The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-07-23
Copyright, 1913,
By Geo. Barr
McCuteheon.


nothing more to say" she said, facing
me again--stin ominously, to my de-
spair Confound it all, she was such
slim, helpless little thing-and all alone
against the wall, three very sinister
could have kicked myself, but even
that would have been an aimless en-
terprise in view of the fact that Poop
endyke or any of the others could
have done it more accurately than l
and perhaps with greater respect.
"Will you be good enough to send
your-your army away, or do you pre-
fer to have it on hand in case l should
take it into my head to attack your
"Take 'em away, Mr.. Poopendyke,
commanded hurriedly. l didn't mind
Poopendyke hearing what she said, but
it would be just like one of those beg
gars to understand English--and also
to misunderstood it. "And take this
beastly crowbar with you, too. 1t has
served its purpose nobly."
Poopendyke looked his disappoint-
ment, and / was compelled to repeat
the order. As they crowded down the
short, narrow stairway, l remarked old
Conrad and his two sons standing over
against the wall, three very sinister
figures. They remained motionless.
"I see, madam, that you do not dis
miss your army.n I said. blandly sar-
castle.
"Oh, you dear old Conrad!' she
cried, catching sight of the hitherto
submerged Schmicks. The three OF them
bobbed and scraped and grinned from
ear to ear. There could be no mistaking
the intensity of their joy. "Don't look
so sad, Conrad. I know you are blame
less, You poor old dear!"
/ have never seen any one who look
ed less sad than Conrad Schmick. Or
could it be possible that he was cry
ing instead of laughingf In either case
I could not afford to have him doing
lit with such brazen diseourtesy to me,
so l rather peremptoriiy ordered him
below.
"I will attend to you presently-all
of you,' said I. They did not move.
"Do you hear me!" | snapped angriiy.
They looked stolidly at the slim young
lady.
She smiled, rather proudly, I thought
"You may 60, Conrad. / shall not need
you. Max, will you fetch up another
scuttle Of coalf'
They took their orders from heri It
even seemed to me that Max moved
swiftly, although it was doubtless q
hallucination on my part, brought about
by nervous excitement.
"By Jove!" said, looking after my
ltrusty men servants as they descended.
ls'I like thisl Are they my servants or
yoursf"
"Oh, I suppose they are yours, Mr..
Smart" she said carelessly. "Win you
come in now, and make yourself quite
at home9"
"Perhaps I'd better wait for a day
lor two" said I, wavering. "Your head
ache, you know, l can wait just a.
lwell as"
"Oh, no. Since you've gone to all
tho trouble 1 suppose you ought to hava
something for your pains"
"Painss" murmured, and declare
Ito heaven l limped as l followed heH
Through the door into tiny hall.
"You are q most unreasonable man, "
lshe said, throwing open small door at
the end of the hall. 81 am terribly dis
lappointed in you. You looked to be 50
nice and sensible and amiable.''
"Oh, IN not such nincompoop as
you might suspect, madam" said ], tes-
lilly, far from eomplimented. I dislike
being called nice, and sometimes think
lit mistake to be sensible. A sensible
person never gets anything out of life
because he has to avoid SO much of it.
"And now, Mr.. Smart, will you bs
kind enough to explain this incompre.
hensible proceeding on your partf" she
lsaid, facing me sternly.
(To Be Continued.)