gate shut as | spirits into him.
"Hey, you" he sings out, blockin' me off.
where's your ticket?'
"Ah, Sweeney's got it," says I, duckin'
under his arm and pikin' down the platform.
A S it was l gets aboard just as the con-
= ductor swings on and the train moves
out. There's only eleven parlor cars on that
section; so l starts in at the tail end and
works forward, inspectin' every chair care
full. And it want until l got to the buffet
smoker clear up next to the baggage cars
that | locates my man. He's just settlin'
down conf table, loadin' his briar pipe, when
l camps alongside.
He recognizes me right off and acts so sur
priSed that he almost says something on his
own hook; but not quite.
Eyes, it's me" says |. where do you
think you're headed for, Cap?"
"Lenox, says he, after givin' it due
thought.
Guess again" says I. You're on your
way back"
This twists him up more or less, and 1
don't know as he'd ever decided on any ap-
propriate response if l hadn't Strengthened
him out
"S-s-sh!" says l. Ware shoal! Aunt
Verona is ahead of you"
<1Ilu llldC DuilCLlIl JdIS Ills IOIlSuc lOOSt.
"Eh? Aunt Verona!" he says in husky
whisper.
yep" says 1, the old girl with the off
set eyes and the acetic disposition. Mr..
Robert sent me to give you the tip"
"A-a-ah! Hum!' observes Thayer, lamp
in his pipe down thoughtfully.
II expect it's case of keepin' up the
guard on Miss Lucy" says l, THROWN out
feeler.
"Oh!' says the Captain, raisin' his eye
brows real intelligent.
''Say, she's the limit, amt she?" says |.
Been messin' things up between you and
the young lady, eh?"
At that Cap'n Thayer winks hard with
both eyes, shifts around in his seat, and
finally observes, "Rather!'
Say, it was real excitin' chat had with
him, good deal like playn' dummy hand
at bridge. had to ask the questions, guess
what answers he might have made if he'd
been taken that way, and then say it for
him; but, even SO, manages to plot out the
situation.
Seems that ever since Aunt Verona had
arrived on the scene and discovered that
Lucy had picked out some one without con-
sultin' her. she'd been on the warpath for
Thayer to put him through the third de-
gree. And. while Miss Lucy and the rest of