Evening star., 1917-09-30

is very serious matter. II you call man
a spy, it's sometimes hard for him to
disprove it; and the name, STICKS. so,
go slow-very slow. Before you arrest
any more people, come to me first Tor a
warrant
So the next time Jimmie proceeded
with caution.
Besides being farmer in a small way,
Jimmies father was a handy man with
tools He had no union card, but in lay
ing shingles along blue chalk line
few were as expert. 1t was August,
there was no school and Jimmie was
carrying dinner pail to where ms
father was at work on a new barn. he
made a cross-cut through the woods and
came upon the young man in golf cap.
The stranger nodded, and his eyes,
which seemed to be always laughing,
smiled pleasantly. But he was deeply
tanned, and from the waist up held him.
self like soldier, so at once Jimmie
n,istrusted him. Early the next morning
Jimmie met him again. 1t had not been
raining but the clothes of the young
man were damp Jimmie guessed that
while the dew was still on the leaves
the young man had been forcing MS
way through underbrush. The stranger
must have remembered Jimmie, 1of ne
laughed and exclaimed:
"Ah, my friend with the dinner-pail j.:
It's lucky you haven't got it now, or I'd
hold you up. I'm starving
Jimmie smiled in sympathy IT'S
carly TO De hungry, Salu WHICH
did you have your breakfast?
"I didn't" laughed the young man. !
went out to walk up an appetite, and l
lost myself. But, l haven't lost my ap-
petite. Which is the shortest way back
to Bedford?"
THE first road to your right said
rs it far? asked the stranger anx-
iousIy That he was very hungry was
evident
II caid
IF l live that long" corrected the
Young man; and stepped out brisltiy.
Jimmie knew that within hundred
wards turn in the road would shut
stranger time to walk that distance,
and, then, diving into the wood tnat
lined the road. "stalked" him. From
behind a tree he saws the stranger turn
and look back, and seeing no one in
the road behind him also leave 1t and
plunge into the woods.
He had not turned toward Bedford
he had turned to the left. Like runner
stealing bases. Jimmie slipped from
tree to tree. Ahead of him he heard the
stranger tramping upon dead tWlss
moving rapidly one who knew his
way At times through the branches
Jimmie could the broad shoulders
of the stranger. and again could foilo"
his progress only by the noise of the
cracking twigs. When the noises
ceased. Jimmie guessed the stranger
had reached the wood road. grass
grown and moss covered. that leo .e
Middle Patent. SO he ran at rlsh'
angles until he also reached 1t, and as
now he was close to where 1t entered
the main road, he approached wariiy
But he was too late. There was souhc
like the whir of a rising partridge aho
ahead of him from where 1t mad peer
hidden a gray touring car leaped into
the highway. The stranger was at the
wheel Throwing behind it a cloud OF
dust the car raced toward Greenwlch
Jimmie had time to note ohly that ~ ~
bore a Connecticut state license: that II
the wheel ruts the tires printed LITTLE
VS., like arrowheads-
For week Jimmie saw nothing OF
the spy, but for many hot and dusty
miles he stalked arrowheads- Ihey
lured him north. they iured him south
they were stamped in soft asphalt, in
mud, dust and fresh spread tarvia
Wherever Jimmie walked. rrowheads
ran before. In his sleep as in his copy
book, ne saw endless chains OF VS.
But not once could he catch up with
the wheels that printed them. week
later. Just at sunset as he passed be-
low Round Hill, he saw the stranger or
top of it, On the skyline. in silhouette
against the sinking sun. he was as
conspicuous as a Flagstaff. But to ap-
proach him was impossible. For acres
Round Hill offered no other cover thar
stubble. 1t was as bald as a skull
Until the stranger chose to descend
Jimmie must wait. And the stranger
was in no haste. The sun sank anc
from the west Jimmie saw him turn his
face east toward the sound. A storm
was gathering. drops of rain began tc
splash and as the sky grew black the
figure on the hilltop faded into the
darkness And then, at the very spo'
where Jimmie had last seen it, there
suddenly flared two tiny flashes of fire
Jimmie leaped from cover. 1t was nc
longer to be endured. The spy wal
; signaling. The time for caution. hat