The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-06-07
A Wild
Adventure
Copyright. 1919. By western NswsDGpsr uHiOuJ
sywALTER JosEPHDELANEY

Aleck Forbes, had "a tantrum."
Looking back over a full decade,
Aleck could recall many Of these fit
full spells. For a day or two Nancy
was unmanageable, complaining, nag
! ginG Suddenly the spell would dis
appear and Nancy would be good as
pie!" She never expressed penitence,
and the renewed sun Of her gracious
ness made AIeck forget to allude TO
her spasm of Ill nature.
'T don't dare to face her" he
grcaned. "She's due for her regular
outbreak. If not what I have done
will hasten It, Oh. DEAR The loss
Of the two hundred dollars worries
me. but when I think of what Nancy
viii say about il I'm scaredw
This had happened: Aleck had col
! lected two hundred dollars. Nancy
know al about the transaction and
was to have half of the sum to buy
new set Of furniture. About four
O'clock Aleck had come home, found
her absent and had loitered about
town.
Returning, he had made an appall-
ing discovery. He had lost the money
Hastily he retraced his way but
found no trace Of the missing roll of
| bank notes. His heart sank to his
boots. He dared not face Nancy. A
new suggestion came to him. He
would take the first train for Adrian,
where lived brother who might loan
him two hundred dollars, but the last
local for the day was gone when he
reached the railroad station.
AS he passed the village garage he
recognized a farmer just ready to start
out. The man could take him as far
as the cross roads, four miles from
Adrian. The automobile was an open
roadster, the evening was chilly and
Aleck had felt his chronic hoarseness
! coming on by the time he reached the
cross roads. He was stiff and shiv-
ering as he started on his long walk.
This side Of Adrian, about two miles,
Aleck made out the lights of the little
town of Leesville. He started a short
cur in the dark, got mired in
swampy stretch, fell over a great log
and lay insensible for nearly half an
hour.
When Aleck regained consciousness
he could not find his hat, he limped
from a sprained ankle, he could feel
great abrasion on one side Of his face
and, thoroughly wretched and nerve
racked being, he reached the road to
be nearly run down by an automobile
containing some wild spirits bound In
the opposite direction. He had not
pre- ceeded half q mile when he came
across a hat, evidently blown off the
head of one of the hilarious crowd.
1t was a soldiers hat with the regu-
lation band about 1t. Aleck was glad
to put it on. Then he made for the
cleaning village lights. With chat
tering teeth and shaking limbs he
made for a brightly lighted room at
the rear of what seemed to be the
town billiard parlor. Half a dozen
young fellows stared at him as he
bolted in upon them, craving warmth
| and we'll nigh exhausted.
Aleck must have tainted away, for
when he again opened his eyes some
one was pouring a powerful stimulant
down his throat A sense of rare
relief and comfort came over his be-
logged consciousness.
"He's q soldier" spoke an unsteady
oon fhof nv his
Say, fellows, our expected chum from
the front hasn't shown up. Well
show the hOnOrs of war to this hero,
Ell? Here, old fellow, we're going to
banquet you. See? Up to the grOan-
ing table with the victim" and Aleck
was carried to a chair before a bewil-
dering supper layout. He tried to
speak. he could not. Only a hoarse
monotone responded to the effort. His
old ailment was upon him, he had tenn
porarily lost his voice.
"Hey! give me text for a speech"
nudged the lively young fellow be-
side him, amid the jangling of glasses.
"Volce gone, my, friends, evidently
from exposure in the trenches. Here,
write something" and given pencil
and paper, Aleck wrote:
Treated rough"
"An! my friends" cried the orator
grandiloquently, Ethey treated him
rough over there"
Lost in a swamp, crippled"
! "Think of his sufferings in behalf
Of his beloved country! He's getting
another chill. Prime him up with an
other doser'
Now Aleck could never remember
now he got back home, but, carrying
the banquet bouquet, he entered the
house the next morning. Nancy stared
at him, aStonlshed.
FLOWERS for yOu," croaked Aleck.
"'You've been drinking" said Nancy
seriously.
''They poured it down me. I wasn't
responsible. I lost that $500"
| "Well, I found it in the kitchen.
I've taken my share, yours is In the
clock. Now give an account Of your