Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-10-30
TOO MUCH
EFFICIENCY
A CLEVER SERIAL STORY.
BY n J. RATH.
Author Of when the Devil Was
Sick" "One- Cylinder Sam" etc.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Deep-laid Plot.

WIND up Win cough.
The three Brookes were in Con-
stances sitting room, and the door was
closed and locked.
I'VE don't like the way you're act
ing observed Alice bluntly.
About what2'
Everything"
"Oh, start with one thing at a time"
counseled Constance. Everything IL
too general"
1--WE don't like this business of you
going to work." blurted Billy.
Constance surveyed her brother with
ID faint smile on her lips.
81 shouldn't think you would" she
remarked
And you're siding with him against
us."
"Really?'
Yes, and you treat him as IL he was
just as good as we are" complained
Alice you treat him better than you
treat u.s."
I'm civil to him." admitted Con-
stance.
Civil! l should say you were! Ev-
cry time he smirks at you, you smile
back at him." declared Billy. rs that
part of your work."
Under ordinary circumstances that
remark would have brought from Con-
stance a whitening blast of angry
words. But she merely smiled at her
brother.
"Next?" she said quietly.
you're obeying all the rules that
you said you'd never obey" snapped
Alice, continuing the indictment.
Constance pursed her lips and
whistled the opening bars of a popular
chorus.
"And you're not giving us square
deal" added Billy. you're siding with
him."
The defendant did not quail under
the accusation, but regarded her
brother with unfathomable calm.
"Yes-you quit, while we go on
fighting" said Alice relentlessly.
Anything else?"
isn't that enough?"
ulun want you 10 OVERLOOK any |
thing while you were at IT," advised
Constance meekly. I'VE may as we'll
get it all over with at one sitting"
Il guess you know what we mean"
grumbled Billy. "The whole business
is, that you've deserted our side and
gone over to him
Yes, and you let him go walking
with you this afternoon" supplemented
Alice. Connie, he acts as if he was
getting mushy over you'll"
"And you act as II you didn't care"
was Billy's final contribution.
Constance arose from her chair AMI
took turn around the room, her hands
clasped behind her, her head bowed in
reflection. Once a smile fitted across
her face. Billy and Alice watched her
gloomily. 1t did not seem that she had
been properly impressed with the grav-
ity Of her disloyalty. Presently she /
faced them and shook her head sadly.
you poor, stupid things" she said.
"What?"
81 said stupid-both Of you. It's evil
dent you are hopeless"
Billy CAPPED and Alice frowned.
You say I'm gutter" observed
are the quitters!"
The members of the court martial
stiffened in their chairs and stared at
the defendant.
YES cutters" she continued mer-
cilessly. IAN you've done for days
and days Is to sulk around. And you
don't call sulking fighting, do your
You haven't put up a fight for two
weeks. I'm doing it ALI"
Alice and Billy looked at each other,
overcome with bewilderment
"Now, see here" said Constance,
drawing up a chair and sitting down
to face them, II see that I've got to
explain this thing to you in words of
one syllable, so that you can under
stand. You both did a certain amount
of fighting, and where did 1t land you ?
Nowhere. You, Billy, were going sto
throw this man out of the house. ri
didn't see you do II. I only heard you
give him five minutes more. and that
was at least a month ago. II not more.
About all you've done since then is to
make a loud noise.'
Alice nodded, forgetting that she was
member of the court.
AS for you, Alice" added Con-
stance. turning upon her. what have
you done? All can recall is that you
invented hunger strike and made us
all sign a perfectly ridiculous paper.
Did we get anything by threatening to
starve ourselves? Nothing but an ap-
petite
1t was Billy's turn to assent.
80" continued the defendant, after
we have all made threats and protests
and complaints, you two finally give
up and leave 1t all to me"
did you call trying to run away