The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-02-22


gone because there is only one auto
mobile"
ooh, yes" said Henrietta, ;an6
stared at the others, fearful Of read.
ing Der 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 lurcd 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 filled
only with the beauty and glory of bed
Alphonse thief was more believable
than Alphonse getting out Of bed un,
called.
Billy was the first to speak.
THE car" she whispered.
"Oh, yes," said the landlady hastily,
not quite sure what had happened OF
was about to happen by the expression
on the faces before her. ooh, yes,"
reassuringly. "he took the car. My
husband wasn't up when he went"
The general rose. his face red with
anger. III he has taken my car" he
Numbered, 81 shall have him prose.
cuted whether Henrietta likes 1t OF
not"
Its an outrage" sympathized
Bartlett. I'VE can telegraph the DO.
lice"
"Oh," moaned Henrietta, II did love
that car"
The landlady sought to reassure,
them in a calm, placid manner that ga.
vored of a big, gentle.eyed COW. "Why,
he has only gone for a ride. He
vent"
The general paused In the doorway.
'"He went last night. madam" said he
coldly, and slightly dramatically, fol
the general never believed in spelling
a good story by a mild delivery. "And
he took not only the car, but all GU,
money.
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
him that it was not his car that was
missing that he felt he owed Alphonse
debt OF gratitude and .forgave him
Immediately.
"My car" said he, and chuckled
with relief.
where's miner" demanded Bart
lett. growing red and angry.
where's Alphonse?" suggested the
Watermelon Significantly.
Henrietta laughed with positive
gratitude to her erstwhile serving-man.
why" she cried, "he left us ours"
"Alphonse was very fond Of me-"
| said the general with some little pride,
as he patted his car tenderly.
YES" agreed Bartlett, II can see
that. He demonstrated 1t fully. I am
glad he didn't love you or he might
AnVo hAlCO oily hHU Uc..
The landlord. followed by the slat.
ternly maid-servant and the shifty.
eyed stable-boy, traned into the barn.
MAN gone of with your carr"
asked the landlord II locked up last
night about twelve. He must have
left before then"
The generals man did," said Bart.
lett, who felt that the general was
in some way to blame.
HE has taken all our money"
added Henrietta.
Bachelor. you say that you were
up until after eleven" said the gen.
eral. feeling that the occasion called
for intelligence. did you see Al
phonse go out?"
NO." said the Watermelon.
"The landlord says, however, that
he must have gone before twelve"
went on the general. "Then don't you
see how Alphonse could not, have
stolen the money? Those thefts were
not committed until after twelve"
II don't see how you work that
out" said Henrietta, puzzling over 1t
with knit brows.
Don't you see, Henrietta, that II
Alphonse stole our money after
twelve, he could not have gone out in
the car before eleven, so If he went
out in the car before twelve, he did
not steal the money. He either stole
the money or the car"
Maybe he didn't take the money"
said Henrietta. feeling vaguely and
disappointedly that she was not per.
son with detective-like instincts.
"You see." said the general, "if AL.
! phonse took the car. he did not take
the money; II he took the money. he
did not take the car"
"He certainly did take the money.
snapped the farmer.
and my car" added Bartlett an.
zrily.
HE could not have taken both"
| declared the general.
You were robbed last night,
weren't vOu9" demanded thu Por,no~