Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1917-10-18
, find himself hesitating beside the taxl
"I'll be darned IL do" Peter replied

"What's thut?
thinking. Just whit, plense." Petal
threw himself back into the cab, slam.
ming the door. "Rotten iiX." he gruln.
bled. "lvhy. she said she'd come bnck.r
Regarding the note critically. he enun.
ciutcd Il sOinbrr doubt. Don't believe
she wrote you. It's all II plant"
The handwriting was Enthusiastically
that of II woman of culture. How was
he to say it wasn't Lydias hand, who
had never seen II scrap of 1t?
lie would have kissed it, could he
have been sure.
Through the forward window he
commando. 4 perspective Of the south
erly Sidewalk. as far as to Madison ave-
nue., whore II surface car. swinging up
town. heSitntcd with grinding brakes,
and then rumbled on.
A moment later tie shndowy shape
Of a man dnrlnh across The street and
toward the tHIicab, and Peter recng-
niZcd Crnvens characteristic gait. But
FOR that he wouldn't have known the
man. who WAS all but disguised TO eyes
that had never bphrld him out of dress
clothes after nig!ltiull-Cravcn wear
rnncoat. ut midnight hour, was
sight unprecedented.
Peter sat up. Barely in time q devil
ous thought engaged his fancy. and he
acted on it promptly. Ready to his
hand rested the moutlpiece of ileX-
blc speaking tube, ending in fixed
aarpircc close by the chnuffeur's head.
Five dollars" Peter said distinctly
into the lnoutipiecc, Elf YOU don't let
on I'm inside, in case this man qucs-
tons"
The chauffeur didn't even signify he
had heard, 50 positive became his i'm
mobility nj sound Of those magic syl-
tables. Give dollars"
Hastily Peter dragged his ovcrcont
across the bosom OF his shirt and
crowded himself into the corner near
est Il e curb.
Fearing out his prcmonitiOn, Craven
stopped To speak 10 the chauffeur
and the cnvcsdroppcr cursed bitterly
to hear no more than the confused
grumbic of their voices.
Then without the least warning the
car shot away ut Il round pace west
ward.
Sinmering with profanity. Peter
seized the speaking tube to below Il
demand for incOntincnt halt; but on
second thought permitted the car to
round into Madison avenue before he
gave the order.
Again ut pause, this time halfway
down the avenue block, the cab elected
an Infatuated fare.
what the blank did you do that
for?'
"Why in blank shouldn't II" the
chauffeur demanded as hotly. "YoL
told me no: to let on, didn't you? Here
come through with that fver'
Choking. Peter found his money. dis
burscd. How did it hnppcn?"
"Why the old gink says, die l bring
young lady and was waitin' for her,
and says yes. an he slips me three
bOnes-the clock says two-forty-and
And what did you want me to do about
that. seem you didn't want him to
know you was inslde?'
"Oh. all right" said Peter YEARLY.
''YOu did precisely the right thing. Only
Il didn't quite understand" He eyed
perplexedly the colored lights Of q
drug store across the way.
well. what's the good word now,
boss? If you're done with me, I'm on
my way"
NO" Peter insisted, "I'm keeping
you. Run across the block and wait
just out of sight on Park avenue. I'll
walk back"
Buttoning topcoat to chin and sacri.
flcing his Bond street topper to the
elements. Peter trudged back to Sew
enty-sixth street, then eastward past
number SO, regarding the house agrees
sively.
1t looked down on him now, he
thought dciiantly, with n touch of con-
temptuous pity for his impotence to
read the riddle Of its staid, uncomnuni-
cutive walls.
Enbittered, he walked on to Park
avenue. and found his chartered car ut
the appointed place. Pausing beside it,
and ignoring the chauffeur's well-mcant
advances stimulated by the romantic
notion that this swell young guy was
tryin' to beat it with the old buffers
daughter and had stubbcd his toe In
the getaway. Peter painfully eNcogi-
tnted the inevitable conclusion that the
only thing he could do was wait and
watch. He comforted himself n little
with the cold assurance that Craven
was now with his daughter. Whatever
old Tud's shortcomings, Peter couldn't
believe he would suffer hair OF
Lydia's innocent head to be harmed
Only
What the deuce was keeping the two
Of them there so long?
Then abruptly second taxicat
swung round one Of Park avenues