The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-02-21


moment ] came in"
Aleck stlll hositated to leave, fear
full, apparently, lest he might take the
blessed sleep away with him. AS he
stood by the bed, low but distinct
whistle sounded outside, then, after
ia moments interval, was repeated,
Aleck lifted his head at the first Gig
nal, took another look az James and
one at Hand, then light as a cat he
darted from the room and down the
stairs, leaving the house through one
of the tall windows in the parlor. Mr..
Chamberlain was standing near the
lilac bushes, his big figure outlined
dimly in the darkness.
Shut up!" Aleck whispered fierce
ly, as he ran toward him, He's just
got to sleep, Chamberlain; gone TO
sleep, like a baby. Don't make an in
fernal racket"
"Oh, | didn't know. Didn't mean
to make a racket" began Chamber
lain, when Aleck pumped into him
and shook him by the shoulders.
He's asleep-like a babyl" he re-
iterated. And Chamberlain, wise com.
rade, took Aleck by the arm and
tramped him of over the hill TO settle
his nerves They walked for an hour
arm in arm over the road that lay like
gray ribbon before then in the
night, winding Up slantwise along the
rugged country
Dawn was awake on the hills mile
away and by and by Aleck found
tongue TO tell the story Of the night,
which was good for him. lie talked
fast and uneyenly. and even extrava-
gantly. Chamberlain listened and
loved his friend in a sympathy tnat
spoke for itself. though his words
We're commonplace enough. BY the
time they had circled the flve-mile
road and were near the house again,
Aleck was something like himself
though still unusually excited. Cham
5erlain mentioned casually that Miss
Rcynier had been anxious about him,
ana that ali his friends at the big ho-
tel had worried Finally, he, Cham
berlaiu, had set out for the old red
house, thinking he could possibly be
OF service: in any case glad to be near
his friend
And, by the way Chamberlain
added, you may be interested to hear
that accidentally I got on the track
OF that beggar who ate the hermits
eggs. Took a tramp this morning, and
found him held up at a kind Of sailors
inn, waiting for money. Grouchy old
party; no wonder his men shipped
him"
Aleck at first took but feeble inter.
est in Chamberlains discoveries; he
was still far from being his precise,
judicial self He let Chamberlain talk
on, scarcely noticing what he said,
until suddenly The identity of the
man whom Chamberlain was describ- |
ing came nome to him. Afathas |
story flashed back in his memory. He |
short in his tracks, halting /.
bis companion with a sretched-out |
Look here, Chamberlain" he said, /
I've been half loony and didn't take /
in what you said II that's the owner |
Or proprietor OF the Jeanne Dare |
q man known as Monsieur Chatelard, |
French accent, blond, above medium |
size, prominent white teeth-we want
hin right away. lie kiduaped Miss
Redmond in New York, and ! shouldn't
wonder II he Kidnapped old jim and
stole the yacht besides. He's a bad
1ne."
Mr.. Chamberlain had the air of hu.
noring a lupatic We'll, what's to be
lone? Is it a case for the law? Is
here any evidence to be had?"
Law, Evidence cried Aleck
I should think so You 90 to Big
simon, Chamberlain, and find ont
Who's sheriff and Wen get warrant
md run him down Heavens! A man
Ike that would sell his mother!"
Chamberlain looked frankly skepti-
.al, and would not bulge until Aleck
lad related every circumstance that
le knew about Agathds Involuntary
light from New York. He was all
or going to the red house and inves.
lgating Agatha herself, but Alech re,
used to let him do that.
She's worn out and gone to bed;
ou can't see her. But it's straight, .
.ou take my word. We must catch
hat scouudrel and bring him here for
be sure there's no
f. r4 I, h. I