The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-01
CHAPTER VI.
Surprising Discoveries.


tus, drawing chair close to the
head of the couch. Rufus, I've been
worried to death about you. You
didn't come here at all after you
left me, as near as | can find out,
and tim uWst have been eight
o'clock when we separated Now,
it's one in the morning
I've been buster than a monkey
with his hand in a cocoanut all the
time" replied Rufus.
Buying this for the Queen OF
Spain" and Rufus very CAREFUL re-
moved the Peachblow Vase from the
inside pocket of his coat.
"W hat doing?'
George Augustus was staggered.
Il hate to think it, Rufus" sale
he, but you've been drinking some
thing that was doped."
Guess again" returned Rufus.
Got any liniment?'
'Liniment?'
Feel here"
Rufus sat up on the couch and
touched the back of his head.
Great Scot" exclaimed George
Augustus. There's a lump back of
your ear as big as my fist"
Go on!" said Rufus, wincing;
"i,'c I,iuuar than n no rraI nu, Inct
set this object de virtoo on the man
tel and put something around the
back of my head
"Sandbagged, too" murmured
Geoage Augustus, sympathetically
as he applied some arnica and made
a bandage of a folded towel. Die
thes coundrels take all your money,
Rufus?"
Does that look like it?' inquired
Rufus, pulling the bundle of bills
from his pocket and throwing it at
his friend.
Foolish man, to come clear from
Colorado to a town like this with
all that in cold cash" said he. why
didn't you buy a draft?"
"Pard," said Rufus, 81 gathered
that in between eight and one, along
with the Peachblow Vase. | have
met this evening and Rufus hell
up a hand and began counting on
the fingers, zone red-head girl, one
stout gentleman, one Spanish ambas-
sador, one dealer in antiques. and
two policemen and / have annexed
one Peachblow Vase and ten thous-
and in counterfeit money!"
Counterfeit" mumured George
Augustus ,eyeing the bills.
Didn't you know" quizzed Rufus,
that l was Green-Goods Pete, the
notorious flim-flammer and shower
of the queer?"
BY that time George Augustus
was in so deep that he could not
evel struggle with his incredulity.
Rufus, beginning with his dilemma
Of the indistinguishable houses, fol
lowed his devious trail of mystery
down to the point where he had tried !
to count himself back into the blue
room and had blundered upon the |
lodgings of his friend.
Il couldn't have found you," he |
finished g1uesomely 'ff hadn't |
been looking for someone else"
George Augustus had laughed de-
ightedly along towards the begin
ling OF the yarn, but as it pro
5ressed his mirth faded into some
hing like stupefaction Jumping to
Ms feet, he p'ced the room for
several silent minutes, running his
ingers through his hair and gnaN.
ng perpleXcdly at sja'c cigar.
What had l ought to do, SOM" ap-
'ealed Rufus. You live here. and
'ou ought to know how to rope.
hrow and tie a combination like
his"
~ nv abOhl Allt MOllldn WHO
at for that photograph" returned
he other
Lets put that off till | feel bet
er,' temurred Rufus.
Then YOU go to bed, Rufus" went
n George Augustus. "and I'll do
he same. If we sleep over this.
maybe we can find the end of a
lcid thread somewhere in the tan
lie. But at the present moment |
'ill admit that of all the incompre-
ensihle nixups ever heard of,
his captures the high prize"
George Augustus had an inviting
'ed all ready for Rufus in a neat
title alcove. and the worn and wea-
y cattleman vas not long in crawl.