Charlevoix county herald., 1918-08-30

grabbed them before they got action
oh. God what mess! Pm sick
sick, tell you, I" he paused alb
ruptly and turned his face away.
"How are you sure this girl was
Lilly, anyhow" Colonel Macs tones
were strangely throaty.
81 showed them her picture-the
one in my watch" choked Homer
ooh. 1t was her all right. This Is
what happens from waiting. And
won't wait any longer. I'm going to
Seattle"
Behind us a girl laughed shrilly.
Aside from the cashier she was the
only woman in the room. she mad
come in while we were talking to-
gether. with young fellow OF a hand
some though dissipated appearance.
and taken a seat at table TO the SIDE
and back of ours.
She was young and pretty in way.
| Now she lay half across the table
laughing into the face OF the man. AS
Homer pushed back his chair she
| glanced at us and laughed again
| loudly.
Colonel Mac reached out and pulled
the boy back to his chair.
STEADY, boy" he cautioned.
"Maybe l was at fault in the first
place. 1t begins to look like / was.
but this amt no time to cry about
that. / told you I'd see you through
an I will. reckon l think a little OF
Lilly myself. Well go back to the
hotel an talk this over in minute.
You sit down."
Throughout his words l had no.
ticed Semi Dual. He had not spoken
once since he acknowledged the intro
duction to Paulos and Hermostyple,
but now l saw that he was listening
intently to the talk at the table next
to ours.
The half maudlin girl had followed
her laughter with a stream OF rapid
speech directed to her companion, and
though it was all an unintelligible
jargon to me, became imbued with
the belief that Semi understood.
Reich sank back into his chair and
gloomed straight before him. l
glanced at Stakos, who lifted his eye
brows in mute interrogation. ! nod
ded and he arose.
We made our adieus and after
thanking the two Greeks for their In
formation, led Homer from the place.
The boy seemed completely beyond
self-control and staggered as be
walked beside Colonel Mac. His &c.
lions had attracted considerable attet-
ton again toward our party and ]
was glad to get him outside.
Even there, however, he refused to
listen to anything either Sheldon or
could say, and at our rooms he slump
Cd into a chair and burst into bitter
speech.
There isn't any use Of you fell
lows talkin I suppose Mister Dual
will say everything is running along
nicely, but / say the things been hash
ed from the start. / won't listen to
anything except takin' the first train
to Seattle tomorrow. There's one in
the morning, and now I'm going to
bed"
II reckon you'd better, son." agreed
Sheldon. "An' l reckon we're all
goin' with you in tn morning. 1t amt
much of steer but it's all we got.
Come in an I'll put you to bed. !
amt feelin' very clipper myself. May
be I'll turn in with you"
DO" said Dual, "but first l want
to ask Mr.. Reich a question. Do you
Mr.. Reich, perhaps know anything OF
a woman known as Greek Annie?"
81 do not" replied Homer, frown
ing. whats she got to do with the
thing?"
"That Is to find out" Semi re-
sponded. 1.-THE reason / ask is that
she was mentioned by girl who sat
at a table behind ours this evening.
She said that Greek Annie had left
town yesterday morning, with girl
Left town with girl?" Reich
sat up in his chair ard leaned for
ward. you heard her say that?
Why-then you understand Greek"
"Oh, yes" said Semi Dual.
But a girl?" Reich began and fall
tered. and then went on with a rush.
Sheldon, maybe she took Lilly to
Seattle"
But how could she?" queried
Sheldon sorely puzzled. How could
she get her to go? My, Lord, she
couldn't handcuff her and take her.
Why couldn't the girl make holler
and git help? II gifts by me-"
you don't understand" said
Reich almost fiercely. That's the
trouble. You don't understand. They
wouldn't take her by force.
This woman, say, would pretend to
be sorry for her and be helping her
to escape: then she'd get her to go
with her quiet, and the next thing she
knew she'd find they'd betrayed her
again. Oh, they work il dozen ways,
Sheldon. can't tell you how 1t was
done. I'm sick. Let's go to bed"
Dual, who had seated himself at
table and drawn some sheets of paper
before him, looked up and nodded.
DO" he urged. "If we are to
make an early start, rest Is the best
thing for you. have some work
want to finish, but you and Sheldon