Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-19

ask. here and there. If any one had
seen his friend. 1t began to look as
if Trench was the only one from
whom be could expect information.
Somehow such thought was not
pleasing.
Luck had attended Tom Kineshury
in great many things. That morn
ing The tickle goddess was still with
him.
As he turned down a side street and
saw ahead OF him the wide avenue
leading out toward the Trench place
he saw a buggy with Young fellow
in it.
Don't that beat the Dutch. Jack"
shouted the boy.
Tom turned and saw man stand.
inc on the curb in front Of livery
stable.
Where in the devil did YOU lind
her?' came tn" answering yen. Seen
anything OF MI MacLean or tina,
other chap"
kingsbury had barely hestated, but
as he caught his friends name he
stopped short.
Not thing. She was in the barn
on the Dewey place. Saw the doors
open and looked in there"
The buggy drew close 10 the livery
man, and his reply was lost upon
kingsbury, who went on. halted al the
next corner and turned back
He appeared in the open doors OF
tsc livery stable AS the white mare
was being led away.
Can | gel a team" he questioned.
I'D like to be driven oul TO Nj.
Trench's place"
sure" nodded the liveryman
To kinssbuly's satisfaction the
same boy who had brought in the
white mare climbed into the buggy
when il was ready.
The lawyer said nothing until a
block or two had been covered
by the way" lie suggested, 'Im
! looking for some property around
here. ! might go and see one place,
out this way | think, before | go TO
Mr.. Trench's. Isn't there a place that
belongs to man by the name Of
Dewey"
The boy looked his surprise well,
that beats the Dutch!" he grinned.
How soo" with wcllfegnod sur
prise
| why. | Just found our team out
there. Reen looking for it since yes
terday."
Kmesbury indicated n desire for The
story. and few questions brought
him the facts.
might before last the team went
out" explained the boy. "A MI
! MacLoan - he gets teams from uS
often. chaSos OUT 10 Jerry TrencA's
. place heap-hc came running IN. all
excited, and yelled 10 The boss for IL
/ team quick. He had friend with him.
/ and We hitched up fer EN- double
quick, and off they went.
well, sir, perhaps YOU wont be
/ lieye il. bu, that was the last We seen
of our team until found it this morn
/ Ing out here where you're going, Bus
/ ~ in tie barn, the old mare in a stan,
and she some darned hungry, let mo
tell yol
"NacLean.' unused Kingsbury not
/ trying 70 appear too interested, 'Why.
! | know him he's a reporter OF a Bos-
/ Ton paper
Sure nodded the boy.
And he didn't come back or send
you any word where he had left the
team" irowned Tom.
lie did not. The boss didn't think
much Of ii until the next day. Thought
MIR. MacLean was chasing news. you
know but when he didn't show ny.
why he sci me hunting. | looked Ell
around and asked a bunch OF people,
and al last | seen them doors open 10
the Dewey barn (place all closed ~.
you know. and took look IA
there"
one or two more questions and
Tom realized thai he had AL the in.
formation his driver could furnish.
Playing the part of a prospective
purchaser OF real estate kingSbnry
got down at the Dewey place and Went
about the grounds
II was an old house, standing amid
tall trees. and It's suffered windows
gave it n dismal aspect hardly reliey
ed by the shafts Of sunlight falling
through the arching limbs upon the
noss-coyered shingles.
An examination Of the wheelJrachs,
still discernible in the mud, showed
that the buggy had driven straight 30
the front door. There were foot.
prints in the once graveled drive, ana
the marks where the buggy had been
turned aud taken toward the barn
kingsburv wen, around the house,
came up onto The wide yeranda from
The far side and walked about the cor
ner OF the building and toward the
front door.
He was making An obvious pretense
Of examining the house. for he Ie
allied his driver was watching him