Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-09-05

AFNoH III JhhA y tAAAAN WV 1880
to the Utah line-then we're safe"
God bless Utah"
The rapture died from her face az
she caught sight OF Dr. Temple, who
happened 20 stroll In and go to the
bookshelves. and taking out n book
happened TO glance noar.sightedly her
way
BE careful OF that man, dearie,"
Mrs Fosdick Kissed out OF one side
Of her mouth. Hes very strange
character"
Her husband was infected with her
own terror lie asked. huskily: What
do you think he is2"
"A detective! I'm sure he's watch.
ing us. lie followed you right in
here"
Wen be very cautious--tin we get
20 Utah"
The old clergyman, a little fuzzy In
brain from his debut in beer. contin.
ued innoCently TO confirm the appear.
ance Of a detective by drifting aim
lossly about He was looking for his
wife, but he kept glanciug at the un-
easy Fosdicks He went to the door,
opened It. saw Mrs. Wellington finish.
ing cigar. and retrcated prccipitate-
ly. Seeing Mrs Temple wandering in
the corridor he motioncd her to n
chair near the Fosdicks and she sat
by his side, wondering at his iilmy
eyes
The Fosdicks. glancing uncomfort
ably at Dr. Temple, rose and selected
other chairs further away Then
Roger Ashton saurtered in, his eyes
searching for proper companion
through the tunnel
He saw Mrs. Wellington returning
from the platform, just tossing away
her cigar and blowing out the last OF
its grateful vapor
With an effort at sarcasm. he went
to her and offered her one of his own
cigars, smiling: Have another"
She took it, looked It over. and
parted his irony with a formula she
had heard men use when they hate
TO refuse a gift-cigar Thanks. III
smoke 1t after dinner, Il you don't
mind"
oh, don't mind, he laughed then
bending closer he murmured: They
tell me we are coming to a tunnel, a
nice. long. dark. dismal tunnel"
Mrs. Wellington would not take q
dare She felt herself already eman'
| cipated from Jimmie So she answered
| Ashton's hint with laughing chal.
lenge:
How nice OF the conductor to ar.
range IT,"
Ashton smacked his lips over the
| prospect.
And now the porter, having noted
! Ashtons impotence to reach the tun.
mel thought to curry favor and a
quarter by announcing its approach
! He hustled in and made straight for
Ashton just as the tunnel announced
itself with a sudden swoop OF gloom
a great increase of the train-noiset
and far-off clang OF the locomotive
bell
Out of the Egyptian darkness came
the unmistakable sounds OF oscuiatior
in various parts of the room. Doubt
less, II was repeated in other parts o
the train. There were numerous coo
ing sounds, too. but nobody spoke ex
cept Mrs Temple, who was heard L
murmur:
'Oh. Walter dear, what makes you
breath so funny"
Next came a little yowl of pain II
Mrs. Fosdick's voice, and then day
light flooded the car with a rush. az
If time had made an instant leap from
midnight to noon. There were inter
esting disclosures.
Mrs. Temple was caught with he
arms round the doctors neck, ant
she blushed like spoony girl Mrs
Fosdick was trying to disengage he
nair from Mr.. Fosdick's scarf-pin. Mrs
Whitcomb alone was deserted MI
Ashton was gazing devotion at Mrs
Wellington and trying to tell he
with his eyes how velvet he hat
found her cheek
But she was looking reproachfull
at him from chair, and saying. no
without regret:
p Il heard everybody kissing every
= body, but was cruelty neglected"
Ashton's eyes widened with unbt
lief, he heard a smoker at his elbow
and whirled to find the porter rut
bling his black velvet cheek an
writhing with pent-up laughter.
3 ITO BE CONTINUED