The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-01-09

after dark-jimn,. you know. and all
that sort Of thing" = sarcasm which
was frankly ignored. -
1T has occurred TO me-" pursued
Van vechten. picking daintily at his
omelette soufIle, that . person who
has been ut such pains to keep his
Identity hidden from the rest OF the
world. is stimulated to do 90 by some
powerful motive. II he 10 Q person OF
intelligence 1t will be no light matter
penetrating Mis- secret; It might be
dangerous for the meddler. And II 10
no business of ours"
'Rats!" Tom Phinney exploded In
disgust. You're losing interest al
ready"
The other elevated his brows and
leaned comfortably back In HE chair.
Tommy" he returned weariediy,
Il am willing to try anything--once.
And, AZ you know. whatever ! under
take see through to the end, what
ever that end may be. Just now
am too depressed by this uncertainty
about Paige-not to mention its dis
agreeable conseQuencss--to become In
terested In anything"
1T IL deuced queer you don't hear
from her, isn't IT." Tom felt called
upon to show a polite concern.
His friend sighed. Since my cousin
IL a woman" he said. queer 10 not
the word Her disregard for my and
Uncle Theodore's plans Is just what
might have been expected; 1t Is SO
thoroughly feminine. as you would
know well enough II you had will
full, pretty cousin like Paige But by
the same token am no more resigned
to sit twiddling my thumbs In this
bake-oven of town until she chooses
to come home-or at least let me know
about when to look for her"
Just the same" insisted Tom. III
she was my cousin I'd be worrying"
II am, Tommy-for myself. though !;
not for her. But was going
to say that we would better let this
matter drop; the affair ID none OF
ours"
But Tom Phinney. once his head
was set, was not easily turned aside.
mo telling what devilish conspiracy
is afoot. Rudy" he urged; Its our
duty as good citizens to interfere II
we have some reason to think that"
"Slush!" remarked Mr.. Van vech
ten without feeling. Il am not good
citizen. According to Paige, belong
to the least desirable class of all-tht
spenders, the MASTERS Of substance
And toll not neither do spin"
Tom snorted his disgust at such sen
timents.
, What buffers girls are!" declared
he from the lofty height of twenty-fiv
years accumulated wisdom. I'll be-
Miss Carew don't believe any such TO
as that Can't a man do as he pleasei
with his own money"
"She says not mans money II
not his own; he Is merely holding 1t II
= trust"
: Tom, however, had never met Paig'
: Carew, who had lived most of he
|. twenty years abroad. and he had NJ
moro tolerance for her opinion thai
:. ne had FOR anybody else's the. cid no
: agree with his.
"They may be plotting to rob
bank" he abruptly bent the talk bacl
!. to the paramount topic.
Van vechten regarded him with
= far-away look.
"Or starting a dramatic school," b
. added. "or condemning viyisection o
; woman suffrage, or something equal
CHASTITY. Drop 1t, Tom; that's my az
vice. Sitting comfortably at windo'
= and waiting for whatever surprises on
= House of Mystery may have to dill
close. is one thing; actively interferin
with something that does not In tn
least concern us. is quite another.
there really IL any mystery. and 1t
to be dealt with at all. 1t calls for
thin, keen blade, not bludgeon."
. III that's some Of your pink-tea wit
= growled Tom, "a bludgeon is might
- good thing to have when you are dea
= ing with crooks"
"Doubtless--when the crooks do NJ
- tight with rapiers I'll give you
chance to break even; you don't wal
q to owe mo hundred. l suppose7"
The troubled look, result OF unwon
= ed mental effort, was instantly erase
: from the handsome boyish face.
. mo. don't. I'm on, II you're be
!, ting nobody will show up at one"
- Either end you like. A hundrs
says no man will enter thirteenth
teen at one o'clock"
Which was very decent and accor