The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-10-16
-Grcen ocean, tco--ne's uuirc no
much at home there" laughed Aga

I -Grcen ocean, tco--ne's quirc ne
much at home there" laughed Aga
tina.
"Humph!" Mr. Straker grunted In
| disgust. Let me assure you. Miss
Redmond. that It's no Joking matter"
Tradition to the contrary, Agatha
was content to let the man have the
last word. sMr. Straker turned to
some business matters, wrote out tele-
graphic material enough to occupy
the leisurely Charlesport operator for
some hours, and then disappeared.
Agatha was impressed by the a
ayers words somewhat more than her
ann implied. She lad nc swift
and sur judgment of people, and her
experience of the world. short as II
was, had taught her that recklessness
is a costly luxury. She was meditat-
ing as to the wisest course to pursue,
when the ~ex-chauffeur appeared.
Hand wore his accustomed loose
shirt and trousers without coat or
waistcoat, and it seemed as If he had
never known a hat. His thick hair
a. alublC boNh " NAS
His hands were now ~spotless, and his
whole appearance agreeably clean and
wholesome. He even looked as If he
were going to be frank, but Agatha
knew that must be a delusion. 1t was
impossible, however, not to be some
what cajoled-he was so eminently
likable. Agatha took a lesson from
hic oo,p honE opd uoitad in SilaDpp
for him to speak.
"Mademoiselle?" His voice had an
undertone OF excitement or nervous
ness that was wholly new.
We'll, Mr.. Handg"
He remained standing by the door
for a moment, then stepped forward
with the abrupt manner OF a stripping
who, usually inarticulate, has sudden
ly found tongue.
why did you do 1t, Mademoiselle?"
do what, my friend"
Back me up before the sheriff
Give me a slick walkout like that
Agatha laughed good-humcredly.
"Why should | answer your ques-
tons, Mr.. Hand, when you SO persist
emily ignore mine?"
Hand made a gesture Of Impotence,
"Mademoiselle, you may think me
all kinds of a scamp, but Pm not idiot
enough to hide behind a woman Don't
you know me well enough to know
that?" he demanded so earnestly that
he seemed very cross.
Agatha looked into his face with a
L $40. NA-Ny 49,. r
! after all. Something in the way OF
experience had been grinding philoso.
ply, of q sort, into him-or out OF
him. Wealth and position had been
his natural enemies, and ne had some
how been led to an attitude of antag.
cnism that was, at bottom, quite for
eign to his nature.
So much Agatha could guess at, and
for the rest, instinct taught her to be
kind. But she was not willing now to
take him so seriously as he seemed to
be taking himself. She couldn't re.
sist teasing him a bit, by saying:
Nevertheless, Mr.. Hand, you did hide
behind me; you had to-"
He did not reply to her bantering
smile, but, in the pause that followed,
stepped to the bookcase where she
had been standing, gingerly picked up
q soft bit of linen and lace from the
hsor and dropped it into her lap Then
he faced her in an attitude OF pugna
ctous irritation. Fol a brief moment
his silence fell from him.
81 didn't have to-" he contradicted
"I let it go because l thought you
were a good sport, and you wouldn't
catch me backing out of your game,
not by q good deal! But there's a
darned sight-pardon me, Mademoi
selle!-there's too much company
round here to suit me! You know me
you know you can trust me, Mademoi
selle! But what about Tom, Dick and
Harry all over this place-casting
eyes at a MANI"
Agatha, almost against her will
was forced to meet his seriousness
halfway. 81 don't know what you
rnean," she said.
Tell 'em!" he burst out. Tell 'em
the whole story. Tell that blamed
snoopin' nag that I'm q crook
and a kidnaper, and then he'll stor
nosing round after me. I'll have an
hours start, and that's all / want
DIGGING a man-running him down
under his own automobile!" Hand
permitted himself a dry smile at his
own joke. but Immediately added: 1T
goes against the grain. Madernci
~selle!"
Agatha's face frightened, as she
grasped the clue to Hands wrath
I've no doubt" she answered grave
ly. She knew the manager. But why