The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-05-27

ported. But he can send to the
country and dig up plenty Of red-aud-
black ones
That will Do returned the I'D
Visor. Tell him to have two OF three
hundred here tomorrow morning.
Rertram bent severe gaze on his
friend. Meaning that you're going to
follow 10 this freak affair" he in
CURED.
Just that. can't explain why. but
well. Bert, it a bunch. At the
worst. Ackroyd's face when h. sees
the beetles should be worth the
money
Thus is was that, on the morning
after this dialogue. clean built
young fellow walked along West Six
teeuth street He was rather shabby
looking On the evidence OF the band
box which he carried. his mission
should have been mental: but he bore
himself wholly unlike one subiued 70
petty emplOyments His steady, gray
eyes showed a CLINT OF anticipation as
he turned in at the gate OF the high.
broad, brown house standing back.
alOOf and indignant. from the roaring
entertainments Of trade He set his
burden down and pulled the bell.
The door opened promptly to the
deep. far-away clangor. 4 flashing
impression Of girlish freshness. vigor,
and Trace was disclosed to the caller
against a background OF interior
gloom. The girl glanced not at him.
but at the box, and spoke triae i'm
patiently.
If it's my hat. it's very late"
1t isn't, mss. It's the insects
The WHAT
The bugs. miss
He extracted from his pocket a slip
Of paper, looked from it to the mum
bered door. as one verifying an ad
dress, and handed it to her.
From yesterdays copy of the Ban
ner miss. You're not going back on
that, surely" he said somewhat re
prOaChfully.
She read. and as she read her eyes
widened TO lakes OF limpid brown
Then they crinkled at the corners
and her laugh arose from the mid
tone cOntraltO. to high, birdlike tril
OF ioyousness.
1t must have been uncle" she
gasped finally. He said he'd be quit!
with the real estate agent before h
left. How perfectly absurd AuC
are those the creatures in that box?'
The first couple Of hundred o
EN-. Miss AckrOyd"
The girl looked at him with suspi
Cion, but his face was blankly limo
cent.
I'm not Miss Ackroyd," she began
with emphasis. when a querulou
voice from an inner room called out
Whom are you talking to, Sylvia?
"A young man with boxful o
/ beetles returned the girl.
Average Jones mutely held up tn
/ box in one hand and the advertise
ment in the other.
Very WE'LL" said the girl. in demur
/ tones, though lambert mirth still tiiCR
/ cred, golden, in the depths of tn
brown eyes. If you persist. ca
only suggest that you come back whe
Judge Ackroyd is here. You won
find him particularly amenable TO HI
NOR. particularly when perpetrated b
a practical joker in masquerade"
Discovered. murmured Averag
Jones.
II don't ask any real reason fC
your extraordinary call" pursued tn
girl with a CLINT of mischief in he
eyes. but auntie thinks you've com
to steal my dog. She thinks that {
everyone lately
"Auntie? Your dog? Then your
Sylvia Graham. l might have know
it."
Il don't know how you might hay
known it. But am Sylvia Graham
if you insist on introducing me
yourself"
Miss Graham" said the visitC
promptly and gravely, let me preser
A. V. r. f. Jones, a friend"
Not the famous Average Jones,
cried the girl. That is why yoI
face seemed so familiar I've see
your picture at Edna Hale's. You g
her blue fires back for her. b
really. that hardly explains your b
ing here. in this way, you know"
Frankly. Miss Graham, 1t was ju
as a lark that | answered the adve
tisement. But now that I'm here al
find you here. it lOOks-er-as If
might-er-be more serious"
A tinge of pink came into the girl
. cheeks. but she answered light
enough:
Indeed, il may. for you. If unc
; finds you here with those beetles
, Never mind me or the beetles.
like to know about the dog that yo
aunt is worrying over. Is he he
with YOU"
| The soft curve OF Miss Graham
3 lips Strengthened a little. Il real
: think" she said with decision. IN
r you had better explain further befo
questioning"
8 Nothing simpler. Once upon a tin
r there lived a crack Drained young d.
e Quixote who wandered through an a
= OF buried romance piously searchil
s for trouble. And. twice upon tin
: 4. boz Cd c n
, castle in West Sixteenth street an 8