The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-07-17

E1I
"she's a Wilder Now. Her Husband
Was Killed In the War"
didn't know Mr.. Curtis was home till I,
come back from my sisters three days
later. I wouldn't "a had 1t happen fer
fifty dollars" Peters tone was con-
vincingly doleful.
"And he has been confined to his
room ever since? Poor old fellow!
It's hard, isn't it?" 49,.
1T sure is. Seems like he'll never
be able to walk ag'in. I was talkin' to
his nurse only the other day. He says
it's a hopeless case."
Fortunately his sister can be here
with him." IT,
by gosh, she amt nothin' like
him." conided Peter. "She's all fuss
an feathers an he is jest as simple
as you er me. Nothin' fluffy about him,
1 en- tell ye." He sighed deeply. "I'm
jest as we'll pleased to 60 as not" he
went on. "Mrs. Golfers got a lot O.
money Of her own, an she's got high
falutin' New York ideas that don't
seem to jibe with mlne."
Long before they came to the turn
pike, Barnes had reduced his hundred
and one suppositions to the following
concrete conclusion: Green Fancy
was no longer in the hands Of its orig
inal owner for the good and sufficient
reason that MI. Curtis was dead. The
real master of the house was the man
known as Loeb. Through O'Dowd he
had leased the property from the wild
owed daughter-in-law, and had estab-
lished himself there, surrounded by
trustworthy henchmen, for the purpose
Of carrying out some dark and sinister
project.
IT suppose Mrs. Collier has spent a
great deal Of time up here with her
brother"
"First time she was ever here, so
far as I know" said Peter, and Barnes
promptly took up his weaving ono
more.
With one exception, he decided, the
entire company at Green Fancy "a
involved in the conspiracy. The ex-
ception was Miss Cameron. It was
quite clear to him that she had been
misled or betrayed into her present
position; that a trap had been set for
her and she had walked into it blind
", t%rustingly. This would e to es-
tablish, beyond question, that her cap
ture and detention was vital to the in
terests Of the plotters; otherwise she
would not have been lured to Green
Fancy under the impression that she
was to find herself among friends and
supporters. Supporters! That word
started a new train Of thought. He
could hardly wait for the story that
was to fall from her lips.
by the way, Peter, 1t has just &C.
Cured to me that I may be able to
give you a job in case you are let out
by Mr.. Curtis. / can't say definitely
until I have communicated with my
sister, who has a summer home in the
Berkshires."
"Ill be much obliged, sir. Course I
won't say q word. Will / find you at
the tavern IL I get my waikiki papers
so0n1"
Eyes. Stop in to see me tomorrow If
You happen to be passing"
Barnes said good night to the man
and entered the tavern d few minutes
later. Putnam Jones was behind the
desk and facing him was the little
book agent.
"Hello, stranger" greeted the land
lord. been sashaying In society, hey?
Meet my friend MI. Sprouse, Mr..
Barnes. Sic-em, Sprouse! Give him
the Dickens.!" Mr.. Jones laughed loud
II at his own Jest.
Sprouse shook hands with his vic
tim.
II was just saying to our friend
Jones here, Mr.. Barnes, that you look
like a more than ordinarily intelligent
man and that II / had 4 chance to buzz
with you for q quarter Of an hour I
could present q proposition"
sSorry, Mr.. Sprouse, but It IL half
past eleven o'clock, and / am dog-tired.
You will have to excuse me-"
''Tomorrow morning will suit me-"
sprouse cheerfully, II ii suits
you."
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