The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-02-15

your empty head"
Now. don't get sassy" warned the
man. growing angry. I'm an officer
II the law and I'm not going to take
my Of your sass"
can officer Of the law can't arrest
! law-abiding Citizen" snapped the
Watermelon with righteous indigna.
lion.
"Law.abiding?" jeered the man.
What have we done?"
"Try to guess" suggested the man
pleasantly and the other laughed.
Il can't guess" said the Water.
melon. "Is it for riding through the
COW lane? We didn't hurt the lane
any. I rode through this same lane
last summer and the Browns didn't
kick up any row over 1t. In fact, they
were with me, that is, Dick and Lizzie
were."
The man stared and the Watermelon
frowned coldly.
do you klow the Browns" de.
manded the fellow.
.'Not very WELL" admitted the Wa.
termelon. Il was through here last
summer and stopped over night at
their place. They were fine people,
all right. They told me If ever came
this way again to drop in and I said
would. 1t was sort Of joke. They
gave me latch key" He drew key
from his pocket and held it out as
proof Of his integrity.
Huh" said the man duly, gazing
from the key to the Watermelon.
The second man took it. (Which
door does it tlt?' he asked.
1.-THE front door," said the Water.
melon promptly. 60 try it II you
want proof"
"Not so FAST" said the second man,
who had taken the affair into his own
hands. If you know the Browns, tell
me something about them? No, you
chuffer Teller, hold on, back there.
Don't try to slip by, fer you can't.
You automobilists think that the Lord
created heaven and earth for your
benefit and then rested on the seventh
day and has been resting ever since.
That's better. Now, then" turning
again to the Watermelon-"how many
in the family?"
"How many?" qucried the Water.
melon. Il don't know. only saw ma
aMl pa and the three kids, Dick and
Lizzie and Sarah. Sarah was young
lady about twenty, il I remember
rightly; Lizzie was eight and Dick was
bit older. ten or twelve-twelve, I
think he said. remember his birth
day came in January, anyway"
well, goldarn it," laughed the first
man. thoroughly convinced. "Well,
say. amt we the easy marks?"
Don't blame yourselves" said the
Watermelon gently. Father used to
say that anything colossal, even stu
pidity. was worthy Of admiration"
what did Dick look like?" demand
ed the second man, loath to give up.
The Watermelon Strengthened up.
"See here, my man." said he sternly,
I'VE are in a hurry. You have detained
us long enough. / have told you az
much as I am going to about the
Browns. It's year ago this summer
that I was there and 1 haven't been
dwelling on their beautiful counte,
nances in rapt and joyful contempla,
ton ever since. have seen few PEG.
pie during the interval. Dick was
fairly good looking, but Lizzie was the
cutest. / took them through the COW
lane to show them how they could 90
for the cows in a .motor.car, farming
up-to-date, see. Now move aside and
let us pass. please"
mo, you DON'T" returned the man
sharply. LET that chuffer Teller in
the back car come up to the house
with me while try this key. Tom,
you keep the others here, till come
back"
The Watermelon leaned back wear.
lily Indifferent and drew out his cigar.
cite papers. Alphonse climbed ODE.
diently from the car, with his usual
imperturbability. Calmly and willing.
ly he scaled the stone wall and set of
across the field with his captor. Tom
suSo6AsLOAAy CAdlu1uCO Ills Suus Ou6
eye on the motor.cars.
The generals desire to explain was
superseded by still greater desire to
get away. The grim faces of the two
men impressed him with the gravity
Of the event. II they were to escape,
now was the time, when the forces Of
the enemy were divided, but there was
his car. He could not leave that be.
hind and the man in the road was a
fairly good reason for him to remain
where he was and make no attempt to
reach 1t. Bachelor had put up clever
blum, but It had been called, and they
had to sit there until the return Of the
other man. when they would be ex-
posed. for Of course the key wouldn't
fit. That second man was stubborn
brute. The Lord had made mules. He
didn't intend men to be.
Henrietta repressed q wild wish to
scream aloud. Never. never again
would she 60 into another mans
house unless expressly asked to do so
by the owner. She glanced behind, up
the hill, toward the house. Alphonse