The Ordway new era., 1912-07-26
CHAPTER viIl.
A Mixed Pickle.

A Mixed Pickle.
Mrs. Whitcomb had almost blushed
when she had murmured to Leuten-
ant Hudson:
Il should think the young couple
would have preferred a stateroom.'
And Mr.. Hudson had flinched a lit
tie as he explained:
"Yea. Of course. We tried to get 1t,
but It was gone"
II was during the excitement over
the decoration Of the bridal section.
that the stateroom-tenants slipped in
unobserved.
First came a fluttering woman
whose youthful beauty had a certain
hue Of experience. saddening and
wisering. The porter brought her in
from the station-platform. led her to
the stateroom's concave door and
passed in with her luggage. But she
fingered without. a Peri at the gate
Of Paradise. When the porter re-
turned to bow her in. she shivered and
hesitated. and then demanded:
"oh. porter. are you sure there's no
body else in thera?"
The porter chuckled. but humored
her panic.
Il amt seen nobody. Shall look
under the seat?"
To his dismay, she nodded her head
violently. He rolled his eyes in won
derment, but returned to the state
room. made pretense Of examination.
and came back with face full Of re-
assurance. Nom. they's nobody
there. Take a mighty small.size bur-
glar to squeeze unda that bald-er-
berth. Nom, nobody there"
"Oh!"
The gasp was SO equivocal that he
made bold to ask:
"Is you pleased or disappointed?"
The mysterious young woman was
too much agitated to rebuke the impu-
denoe. She merely sighed: "Oh, por-
ter. I'm SO anxious"
I'm not-now." he muttered, for
she handed him a coin.
Porter. have you seen anybody on
board that looks suspicious?"
"Evvabody looks suspicious to me,
Missy. But what was you expecting
-especial?"
"Oh. porter. have you seen anybody
that looks like a detective in dis
guise"
well. they's ono man looks s If he
was disguised as a balloon, but l don't
believe he's no slooch-hound."
well, II you see anybody that looks
ike a detective and he asks for Mrs.
Fosdick-"
Mrs. What-dick?"
Mrs. Fosdick! You tell him I'm not
I'M ordb ha
coin.
"Yassum." said the porter, Ilnger-
ing willingly on such fertile soil. iii
tell him Mrs. Fosdick done give me
her word she wasn't on bode."
"Yes!-and II q woman should ask
you."
What kind OF a woman"
THE hideous kind that men call
handsome"
"Oh, amt they hideous, them hand
some women?"
"Well, If such a woman asks for
Mrs. Fosdick-she's my husbands 8
first wife-but of course that doesn't
interest you"
"No'm-yes'm."
"If she comes-tell her-tell her
oh. what shall we tell herr"
The porter rubbed his thick skull:
"Lemme see-we might say you-I
tell you what wen tell her: we'll tell
her you took the train for New York:
and If she runs mighty fast she can
Just about ketch It,"
"Fine, fine!" And she rewarded
his genius with another coin. And.
porter." He had not budged. "Por-
ter. II a very handsome man with
luscious eyes and soulful smile asks
for me-"
"I'll th'ow him off the train!"
"Oh, no-no!-that's my husband
INV present husband. You may let
him in. Now is it all perfectly clear,
porter?"
"Oh, yassum, clear as clear" Thus
guaranteed she entered the stateroom,
leaving the porter alone with his prob
lem He tried to work 1t out In
semi audible humble: "Lemme see!