Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-07-21
beautiful, In the doorway Of tho pantry

| picked himself up and waded toward
the stairway through the torrent Of
distilled water which was streaming
| across tho floor.
There's your dog biscuit" he sheer.
cd, pointing to Tootlcs, who had dis
| covered tho box and was gulping down
tho contents as fast rs she could.
Fasting for week! Hahaw
Then he disappeared upstairs.
turned to Lucille. She had dropped
| into chair and had buried her faco in
her hands. She was crying.
| whats the matter, I.uclle?" asked
| tenderly.
II don't Know" she sobbed; "just
| nerves, l guess"
"You ought not to be about ut this
time of night" l said sternly.
II KNOW" she replied. II Just camo
down TOTO feed Tootles."
I would have believed her If I had
| not seen tho biscuit in her mouth.
But what man would not forgive
| small flb Oh tho part Of tho woman
he loves?
Listen to me. Lucille, DEAR" I said
authoritatfpcly. taking her hand. 1--WE
are not going to fast any more. II
your father were here he would call q
halt. Hero your mother is SICK you
| are hysterical. ana hardly any Of US Is
on speaking terms with the others.
Besides, we have got to STOP Our
water supply is gone"
Lucille looked un Then It won't
! really be our fault, will it?" she asked
| hopefully. IF we haven't pure water
we can't 60 on fasting. Upton S.
| Clair says So
| "And that's the best thing he ever
said. too" l agreed heartily.
! So 1t was decided that the next day
| we'd have n new stock OF groceries
! come OH the supply boat and telephone
i tn. cook to come back. think thS
: prospect chccrcd us wonderfully.
Know | felt better Immediately. and I
, persuaded Lucille to 20 back to bed
| and get some rest before daylight
| She went In to see how her mother
was before retiring. There was Il cry
from Mrs. Green's room. and rush.
| cd In.
MRS. GREEN HAD DISAPPEARED!
I You have guessed correctly that this
Is where the element OF mystery en-
tcrs the story. You doubtless wonder.
| MS we did. If Kent, the wire Taper,
had made away with Mrs. Green or if
Bopp. balkcd of his dog biscuit. had
! become villain of the deepest dye.
| We did not come to any such conclu-
! Sions at first, Of course. That was
after we had looked all over the house,
! up In the attic and down in the cellar.
| Then went to Kcnts room He was
snoring peacefully. ] miStrustcd that
! he might be shnmminy and poured
| pitcher of water on him to sec how he
! would react to the shock. | should
say TINT his reactions were perfectly
| normal, albeit somewhat picturesque.
| ly abusive.
Next we hailed Bopp from his room.
He was inclir@d to be suspicious nj
first until we told him about Mrs.
Green's disappearance; then he was
oil sympathy and joined our lightly
| Clad searching party In tho hallway.
| Naturally, Lucille feared the worst,
while tho rest OF lis with masculine
optimism discounted any danger which
might befall tho old lady.
| but she wasn't herself" vailed Lu-
ellie. "She's been acting funny all tho
evening""
! Never mind about her." comforted
Kent ~ man with jag can fill Off
the roof ana never hurt himself a bit.
a bit OF bun makes anybody lucky"
suppose she Is out In all this rain p
"A little water. more or less, won't
= mako any difference to her after the
last two days." observed gloomily.
Lets not stand here any longer"
said Bopp In busincsslikc fashion. ut
won't do much good to try to guess
where she is. Let's begin Il systematic
hunt"
Lets get on somo regular clothes
first" suggested.
"All right" IN chorus.
Lucille dressed faster than she ever
mad before or has since, and We men
with the usual celebrity OF the bifurcat
ell sex, were ready as soon us she was.
AS soon rs we had assembled In tho
living room once more Bopp, by rea-
son OF his superior nerve. elected him.
! self commander Of the expedition.
| Monty" he directed. You take Jesse
James with you and explore the north
half Of the island. Lucille and I will
n
as either party discovers Mrs. Green
como back to the house and fire or
I this revolver" He laid Il large cnliber
six shooter on the table.
l might have disputed his arrange.
ment and calm appropriation of Luz
Giles society. but judged that 1t
would be poor time to argue about
anything so purely social. Besides,
Inquired out that the man who was
with Lucille was going to have no cinch
] rcassuring her that her mother had not
met with some terrible taking off. So
hey went one way. and we departed
the other, everybody sloshing internal
ly and externally on account of the
large amount Of distilled water and
rain.
j "How are we going to hunt this skirt