South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-09
WHAT MADGE AND DICKY OVER.
HEARD IN THE DEPTHS OF
THE WOODS.


You must get out Of here al once.
IL isn't safe"
The low voice OF Mrs Allis. our
I fellow bOarder at the Cosgrove farm
T house in the Catskills, barely reach
Y ed Dicky and Ne. as We crouched III
| the underbrush, involuntary wit
nesses OF her secret meeting with
the stranger who had just made his
way 70 the gigantic oak near US,
and whom Dicky had recognized as
a "hanger-on OF the worst crook
among the New York picture deal
ers''
What's the row." The mans
roughened voice rose carelessly.
Mrs. Allis promptly tapped his
mouth lightly with the back OF her
I hand
You fool" Her tone was even
more singing than the epithet.
i've only a minute or two to tell
you everything. so keep that voice
OF yours 10 yourself until / get
through. It's like a buzz saw"
The man grunted sulkily. but
noticed he did not speak again.
Evidently his position was inferior
20 that OF Mrs. AlIis in the gang
which l was certain now was plan
ming 10 steal the valuable collection
OF paintings in the Cosgrove farm
house parlor.
There's an artist and his wife up
here. got here last night" Mrs. Allis
went on, and we had 10 strain our
ears 10 catch the almost inaudible
words. "Of course the minute he
spotted the pictures he knew what
they were worth, and he's put the
Cosgroves wise 10 the danger of
losing them. Worst OF all. the artists
wife is one OF those shopping James
who fancies herself regular sleuth.
and she's had peppers open for me
ever since she landed. So there's
no use trying anything tonight or
| indeed until the end of the week.
BY that time I'll have schema
ready that'u pull the wool over the
eyes OF the Cosgroves. and at the
same time give me a chance 10 get
good and even with the dame I men
toned"
I olence OF II struck chill 20 my
| heart clutchsd Dicky's arm in
Voluntarily He slipped his arm
around me carefully and noiselessly
so that no hint OF our presence
| should reach the two conspirators.
AS I lifted my eyes TO him and met
his reassuring tender smile. / sud
denly lost all my misgivings. and
felt myself strong for the task of
thwarting the scheme OF the un-
scrupulous woman before me, what
ever II might be.
She had paused for a moment
after her threat against me, so that
my momentary little lapse Of mat
tention did not prevent re hearing
the conclusion OF her directions to
the man.
Something GOlstcin Doesn't Know"
You go back 10 Kingston and
wait there at the same place until
let you know what to do next"
| she directed. I'm going TO New
York myself tonight and get some
thing I need. I'll let Goldstein
know you'er on the job"
"Goidstein's getting a bit leary."
the man returned respectfully. but
| doggedly This is a risky business.
and he doesn't see how you're going
TO get away with so many OF them
without their being traced"
do I have TO tell you again thai
I know exactly what I am about ?"
/ Mrs. Allis returned crisply and con-
temptuously. There's something
about this business that even Gold
stein doesn't know. and is not go
/ ing 10 know until I get good and
ready TO tell him after we get the
/ pictures out. It's something that
/ will make him sit up and take no
tice. I promise you. Now get back
where you came from as quickly as
you can. Did you do as ! told you.
cycle over from the next station ?"
Yes" laconically. MY wheel ia
up here a piece, just far enough
! from the road so no one will see it."
Z Good! Better make tracks for il
now. I'll stay here until I'm sure
you're on your way back along the
/ road. The artist and his wife are
/ going fishing this morning. so If they
/ come along here. they'll think I am
/ enjoying the woods. So long"
How Unexpected Release Came.
AS the man turned and climbed
/ the bank quickly Mrs AliiS drew
\ her inevitable knitting from a bead
/ ed bag she carried on her arm. and
/ seating herself at the foot Of the
/ gigantic oak began 10 knit as COM
I pOsedly as II that Were the sole
I object Of her l.fe. Il was impossible
\ for US to move without her hearing
I US. and realizing that We had over
I heard her conversation, and we were
rapidly becoming cramped. crouch
ed as we were in the underbrush.
Just as II seemed as though we
could not bear it any Longer our re-
lease came. Walking swiftly yet
cautiously through the underbrush
from a direction opposite to that IT..
which the Cosgrove house lay. came