Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-09-12
CHAPTER xxx.
Wolves In the Fold.

ms EACuse me- MI. hODDeT. come
here, please"
The curious gallant edged her way,
keeping a sharp watch along the line:
What d'you want?"
Marjorie leaned nearer, and spoke
In a low tone with an amiable smile:
That lady who wanted to kiss you
has a bracelet up her sleeve"
The robber stared across his mask,
and wondered, but laughed, and
grunted: Much obliged" Then he
went back, and tapped Kathleen on
the shoulder. When she turned round,
in the hope that he had reconsidered
his refusal to make the trade, he in
furiated her by growing: Excuse
me, miss, l overlooked a bet"
He ran his hand along her arm, and
found her bracelet, and accomplished
what Mallory had failed in, its re-
moval.
Don't, don't" cried Kathleen, its
wished on"
Il wish 1t Off" the villain laughed,
and it joined the growing heap in the
feed-bag.
Kathleen, doubly enraged, broke
out %viciously: You're a common,
sneaking-"
"Ah, turn round" the man roared,
and she obeyed in silence.
Then he explored Mrs. Whitcomb,
but with such small reward that he
said; Say, you'd oughter have a
pocketbook somewhere. Where's it
at?"
Mrs. Whitcomb blushed furiously:
"None of your business, YOU low
brute"
~"Perdooce, madame" the scoundrel
snorted, "perdooce the purse, or III
hunt for 1t myself"
Mrs. Whitcomb turned away, and
after some management Of her skirts,
slapped her handbag into the eager
palm with a wrathful: You're no gen
tleman, sir"
IF was, I'd be in Wall street" he
laughed. Now you can turn round"
And when she turned, he saw a bit
Of chain depending from her back
hair. He tugged, and brought away
the locket, and then proceeded to
sound Ashton for hidden wealth.
And now Mrs. Temple began to sob.
as she parted with an o~ld-fashioned
brooch and two old-fashioned rings
that had been her little vanities for
the quarter of a century and more.
The old clergyman could have wept
with her at the vandalism, He turned
on the wretch with a heartsick ap-
peal:
Cant you spare those? Didn't you
ever have a mother?"
The robber started, his fierce eyes
softened, his voice choked, and he
gulped hard as he drew the back OF
his hand across his eyes.
"Aw, hell" he w%himpered, that
amt fair. If you're goin' to remind
me of me poor old mo-mo-mother-"
But the one called Jake-the Claude
Duyal who had been prevented from
a display of human sentiment, did not
intend to lie cheated. He Numbered:
stop it, Bill. You tend strictly to
business, or I'll blow your mush-bowl
off. You know your Nav died before
you was born"
This reminder sobcred the weeping
thief at once, and he went back to
work ruthlessly, oh. all right, Jake.
Sorry, ma'au, but business is bust
ness" And - dumped Mrs. Temples
trinkets into the satchel. 1t was too
much for the little old lady's little
old husband. He fairly shrieked:
Young man, you're a damned
s%coundrel, and the best argument l
ever saw for ~hell-fre!"
Mrs. Temples grief changed to hor-
ror at such a bolt from the blue:
"Walter!" she gasped, such Ian
guage!"
But her husband answered in self
defense; Even a minister has a right
to swear once in his lifetime"
Mallory almost dropped in his
tracks, and Marjorie keeled over on
him, as he gasped: Good Lord, DR..
Temple, you are IA minister"
Yes, my boy" the old man con-
fessed, glad that the robbers had re-
lieyed him Of his guilty secret along
with the rest of his private properties.
Mallory looked at the ~collapsing Mar
jorie and groaned: and he was in
the next berth all this time!"
The unmasking of the old fraud
made a second sensation. Mrs. Fos-
dick called from far down the aisle:
Or. Temple, you're not a detective? p
Mrs, Temple shouted back furious
ly: How dare your"
But Mrs. Fosdick was crying to her
luscious-eyed mate: "Oh, Arthur, he's
not a detective. Embrace mel"
And they embraced, while the rob
bers looked on aghast at the sudden
oblivion they had fallen into. They
focused the attention on themselves
again, however, with a ferocious:
Here, hands up!" But they did not
see Mr.. and Mrs. Fosdick steal a kiss
behind their appraised arms, for the
robber to whose lot Mallory fell was
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