The Parker post., 1917-08-04
WANTED-.A KIDNAPER
BY JOHN BERRY.

o. opCdh VI uCI do q
daredevil, you'd have drawn a mental
picture and got an impression that
would have done her injustice. Miss
Mary Grafton didn't look a bit dare.
devilfsh at social function. She
looked and dressed and carried her.
self like any young lady of good fam.
lily who had had many advantages.
No sombrero-no guns-no wild ca
vorts and Comanche yells. Devil?
Simple enough. 1t had happened to
come her way between the ages Of
sixteen and nineteen to shoot and
wound burglar.in her fathers house
There were alarming stories afloat
at Milton. They were that new kind
Of Raffies had appeared. He didn't
rob houses, but he spooked around
nights, and whenever he found a fair
maid wandering about by herself he
grabbed her up and bore her off to his
lair. He hadn't played his little game
on any Of the fair maidens of Milton
yet, but he had found victims at Ches-
ter and at Daleville and at Ferncliff.
Not one Of his victims had returned.
All attempts to trap the kidnaper had
failed
Miss May had her own theories
about that kidnaper, and she could not
rest content until she had tested him.
Like all other things, this had just
happened to come her way without
seeking, and she would solve it with
out bOasting.
Behold a young lady going some
where at late hour Of night. The
street Is deserted but for her. She
walks slowly. She is not a bit afraid.
She huns to herself. Now and then
she takes revolver from the bag
she carries on her arm and briefly
inspects it.
The promenader has walked three
blocks twice over. when her keen ears
detect the low chuff chuff Of an auto.
1t soon creeps into sight. 1t Is a
small machine, built for two. There
is only one person In 1t now--the
driver.
Chuff! Chuff Chuffl
The machine creeps along at
snail's pace. The young lady saunters
along and gives it no attention. though
she knows the instant the power Is
shut Off and the driver has descended.
He advances upon her on tiptoe. An
arm goes around her and he whispers:
IF you utter one scream I'll choke
you."
Then there was kidnaper, after all,
and he had arrived!
He had her In the spare seat in q
jiffy. No screams-not a choke Away
went the auto out on the country road,
and II the kidnaper grinned he wasn't
the only one to indulge in that harm
less amuscIuent.----'- s--s--7---
The auto had gone about three miles
when the man at the wheel woke up
to the fact that there was something
rather queer about this adventure.
The girl hadn't struggled or screamed
or protested. He couldn't make it out.
By all the laws on the statutes Of the
state his victim should be weeping and
entreating and biting and scratching,
care you dumb?" he finally asked.
'No sir?' came the prompt reply.
"NOr deaf?'
MY hearing Is excellent"
"But you haven't raised row."
"And 1 don't intend tor
perhaps you wanted to be abduct-
ed, eh?"
"Perhaps!"
"Don't even want to know where
you are going?"
"We are going no further just at
present! Turn the machine about"
re-what-what-"
cts revolver, sir, and the muzzle
is against your side! Turn
There happened to be space enough
right there, and the auto was soon
headed the other way.
"Now get out and take a seat on
that log!" commanded the girl.
She was obeyed. The log was about
Ave feet from the halted auto.
"Every business has it's drawbacks,
even the business of making a fool of
ones SELF" said Miss May after long
minute.
"I'm ready to acknowledge It," re-
piled the man with a rueful laugh.
"You thought it would be a good
joke to go around in this sensational
way, and you haven't the sense to see
that 1T is prison Offense. I am sure
you are young man of good family,
and have been doing this work for
lark"
"You are right" he mumbled.
eff I had shot you the law would
have cleared me. I don't know your
name nor you mihe, but I am going to
offer you bit Of advice"
"Pll take It,"
'"Then be man. Such q trick as
this might be overlooked In romantic
toy Of eighteen, but you are beyond
that. You will find the auto in front
Of the town hall when you get there.
Good night"
But 1 say"
"GoOd night, sir!"
Is there anything stranger than