The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-06-13
CHAPTER XXI.


Ho Ill iiSuI, mlSo, WllheS IepOIC-
ed; "at least, l hope SO. Perkins is
with him-we've been trying to per
suade him to have a bath and lie
down. But I don't know"
He shook his head gloomily, then
turned to me.
III you will come with me, sir"
Then he added, and 1t seemed Q 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-what's that?" I paused with
my foot on the first tread Of the
stairway. Jacks phone message
from the station house!" l repeated
blankly. What are you talking
about?"
Wilkes coughed reproachfuily.
why. you know, sir. he told about
being arrested In front OF the Kahoka
Apartments. He mentioned that 1t
was about-h'm!" He stole a furtive
backward glance at the trump. but
she was enjoying herself berating q
fat girl she addressed as Flora" He
looked at me eloQuently and whis-
pered: About Misunderstanding
some black silk pajamas."
My monocle dropped. and l 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 he had with him."
But he's got them on, and they are
his own" l managed to get out.
Wilkes face lightened understand
ingly. "Oh-h, l 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. shrinking.
as 1t were, a sort OF aIibi-very neat,
indeed! or course, raen they puts
'em on him, they see for themselves
they are his'n. and not any lady's
what had been stolen Oh, | see!"
Dash me. II l did! The only thing
| saw was that 1t 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
Il did not like that. Could 1t be that,
after all. Billings had found his sis
had quietly confiscated them? 1t
looked devilishly, omjnously like It!
Or perhaps he. himself. had recov-
cred them from Foxy Grandpa, and
with more delicacy than l 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
| had offered over the telephone. had
run down and recovered her pajamas.
II was a relief that they were out OF
his bands, a~nyhow--I could get them
again, but he couldn't. BY Jove!
Alone in my room, | stood before
the y%-irror, hands In pockets and
rocking on my toes-kind OF smiling.
you know-and thinking what a dare
devil, reckless thing 1t had been
clever, too, dash tin getting them
away from old Jack, and right under
his nose. BY Jove, / felt a bit proud
about it-sort of exultation. don't you
know-and l had just got OF a wink
at myself. when Wilkes appeared
again.
Pardon, sir, for disturbing you, but
Mr.. Billings Is acting so queer, we
are afraid to cross him; and he Just
insisted | take his message to you At
once"
Messenger" l repeated. SOLDERING.
"Yes, sir-something about some
pajamas--"
"Pajamas?" 1 faltered. and I drop
ped into a chair. OH"
Wilkes looked grave. "Pa1amas
seem to be the thing with him this
time. fir-it's the Queerest go! That's
a new one, that Isl" He shifted con.
templxtively. The last time 1t was
lizards and the time before blue
dachshunds, but his main standby. 20
to speak, is piebald r~attlesnakes-
them we'rc used to; but this new turn.
pajamas, gets mel" He shook his
head obviously. And he won't take
his of-you can't get him to; he Just
gets kinder peevish and goes on on
the q~ueerest streak Of freak talk you
ever heard. Perkins tried to coax him
TO take a bath. but he said he never
had taken q bath in his life--and he
called Perkins something awful
some name about q yard long. II
souelched Perkins so that he"
But the messagef" suggested
nervously.
III was Just a-comins to that. cir
He asks mo II ] knew whether yos
Uass s11il - - sAa~s 49, sAAD