The Tupelo journal., 1916-12-08

far distant, so John decided to accom-
pany her, and, as his car was tenn
porarily out of commission, they went
there together on foot.
Now, the valet happened to be an un-
usually observant man.. He was well
acquainted with his masters temporal
ment, and regretted the soft-hearted
impulses which seemed to lead Mr..
Burton into SO much trouble. He, the
valet, had formed Il somewhat unfa-
vOrable opinion of Blanche Griffin. Her
wretched rags and ready tears did not
deceive him at all. He saw that the
girl was well nourished, that her hair
had been tinted, and that her cheeks
bore traces of makeup recently APP
piled.
Further, when his master and the
young woman crossed the avenue and
turned into a side street, they We're fol
lowed by a stocky, overdressed young
man. who seemed to have been await
ing their appearance.
At any rate, for some reason which
the valet himself could hardly explain,
this latest escapade of his masters
rendered him uneasy. Above all else,
he did moi like the name of the locality
given by the girl as her mothers resi-
dence. 1t was highly improbable that
decent working-class people would live
there at all.
SO, deeming it best to satisfy these
vague doubts, he took his hat and fol-
lowed Burton and Blanche. On turn
ing the first corner he saw them walk
ing about two hundred yards ahead.
AT an intervening street corner he was
surprised to find the tiashily dressed
man in conversation with a certain
Billy Reilly, whom the valet recog-
nized as a reformed criminal now EN-
plOyed in settlement work by a Miss
Grace COe, only daughter of a local
banker. The valet, who sympathized
with rescue work, had looked in at the
settlement nee or twice, and had
scraped up a sort of acquaintance with
Reilly, and he had no hesitation now in
approaching him. BY the time he drew
near, Reilly had parted from his COM
panion and was watching the latter
with anxious eyes as the man swung
.jauntily down the street after Burton
and his companion.
"Who is that fellow, Bill?" inquired
the valet.
He is a tough known as 'Two-Gun
Jake" said Reilly. He's one of the
worst gunner among the H~ell-cats,
and he has just told me that they have
u ripe II in tow"
The valet instantly grew very wide
awake indeed.
What does he just mean by a ripe
one?" he inquired.
Il am afraid they're putin up some
game on that young fellow who has
just passed with Blanche Griffin"
DO you know her, too?' said the
valet, now thoroughly startled.
"Of course | do. She's their decoy.
None Of the gang near the set,
Element, or they would know that J
have quit the crooked work"
But. good heavens. man :" cried the
other, that's my master, Mr.. John Bur-
ton, a millionaire, and that young
woman came to our house with a yarn
about a sick mother"
"Where is she taking him?'' came the
eager question.
The valet gave the address, and Bill,
Notwithstanding his new-found regen-
GRAFTON, swOre softly under his breath.
why, that's the very place where
the Hell-cats hang out" he muttered.
w must follow at once" said the
valet. Suppose things go wrong What
do you think we can do for the best?"
Reilly proved equal to the emer-
gency.
Its almost as much as my life's
an try to stall them off Mr.. Burton I'M
til you bring help. You've got to find
a cop, an tell him just what you have
told me. There's no use in him and
you coming alone. He must ring up
the station house and get the reserve
squad along. And. hurry! When the
mea business they put in
quick action! !"
Meanwhile, John Burton was being
by Blanche to a moving
story OF hardship and distress, unalle-
Waited by a solitary CLEAN of hope or
happiness. Had John been wiser he
might have been rendered cautious by
this very fact. The poor are not un-
happy. They make light Of their priva-
having few wants, they have
few desires. The mere habit
Of living from hand to mouth entails a
careless juggling with fate which is by
no leans Indicative of wretchedness.
It is almost safe to say that there is
more real joy and content In many q
than in a kings palace.
Be that as 1t may, John was soon
u~ndeceived. His companion led him
into q t~umble-down tenement. After
t~raversing rickety stairs and dark, evil
smelling passages he found himself in
n 49, $500 ~~-p lf-lA- . /