Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-02-08
CHAPTER XIV.
Almost, But Not Quite.


club without apology and later on,
during his dummy, saw him writing
our names on the back of an envelope,
and putting numbers after them. At
my earliest opportunity I went to
Max
There is something the matter with
Dial, Max" l volunteered. "He has
been acting strangely all day, and
just now he was making out list
names and numbers"
You're to blame for that, Kit" Max
said seriously. "You put washing soda
instead of baking soda in those bis
cults today, and he thinks he is
steam laundry. Those are laundry
lists he's making out He asked me
little while ago if wanted a do
nestle finish.
Yes, | had put washing soda in the
biscuits. The book said soda, and
how is one to know which is meant?
II do not think you are calculated
for domestic finish,"I said, coldly, as
l turned away I'm any case I dis
claim any such responsibility But
there is something on Dal's mind"
Max came after me- Don't be
cross, Kit You haven't said a nice
word to me today, and you go around
brtstling with your chin up and two
red spots on your cheeks-like what
ere-her-name-was with the snakes in
stead Of hair. / don't know why I'm
so crazy about you; I always meant to
love girl with nice disposition.
/ left him then. Dial had gone into
the reception room and closed the
doors. And because he had been act
ing SO strangely, and partly to escape
from Max, whose eyes looked threat
ening, l followed him. Just as
opened the door quietly and looked in,
Dallas switched off the lights, and |
could hear him cropping his way across
the room. Then somebody-not Dial
spoke from the corner, cautiously.
rs that you, Mr. Brown, sir?' It
gas F'enn!gan
Yes. Is everything here?''
Gall but the powder, sir. Don't
the place."
Have you taken the curtains
DOWN."
Eyes, sir"
"Matches?"
Here, sir"
Light one, will you, Flanagan? I
want to see the time"
The flare showed Dallas and Elan
nigan bent over the timepiece. And
+ Oh IL hn o.
had been turned back from the win
dows which opened on the street, and
the curtains had been removed On
the bare hardwood floor just beneath
the windows was an array OF pans OF
various sizes, dish pans, cake tins,
and a metal foot tub. The pans were
raised from the floor on bricks, and
seemed to be full of paper. All the
chairs and tables were pushed back
against the wall, and the bric-a-brac
was stacked on the mantel
Half an hour yet" Dial said, clos
ing his watch Plenty of time, and
remember the signal, four short and
two long"
-Four short and two long all right,
sir"
Flanagan, here's something
for you, on account"
THANK you, sir"
Dial turned to go out, tripped over
the rug, said something, and passed
me without an idea of my presence.
A moment later Flanagan went out,
and I was left, huGeled against the
WALL and alone.
It was puzzling enough. -Four
long and two short4" Cali but the
powder" Not that I believed for a
moment what Max had said, and any
how Flanagan was the sanest person
I ever saw in my life. But it all
seemed part Of the mystery that had
been hanging over us for several
days. l felt my way across the room
and knelt by the pans. Yes, they were
there, full Of paper and mounted on
bricks. 1t had not been delusion.
And then I Strengthened on my
knees suddenly, for an automobile
passing under the window had sounded
four short honks and two long ones.
The signal was followed instantly by
a crash The foot bath had fallen
from it's supports, and lay, quiVering
and vibrating with horrid noises at
my feet The next moment Mr.. Harbi-
son had thrown open the door and
leaped into the room.
who's there?" he demanded.
| Against the light I could see him
| reaching for his hip pocket, and the
rest crowding up around him.
tits only me-" l quavered, chat is,
I. The dish pan upset"
dish PAM" Bella said from back
in the crowd. Exit, of course!"
Jim forced his way through then
| and turned, on the lights. I have no
! doubt I looked very strange, kneeling
there on the bare floor, with row OF
pans mounted on bricks behind me,
and the furniture all piled on itself
| in a back corner.
Exit! What in the world" jim be-
| gan, and stopped. He stared from me
/ n