The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-10-02
4azea-e
The
Husbands of
Edith
By GEORGE GAR M'CUTCHt0N
Copyright BY Dotd Mead ( Go.
By GEORGE Carr M'CUTCntON
Copyright b, Dodd. Mead ( Go.
Continued from last week

Brock resumed his window seat and
despondently awaited the call to break.
fast He fell sound asleep with his
monocle In position. nor did 1t matter
to him that his hat dropped through
the window and went scuttling of
across the green Rhenfsh fields. When
next he looked at his watch 1t was
o'clock. A small boy was standing at
= the end Of the passage staring wide
eyed at him. Two little girls came
piling. half dressed. from a compart-
ment. evidently In response to the
youngsters whispered command to
hurry out and see the funny man.
Brock scowled darkly. and the trio
darted swiftly into the compartment
He dragged his stiff legs into the
dining car at Stuttgart and showed
them under a table The car was
quite empty. AS he was staring blank
Iy at the menu the cOnducteur from
his car hurried in with the WORD that
madam would not breakfast until g..
She was still very sleepy. Would NJ
Medcroft be good enough to order her
coffee and rolls brought to her com
partment at that hour? And would he
mind seeing that the maid saw to 1t
that Raggles surely had his biscuit and
walk at the next station?
"Raggles? queried Brock. passin.
his hand over his brow. The other
shrugged his shoulders and looked
askance. 'Oh. yes: | understand"
murmured the puzzled one, recovering
himself For the next ten minutes be
wondered who Raggies could be.
He had eaten his stra wberries and
was waiting for the eggs and coffee,
-esentfuiiy eying the early risers who
were now coming In for their coffee
and rolls. They had slept He could
tell by the complacent manner in which
their hair was com bed and by the in
terest they found In the scenery which
be had come, by tedious familiarity.
to lea tue and
The actions Of two young women
near the door attracted his attention
From their actions he suddenly gather
ed that they were discussing him-and
in q more or less facetious fashion al
that They whispered and looked shy
and grinned In most disconcerttng
manner He turned red about the ca "a
and began to wonder fiercely why his
eggs aud coffee were so slow In com
ing Then. to his CONSERVATION. the
young women. plainly Of the serving
class. bore down upon him with ahash
ed SMILES. He noticed for the first
time that one Of them was carrying
very small child In her arms As she
came alongside. grinning ,sheepishiy
she extended the small one toward the
asteunded Brock, and said in excellent
old English: .
"Good morning. Mr. Medcroft" Then
with a rare Inspiration. Baby, kiss
papa come, now" ---T
She pushed the infant almost into
Brooks face He did not observe that
it was beautiful child and that it
had look Of terror in Its eyes. He
only knew that he was glaring wildly
at the fiendish nurse. the truth slowly
braiu. For full minute he stared as
If petrified. Then. administering a
sickly grin. he sought to bring his wits
up to the requirements of the extra
ordinary situation. He lifted his hand
and mumbled: Come. Raggles!
haven't biscuit, but here, have a roll,
do. Give me "a kissv' He added the
last in most heroic surrender.
The nurse and the maid stared hard
at him. The baby turned In alright
to cling closely to the neck OF the for
mer. + 10y ~
"Good Lord. SIR" whispered the
nurse. with nervous glance about
her, this amt Raggles. sir This is
baby"
"Do you think I'm blind. madam ~
whispered he savageiy II can see it's
baby. but I didn't know there was
to be one. Its father didn't mention it
to me-"
Its wise father that knows his
own child" said the nurse. with prompt
sarcasm
~ think they should have prepared
me for this" growled he. SIS it sup
posed to be miner Does-does Mrs.
Medcroft know about it?"
You mean about the baby. sir2 Of
course she does. It's hers. Please
don't look so odd. sir. My word. sir.
l didn't know you didn't know 1t, sirI
wasn't told. was |. O'Brien? There,
sir. you see! Mrs Medcroft said / was
to bring Tooties in to you, sir. She
said
TootiesY murmured Brock. foot.
les and Raggles. dare say there's
distinction without much of differ
ence. Are you Bnrtonr
Eyes. Mr. Medcroft The nurse,