The Hattiesburg news., 1913-08-14

tor. But you're rlgnJ III one tnlnS, I
Van Dyke. Wen never get Standish
In the way these boys have been go
ing about it. So, it's lucky happened
to put man of my own on the job"
Yes. While I've been lying down.
as you call It."
81 didn't say you had been"
No. But you thought Il. Just be-
cause don't run around in circles.
barking, and now and then biting 4
piece out of the ceiling. you folks think
I'm doing nothing. And III never
teach you any better"
But"
"Oh. yes. I put a man Of my own
on to Standish's record. told him
not to bother about anything that had
happened during the last three or four
years. Your men would be busy on
that; and there'd be nothing to find,
anyhow. set my man to scratching
up ancient history. l told him to go
back and back and back, in Standish's
record; and to keep on going back till
he found something"
"Well?" chorused the others as
Blake paused and searched his clothes
with maddening slowness for match.
Well" drawled Blake, hes found
It."
"No?" chuckled Neligan, wildly
elated.
THE story is long" said Blake; but
l can shorten it up considerably for
vo,, AIOpor q ho,+ fvo wars 100 fripnd
Standish fell in love with a girl. Right
sort of a girl, you know Good family.
Father rich and all that. Standish
wasn't very well off-he was always
honest, you know. And he and she
were going to get married on the quiet
and keep their marriage secret. But
she had to go to Europe. And for
some reason or other-the secretary
didn't know why and it doesn't matter,
anyhow-the wedding was sidetracked.
Instead, they took notion to run of
to a little country hotel, for one of
those honeymoons that-that never
came through the custom-house."
mol"
Yes. And, as an afterthought, yes,
again. I can show you the hotel reg
lister with"
"The fool didn't register under his
own name, did he?" demanded Gregg
NO" said Blake. Registered un-
der the name of Fowler. But any hand
writing expert can prove he wrote it.,
and the hotel manager can swear
Standish was the man. The manager
is ready to swear Standish called the
woman his wife, too"
"Oh, the jay!" grinned Gregg, the
wording.
you see," went on Blake, "he real
ly expected to marry her. They were
just taking time by the forelock. And
then-here's the queerest tangle Of all
after that week there, 1t seems she
backed out and wouldn't marry him at
all. No, Gregg, it wasn't he that threw
her over. This was the other way
around. The Woman Tilted him and
went back to her family. One week of
Standish was about all she was up to.
And she baked at making a life job
Of it. l don't wonder"
"But didn't her family find out?"
1T seems not. They thought she had
been away visiting a girl friend in the
country. She got home safe, and
everything looked proper as a rainy
Sunday in a grave yard. Some wom-
en- sure have luck"
go on" urged Van Dyke.
That's about ALL" finished Blake.
"She woke up, as / told you, to find
1t was ll-a-mistakeand-no-ha
thank-heaven. And as far as l can
make out, they haven't seen each 9th
er since. l won't swear to that part
of it. But if they have, his secretary
doesn't know it. Nor"
VINO was the Woman?" queried
Robertson.
That" answered Blake reluctantly
"is the one thing left to find out"
Van Dyke fairly groaned.
"Then," he demanded, how is this
miserable story going to help u.s."
"oh," replied Blake, "the nets clos
Ing around her. hope to have her
name tonight"
Tonight! We've got to have It to
night. Before the Mullins bill comel
up, The names no use to US after
that"
But" asked Robertson. "even II W,
do get 1t tonight, what use can w
make Of It? The house will be on th'
fnal debate Of the bill by ten o'clock
By making use Of every trick VI
know we can fix only few hours de
lay at most. What good"
What good?" retorted Blake. Jus
this: Standish's long suit is morality
A lot of US have had smirches on ou
names from time to time. He neve
has. So the clergy are for him an,
the people swear by him. It's hi
chief pull with both church and pull
lie. Now-if we can get this story
properly authenticated, on the floor o
the house tonight, it'll give lot Q
men-Gregg, here, for instance-an el
cuse to swing over to u.s."
"Oh, we've got him! We've &c
himf" muttered Robertson once NOR