News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1913-03-12

where u ne go asked Ine general,
feeling that that was safe enough
ground.
"My husband thinks that he went
out in one of the automobiles very
early, for he found one of them gone
did your husband see him go?"
asked Bartlett.
"Oh, no. but he thinks he must have
gone because there is only one auto.
mobile"
"Oh, yes," said Henrietta, and
stared at the others, fearful of read
ing her own crushing suspicion in
their eyes.
Alphonse, the quiet, blase, peerless
Alphonse? Could it be he? That AL
phonse had gone for an early morn.
ing spin lured by the dew on the clio
yer fields, by the sweet chorus OF
awakening birds, borne by the unsup
pressible desire to see the shy, sweet
advent of new day creeping up the
flushed and rosy sky, was wholly out
of the question. Alphonse's soul, in
the early morning hours, was filed
only with the beauty and glory of bed
Alphonse thief was more believable
than Alphonse getting out of bed I'm,
called.
Billy was the first to speak.
"The car" she whispered.
ooh, yes" said the landlady hastily,
not quite sure what had happened or
was about to happen by the expression
on the faces before her. ooh, yes"
reassuringly, che took the car. My
husband wasn't up when he went"
The general rose, his face red with
anger eff he has taken my car" he
Numbered, 81 shall have him prose.
cuted whether Henrietta likes it or
not"
Its an outrage" sympathized
Bartlett. 1--WE can telegraph the DO.
lice"
"Oh," moaned Henrietta, IT did love
that car"
The landlady sought to reassure
them in a calm, placid manner that sa-
vored of big, gentle-eyed cow "Why,
he has only gone for a ride He
went"
The general paused hi the doorway
"He went last night, madam" said he
coldly, and slightly dramatically, for
the general never believed in Spelling
4 good story by mild delivery. And
he took not only the car, but all our
Led by the general and followed by
the landlady, they made for the barn.
There, in the middle of the floor where
last night two cars had stood side !
by side, red and blue, was now
only one, big, blue Packard.
The general stopped in the door
way and stared. His car? And such |
wave of thanksgiving rushed over
lin that it was not his car that was
Missing that he felt he owed Alphonse
| debt of gratitude and forgave him
my car" said he, and chuckled
With relief.
where's mine?" demanded Bart
EFT, growing red and angry.
where's Alphonse?" suggested the
significantly.
Henrietta laughed with positive
to her erstwhile serving-man.
Why" she cried, che left US ours"
"Alphonse was very fond Of me-"
aid the general with some little pride,
s he patted his car tenderly.
YES" agreed Bartlett, II can see
hat. He demonstrated it fully. l am
lad he didn't love you or he might
ave killed Billy and me-"
The landlord, followed by the slat
ernly maid-servant and the shifty.
yed stable-boy, trailed into the barn.
Man gone off with your carr"
sked the landlord. 81 locked up last
light about twelve. He must have
1T before then"
THE generals man did," said Bart.
1T, who felt that the general was
some way to blame.
HE has taken all our money"
dded Henrietta.
Bachelor, you say that you were
until after eleven" said the gen.
al, feeling that the occasion called
n intelligence. did you see AL
lonse go out?"
NO." said the Watermelon.
"The landlord says, however, that
must have gone before twelve"
ent on the general. "Then don't you
'e how Alphonse could not have
Glen the money? Those thefts were
1t committed until after twelve"
81 don't see how you work that
It," said Henrietta, puzzling over it
it'll knit brows.
Don't you see, Henrietta, that if
phonse stole our money after
velve, he could not have gone out in "
e car before eleven, so if he went ."
It in the car before twelve, he did !,
It steal the money. He either stole
e money or the car"
Maybe he didn't take the money"
i'd Henrietta, feeling vaguely and
5appointedly that she was not a per.
n with detective-like instincts. [
you see," said the general, eff AL. 9
onse took the car, he did not take ID
e money; if he took the money, he
not take the car"
HE certainly did take the money" p
appel the farmer. G
And my car" added Bartlett an L
ily. II