The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-06-06


people, and had remember the
eablegram from Sister Marjorie
sayfn' how their party'd been
broken up on account of sickness
and she was comm home alone
why, It was all like readin' It
off bulletin. Marjorie's arrivin'
durin' business hours was likely
to mess up the schedule. Course
II the bridge concern didn't send
word
I'd got to that point. when in
drifts my old A. ID. I. runnin'
mate. Hunch Leary, draggip' his
feet behind him and chewin' gum
industrious. Now Hunch don't
look like a tempter. He's plain
homely, that's all. But comm
Just as he did, with Pfddie over
there glarin' at me suspicious
well, just had to do It.
Sure | got blanks on met"
SAYS Huneh. "Wot them"
Right under Piddie's nose he
fixes 1t up, too, and waits while
| takes the phony message in to
Mr.. Robert. Ii want such a raw
one, either; not as IL it' had sent
him off to wait at some hotel.
will try to get around about
two-thirty, Trimble," was all IT
said. And how did we know Trim
BILE wouldn't try, anyway?
Tat settles it," says Mr.. Rob
ert, erumplin' the yellow sheet.
.'Torchy, you must do the family
hopars."
do which," says 1, wuth bus
me- % great surprise.
Meet my sister Marjorie, see
that she gets through the customs
nI.hout landing ia Jail, and take
her home in a taxi. Think you're
equal to it, eh?" says he.
Il could make a stab" says l..
I'll risk that much" says he.
And before there's any chance
for a revise ! am pikin' toward
the North River with a pier pass
In one pocket and expense money
in another.
Well, you know how ii is wait
in in a push of people for a
! steamer. Finally the boat shows
up: but instead of sailin' in grace
full and prompt, she shuts off
| steam and lays to out in the mid
die of the river. while a dozen or
so dinky tugs begin pushin' and
pullin' to get her somewhere near
the pier. Then folks start maxim
wild guesses as to which is their
| friends.
After awhile | spots Marjorie.
As she want expectin' me, but
was huntin' for Brother Robert, |
didn't see the sense in shoutin, >
! went on lookin' over the rest of
the passengers, sort of bracin'
myself for any. discovery / might
make. Would they show up arm
in arm, or with their heads close
together, or how?
I'd looked the boat over from
bow to stern and back again
about three times before l hap
pens to take another glance at
Marjorie. And there, almost hid
by one side of her, was a young
lady in a white sailor hat with
some straw colored hair shown
under the wide brim, and a pair
of gray eyes that l couldn't mis-
take anywhere.
It was Wee, all right.
And say, l want to tell you
that about them l was glad 1
camel IL didn't make any diff
ference IL there was half a dozen
Counts; just seem her once more
was worth while. And right
there | makes up my mind that,
Count or no Count, I'm goin' to
push to the front.
"Oh, you Miss Vee," I mega
phones through my hands, just
as enthusiastic as anybody on the
pier.
About the third call catches
her ear. She sort of starts and
gazes at the crowd kind of puz-
zled. There's such a mob though
she don't pick me out. l could see
her turn to Marporie and say
something, and then 1 gets wise
to the fact that the four-eyed
gent with the bristly hair and
the half gray set of Shawn brush
mustaches, standin' next to Mar
Jorie, was one of the party.
"If that's the Count" thinks |,
hes a punk speciment."
A couple of minutes later the
boat comes alongside and the
passengers break away from the
rail to get in line for the gang
plank. As I'm there to welcome