Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-11-17
TOO MUCH
EFFICIENCY
A CLEVER sERlAL STORY.
~ a J. RATH.
Author Of when the Devn Was
Sick," ''0ne-Cy1iaAer 6an." etc.
CHAPTER xxv--Continued.

"Cut it out!" he commanded per-
emptorily. I've heard that stuff be-
fore. don't look awfully we'll. and
I'm not younger. Do you hear? I'm
older, by several weeks. And l feel
sick"
"Father!"
sick Of all this tomfoolery, I mean.
I came back, looking for quiet life.
and might as we'll have butted into a
Coney Island mardi gras."
H. Hedge stepped forward.
please consider that the party is in
honor of your Homecoming" he said.
"A sort OF house warming"
John w. Brooks turned a baleful
glare in the direction Of the speaker.
He placed his hands on his hips. spread
his legs wide apart. and studied H.
Hedge from head to feet
who in blazes are your he de-
manded.
| H'This is Mr.. Hedge. father" said
| Constance hur:iedly.
Hedge? Why, that's the upstart
who ordered these flunkies to throw
me out!"
Just a part of the surprise. Mr..
Brooke" observed H. Hedge with a
winning smile. "Of course we didn't
really mean it, you know"
The smile was lost upon the owner
of the mansion.
ooh. you didn't mean it," he echoed
savagely. well. you wait till l get
hold of the police and you'll find out
whether l mean something. By lingo
there's a couple Of cops now!"
!, Two men in Uniform had entered the
hall.
where's tn nut?" asked the fore
most. Somebody phoned they had an
: old party with an empty attic"
H. Hedge stepped quickly forward
and whispered to the officer.
. Escaped, eh?' said the policeman
(Which way did he go?"
Ran north a block, and then around
the corner" answered Hedge briskly
You may get him If you hurry"
The two officers were retreatinl
when Mr.. Brooke broke loose from hi
daughters grasp and ran after them
"Hey!" he cried. "If you're LOOKING
for a nut, here's one"
He pointed at H. Hedge.
Lock him up!" he cried. HE trie,
to throw me out of my own house
Maybe he's burglar, too
Constance interceded hurriedly.
Father! Now, don't make a seen
about things. You don't understan
at all. Send those officers away an
then let me explain"
Il don't intend to have that man 1
my house one minute longer" storme
Mr.. Brooke. And Pm going to clea
out the whole crowd, too"
S-sh-father! Officers. please 6
away. I am Miss Brooke, and every
thing Is all right. My father doesn
understand tho situation yet
You bet 1 don't!"
Come, father, we're going into tn
library 10 have a talk"
# "Thc l;braiy's full of maniacs DANE
,ng," beloved John~w. Brooke.
"Theh we'll go upstairs in 20,
rooms. Come now, like q dear o.
daddy"
rs Mr.. Brooke suffered himself to
led upstairs, ard the policemen d,
e. Parted
The sitting room OF John w. Brool
pr ascnted normal appearance to h
eyes. but when he stepped into Il
bedroom he storl ed short.
"Who owns those pants?" he d,
manded, pointing to a garment hans
ing over the back of chair. "N
mine. Who owns those necktie'
Those are not my hair brushes. VIII,
the devil, Connie"
Constance, who had been followin
hesitated.
And. say, where's the man in char,
Of this house?" demanded her fathe
suddenly remembering.
[! I'm the man." said the voice of
Hedge, who had also followed VI
stairs.
Brooke wheeled upon him, below
ing:
"You!"
"That is, was until this morning.
sent in my resignation"
H. Hedge was calm and still sm
ing.
you want me to understand tn
you're the man sent here by the Eco
omy and Efficiency people?"
There are my credentials. Y
signed Them" said Hedge placidly. e
hibiting the document.
Mr.. Brooke swallowed once or twi
as he glared at the paper.
And Is this the way you've be
e- running my house?"
us mo. not the way ] did run 1t. B
Use as said. quit running it this NOR
m: ing; that is, running it on that plal
Are you running this shine
downstairs2" inquired Mr.. Broo
ominously.
. 81 was-for a time. But It's ru
ming itself very nicely now"
III He ran the house beautiful
father" said Constance nervous
pre- Truly"
ler H. Hedge grinned at her.
well, by the eternal!" explod
emit John w. Brooke. II hired q man
run this house on the basis of ece
"A omy, and / got q guarantee with
And come home and find myself
m suited and thrown out. with a lot
per strange servants on the place and
m money being spent as II l was
q government treasury. Where d.