Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1916-09-22
The RUNAWAYS
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

of the hedge and put on MS SHOES
Then, looking furtively back at his
own darkened house and toward the
linn outlines of houses that belonged
20 his neighbOrs.. and assuring himself
that his flight was unnoticed, he crept
cautiously down the gravel path to
ward the street.
John Hobson was running away. He
could stand it no longer, and, having
been harassed beyond endurance for
the last few days because his wife had
taken it into her head that she must
have an electric motor, he had taken
the count and quit.
But, although John was retreating
from trouble, it was. only temporary.
He meant to come back. But not be
fore he had given Henrietta the scare
Of her life. He had been too good to
her, he saw 1t all now.
Besides, Bostwick had written that
alumni week was going to be big af-
fair and urged his attendance. So,
after all, he was only doing what he
had a perfect right to do.
Just over the hedge, parallel to his
town path, ran the gravel walk of the
Crinkles. And John, picking his way
gingerly to avoid disturbing the tiny
stones, suddenly heard a stealthy
movement that was not of his own
making. Instantly he OWNED it to be
on the Crinkles' walk. Who could be
sneaking around his neighbours prop
erty at three o'clock in the morning?
Not Billy surely, for Billy had no
cause to resort to subterfuge so far as
his wife was concerned. John sighed
us he thought of Mrs. Billy's perfec-
ton.
Crk There it was againl John
tiptoed close to the hedge mad looked
over. Could he believe his eyes? Billy
Crinkle was certainly sneaking down
the path toward the street.
Great guns! Billy's running away!
Now what do you suppose he means?'
"Bilrs making for Marshalltown,
same as l am, by Jove, and he's skip
ping on the 8 45, III bet a doughnut."
Hello, therel That you, Billy?" he
called.
Billy stopped. "Hello, joint What
on earth are you doing here at this
hour of the night?"
"Same as you, L guess. Going east
on the :45?"
"You guessed right"
decided at the last minute to join
the boys" explained John finally.
$50 did l." laughed Billy nervously.
"Oh," returned John, II don't sup
pose I'd have given In at all only Hen
rietta insisted. She wouldn't give me
II minutes peace last night. And so l
started packing at midnight and here
l am"
"Uh, hum" Billy acknowledged |
doubtfully.
Billy Crinkle found 1t hard to ex
plain his surreptitious departure, for
he was only guilty of seeking sensa-
ton. He knew Maud would not only
have consented to his trip, but would
have driven him mad with affectionate
little attentions prior to his departure.
She would have packed his bag with
everything he needed just when and
where he wanted them. But as it was
he hefted his bag from one hand to
the other with a sort of savage joy,
knowing that he had packed the con-
glomeration 1t contained in two min
utes and half by his stop watch and
got in everything he didn't need and
nothing that he did.
In plain words. Billy was tired of
and affection. He hoped by
u few days of anxiety on Maud's part
to receive the thorough rating he de-
served when he came back-anything
but eternal, smiling affection.
"Well," he broke the silence, 81
might as well tell you why came at
this hour of the night. 1 was afraid If
I'd suggest coming Maud would just
raise general bedlam. So, as 1 didn't
want to worry her, slid. Seer
John stopped short in his tracks.
Look here, Bill, that's hard to swat
low. l can't imagine Mrs. C. being any
thing but a perpetual dyed-in-the-wool
angel. l don't believe she could get .
madw
Mad Your Henrietta isn't one,
two, three to her when her temper's
up"
'Henrietta What do you meant
She's the sweetest. most amiable girl
yOu can imagine. and If she hadn't
been the prize she is she'd have left a
miserable hot-tempered scalawag like
me long ago. Humphl" snorted John
Excuse met" sighed Billy.
They turned corner and the bright
light of the station ;JOmed ahead.
The two men entered the waiting
DOM just as the hands of the big cleo
ric clock pointed to five minutes of
rain time.
But John was thinking of other
hlngs than the time. 1t occurred tc
him that he had more than half meant
What he had said to Billy. Il suppose