Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-11-12

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the very end OF the sojourn in Inns.
bruck. Every one had begun to rejoice
that the fortnight was almost over and
that they could 60 their different ways:
without having anything really regret
table to carry away with them. Tho
Rodneys were going to Paris, the Med,
crofts to London. the Odell-C arneyss
latter finding out where the others
were bent) to Ostend. Freddie Ulster
Welt suddenly announced his determine.
ton to remain at the Tirol for q week
Or two longer. That very day he had
been introduced to Mile. lie Brun, a
fascinating young Paris1on stopping at
the Tirol with her mother.
All might have ended we'll had 1t not
been for the unfortunate circumstance
of OdellCarney's making purchase of
the London Standard instead Of the
Times, as was his custom. His lamen-
tations over this piece OF stupidity
were cut short by: the discovery Of an
astonishing article upon the editorial
page OF the paper-an article which
created within him a sense OF grave
perplexity. He read the headlines
thrice and glanced through the text
twice, neither time with any very def
mite idea Of what he was reading. His
fingers shook as he: held the sheet
nearer the window for a final effort to
untangle the incredible thing that lay
before him in simple. unimpeachable
black and white. 49, s:.i s.. H. 49,
"'Pon me word," he kept repeating
to himself feebly. Then he got up and
went off in extreme haste to find his
wife. :
MY DEAR" he said to her in the car
riageway, II must speak with you
alone" She was just starting off for
drive with Mrs. Rodney.
bad news, Carney?" she demanded.
struck by his expression. She was fol-
lowing him toward remote corner of
the approach. He did not reply until
they were seated much nearer to each
other. than was their wont.
Read that" he said, slipping the
Standard into her hands. "Wot do
you think Of it,"
my dear Carney, I don't know.
Would you mind telling me what l am
to read?" ..-~
1.-THE Medcroft thing. Right there"
She read the article, her husband
watching her face the while. Surprise,
incredultty. dismay, succeeded, each
other In rapid changes. She was read
Ing in sheer amazement Of the doings
of Roxbury Medcroft in connection
with the county councils subcommittee
In London! The story went on to re-
late how MedcrOft. implacable leader
of the opposition to the "grafters," sud-
denly had appeared before the commit
tee with the most astounding figures
and facts to support his charges of rot
tenness on the part Of the ''clique;" his
unexpected descent upon the scene had
thrown the opposing leaders into a
panic; every one had been led to be-
lieve that he was sojourning in the
east. AS matter of fact, 1t was soon
revealed, he had been in London Sc
cretly working on the problem for
nearly three weeks, keeping discreetly
under cover In order that his influence
might not be thwarted. His array of
facts, his bitter arrangement of the
men who were trying to force the
building bill through the council, stag
gered the whole city of London. At
that writing it looked as though the
bill would be overthrown, its promoters
had been so completely put to rout-
The committee would be compelled to
take cognizance Of the startling expo
sure. The people would demand full
thrashing out Of the obnoxious deal.
Roxbury Medcroft's name was ON ev-
cry ones lip. The Standard had profit
ed by securing great beat"
The Odell- Carneys looked at each
other in wonder and perplexity. "What
does it mean?' asked the lady, her
eyes narrowing.
look here, Agatha, this papers at
least two days old. Now. how the
devil can Medcroft be In London and
Innsbruck at the same time He was
here day before yesterday, wasn't be?
I'm so c'nfended unobserving"-
Yes, yes. he was here. And this
paper She paused irresolutely.
'Says he was there Pom my word,
it's most uncanny. There's some mys-
terry here
1--WE got it, Carney! This is not
Roxbury Medcroft."
"Good Gawd!'
'"This explains everything. Heavens,
Carney! This fellow ISIS her lover!
She's running about the country with
him. She's 49,
"Her lover? Cad. my dear. he may
have been so at one time, but he's the
other ones lover now. take my word
for 1t. say, pom my soul. this Is a
charming game your friends the Rod
neys have let us into. They
my friends! Yours, you meanv' she
retorted. '2*
"Oh. come now! But let it 60 at that.
They know. Of course that this fellow
isn't her husband. and yet. by CAD,
Agatha. they've gone about deliberate
~ palming him OF on us as the real
article. They are actually sanctioning
the whole ~. :. .-.s-... : ~ -
"stop moment. Carney" interrupts
ed his wife. ''The London chap may
be the fraud. Let us go slow. my
dear" ..~.-..... ~
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