Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-10-09


turned TO me.
IF you will come with me, sir"
Then he added, and II seemed a ques-
ton: You must have made a quick
run. sir. Seems like only a few min.
utes since We got Mr.. Jacks phone
message His voice dropped: From
the station house, you know"
"Eh-whst's thatY' | paused with
my foot on the hrst tread OF the
stairway. Jacks phone message
from the station house?" repeated
blankly. What are you talking
about7"
Wilkes coughed reproachfully.
Why, you know. sir, be told about
being arrested in front of the Kahoka
Apartments. He mentioned that II
was about-hm!" lie stole a furtiye
backward glance at the trump, but
she was enjoying herself berating a
fat girl she addressed as Flora" lie
looked at me eloquently and whis-
pered: About his-h'm-stealing
some black silk pajamas."
Ny monocle dropped. and / almost
did myself.
by Jove!" gasped feebly.
Yes, sir" Wilkes looked up at
the paneled ceiling and stroked his
chin. He mentioned that they found
them-or thought they found them in
the bag be had with him"
But he's got them on, and they are
his own" managed to get out.
Wilkes face lightened understand
ingly. "Oh-h, see. SIR he said. nod
ding with his jolly chin hanging; so
that's how you got him off, was a.
wondering!" He looked at me, his
tishy old eyes twinkling admiration.
Very neat. II may say, sir-making.
as 1t were, a sort of alibi-very neat
indeed! OF course, when they puts
EN- on him, they see for themselves
they are hisn. ana not any lady's
, what had been stolen Oh, see!"
, Dash me, II did! The only thing
saw was that It must have been
! Jenkins that had telephoned and the
message had been twisted What he
had said, OF course, was that Billings
, had almost been arrested. But the
police finding the pajamas In his bag
i II did not like that. Could 1t be that.
B after all. Billings had found his sis
d ter's pajamas in the guest-room and
$ had quietly confiscated them? II
looked devilishly, ominously like It!
l. Or perhaps he. himself, had recov-
! cred them from Foxy Grandpa, and
with more delicacy than thought him
capable Of had Kept the whole mat
/ ter to himself One thing only was
: certain: the sleuth hounds of the law
= stimulated by the extravagant reward
o | had offered over the telephone. haC
run down and recovered her pajamas
= 1t was a relief that they were out o.
n his hands, anyhow could get then
again, but he couldn't. BY Jove!
n Alone in my room, stood befor,
- the mirror, hands in pockets anC
n rocking on my toes-kind OF smiling
d you know-and thinking what dare
IT devil, reckless thing 1t had been
clever, too, dash tin getting then
ID away from old Jack, and right unde
his nose. By Jove, felt a bit prout
K about it--sort of exultation, don't 20,
}: know-and had just got on win
s. at myself. when Wilkes appeare
again
II Pardon, sir, for disturbing You, bu
Mr.. Billings is acting so queer. W
os are afraid to cross him; and he Jus
g. insisted | take his message to you a
- once"
n Messenger" repeated, SOLDERING,
YES, sir-something about som
n pa1amas-"
e. "Pajamas?" faltered. and | droI
er ped into a chair. oh"
a Wilkes looked grave. "Pajama
seem to be the thing with him thi
time, sir--it's the queerest go! That
p, a new one, that Isl" He shifted COZ
70, templatively. The last time it wa
1t, lizards and the time before blu
% dachshunds, but his main standby, s
/ to speak Is piebald ratflesnakes-
it them we're used to-; but this new turl
is. pajamas, gets mel" He shook hi
at head obviously And he won't TAX
ZEE his off-you can't get him to; he tul
or gets kinder peevish and goes off O
IN the uueerest streak of freak talk 70
ever heard. Perkins tried 10 coax hi
ak to take a bath. but he said he neVC
OF had taken a bath in his life-and /
nd called Perkins something awful
some name about yard long.
he sQuelched Perkins so that he"
ed But the message?" suggeste
nd nervously.
nd 81 was just a.coming to that. 81
KS He asks me II knew whether yC
mt were still on the place; and when
he said you were, he says to me k1nG'
nc excited and impressive like: We
ir. you go TO him at once-at once-ar
a tell him I'm on the trail of the my
I'd, terry of those pajamas. and I'll SOC
Ter know as much about 'em as he dos
uT- Just tell him that-he1l know what
ne mean"
ey Obi" | gasped shortly.
we Yes, sir" Wilkes nodded, but th
amt quite all lie says: Tell N
on Llghtnut that when | first saw tho
- pajamas in his rooms" WIKI
Ter paused inquiringly did you say SON
MT thing. sir?"
Isk had mott had only groaned!
He went on. repeating as by rot
mt when / found and took them awe
ord | was curious and amused, but skC
1t tical-frmly skeptical-oT there
or ing any dark mystery about them. B
Int. now | know | let myself be deceiv