Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-10-15
CHAPTER VII.
The Would BE Brother in.law

The Would BE Brother in.law.
TIME next morning. bright and
early, Mr.. Alfred Rodney, a
telegram in his hand. charged
down the hall to Mrs. Med
cr0ft's door. With characteristic far
west impulsiveness he banged on the
door. A sleepy voice asked who was
there
tits me-Rodney. Get up. I want
to see Medcroft. Say. Roxbury, wake
up!''
"Roxbury?" came in shrill tones
from within. "He- Isn't he upstairs?
Good heaven, Mr.. Rodney. what has
happened? What has happened?"
Upstairs? What the deuce is he
doing upstairs?'
"He's-he's sleeping! Do tell me
what's the matter!'
isn't this Mr.. Medcroft's room?"
''Ye-es-but he isn't in. He objects
to the noise. Oh, has anything hap
pened to Roxbury?" She was stand
ing just inside the door, and her voice
betrayed agitation.
MY dear Edith. don't get excited.
I have telegram FROM
She uttered shrek.
Hes been assassinated! Oh, Rox-
bury!'
"What the dew Are you crazy? It's
telegram FROM
"Oh, heavens! l knew they'd kill him:
knew something dreadful would hap
pen If left Here she stopped sud
denly. He distinctly heard her catch
her breath. After moment she went
on warily, lis 1t from a man named
Hobart?"
mo. It's from Odell- Carney. Ho-
bart? l don't know anybody named
Hobart" (How was he to know that
Hobart was the name that Medcroft
had chosen for correspondence pur-
posesO Were to meet the Odell- Car
neys today in Munich. No time to be
lost. We've got to catch the o'clock
train"
"Oh!" came in great relief from the
other side Of the door. Then in sud-
den dismay: But can't do it. The
Idea Of getting up at an hour like this!"
what room Is Roxbury IMP"
II don't know!" in very decided
tones Inquire at the Office"
Alfred Rodney was a persevering
man. 1t is barely possible that he oc-
cupied lower social plane than that
attained by his wife, but he was
man Of accomplishment. If not accom-.
plishments. He always did what he
set out to do. Be 1t said in defense
OF this assertion he not only routed
out his entire protesting flock, but had
them at the West-Bahuhof in time to
catch the Orient express-luggage. &C.
cessories and all. Be it also said that
he was the only one In the party save
Constance and Tootles who took to
the situation amiably.
"Dash the Odell-C urncys! was what
Freddie Ulstervelt said as the train
drew out Of the station. Brock looked
up approvingly.
'That's the first sensible thing I've
heard him say" he muttered, loud
enough to be heard by Miss Fowler.
Il say, who are the Odell-Carneys?
First I've heard of EN-
1.-The Odell-Carneys? Oh, dear, have
you never heard Of them?" she cried
in surprise. He felt properly rebuked.
"They are very swell Londoners. It
10 said
"Then, good heavens, they'll know
I'm not Medcroft," he whispered in
alarm.
mot at all, my dear Roxbury. That's
Just where you're wrong. They don't
know Roxbury the first. I've gone
over it all with Edith. She's just crazy
to get into the Odell-C Carney set. l re-
greet to say that they have failed to
notice the Medcrofts up to this time.
Secretly, Edith has ambitions. She
has gone to the lord mayors dinners
and to the Royal Antiquarians and to
Sir John Brodney's and lot Of other
49, functions on the outer rim, but she's
never been able to break through the
crust and taste the real sweets Of Lon
don society. My dear Roxbury, the
Odell-C arneys entertain the nobility
without conjunction. and they've been
known to hobnob with royalty. Mrs.
Odell-C Carney was Lady Somebody or
other before she married the second
time. She's terribly smart, Roxbury."
"How, in the name of heaven, do
they happen to be hobnobbing, as you
call it, with the Rodneys, may l; ask p
" well, 1t seems that Odell-C Carney is
promoting new South African mining
venture. I have it from Freddie VI:
stervelt that he's trying to sell some
thing like million shares to Mr.. Rod.
ney, who has loads Of money that came
from real mines In the far west. He'd
never be such fool as to sink a mil.
lion in South Africa, you know, but