The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1917-08-16

BY JOHN BERRY.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

Mary Grafton didn't look rir dare
deViIiSh at social function. She
looked and dressed and carried h.-.
self Ike any young lady Of good fam
lily who had had many advantages.
No Somhrero-no gunS-nr wild ca.
voTts and ComanChe yclls. Devil?
Simple enough. II had happened {,
come her way between the ages II
sixteen and nineteen to shoot and
wound buTglor'in her fathers hou>n.
There were alarming stories nhpa-
at Milton. They We're tnpt new kind
OF Rallies had appeared. H., didn't
rob houses, but he SpoukcI around
nights, and whenever he found fai-
maih wandering about by herself he
grabbed her up and bore her of Z, his
lair. He hadn't played his little game
on any of The fair muidrnS Of Milton
yet but h. had found victims M Ch-,-
ter and at Dalcvillc and an Irru,,ir.
Not one Of his victims had returned.
All attempts to trap the Bidnaper had
failed.
Miss May had her own theories
about that kidnapcr, and she could not
. rest content until She had tested him.
/ Like all other things. this had inst
/ 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 n bit afraid
She huns to herself. Now and then
/ she takes n revolver from the ha-
! she carries on her arm and briefly
inspectS it.
The nrOmenadcr has walked three
blocks twice over when her keen ears
detect the low chuff chuff, Of an auto.
II soon creepS into sight 1t is
small machine, built for two. There
IS only one person in it now-the
driver.
Chuf! Chuff, Chuff.
The machine creeps along at n
snairS pace. The young lady saunters
along and gives il no attention. though
she knows the instant the power il
shut off and the driver has descended.
He advances upon her on tipt0e. 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 n
jiffy. No screamS-not a choke, Away
ont hn 81,
and If the kidnaper grnned he wasn't
the only one 10 indulge In that harm
less amusement
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 ii out.
BY all the laws on the statutes of the
state his victim should be weeping and
entreating and biting and scratching.
"Are you dumb?' he finally asked.
NO, sir" came the prompt reply.
"Nor deafT"
MY hearing IS excellent"
"But you haven't raised row."
"And l don't intend to-"
perhaps you wanted to be abduct-
ed, eh2"
"Perhaps!"
"DOn't even want to know where /
you are going?"
Eve are going no further Just at |
present! Turn the machine about"
ere-what-what-"
ITS q 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
five 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 a prison offense. l am sure
you are q young man of good family,
and have been doing this work for
lark"
"YOu are right" he mumbled.
'If 1 had shot you the law would
have cleared me. / don't know your
name nor you mine, but I am going to
offer you a bit of advice"
'Tll take it."
Then be q man. Such trick as
this might be overlooked In a romantic
boy of eighteen, but you are beyond
tnat. You will find the auto In front
Of the town hall when you get there.
Good night"
But l say"
"Good night. sir"
Is there anything stranger than
fate? II plans for you. and it disap-
points the probable. The other day
Mr.. Harry Vane said to Miss May
Grafton: II kidnapped you once for a
Joke. l now want TO kidnap you for
Iove."
And what was her reply? You know
we'll enough, she being a daredevil Of
q girl, that she said:
"GO ahead with your kidnapping, but
jon't rnoka q rnpSS NJ ftn