The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-04-03
6e
Kidnaper
Ga<D
By MILDRED WHITE
Copyright 1919. by Western Newspaper Union

Copyright. 1912 by Western Newspaper Cnion'l
Peggy came down the terraced steps
from her sisters bungalow and looked
wistfully up and down the street.
Here were the trees all crimson ana
.old, her long summer visit coming TO
G close, and this glorious afternoon
free, with no amusement In store.
Peggy's wide eyes seeming not to
find that for which they sought, she
wandered almlessly up the broad road.
Near its top stood great house be-
hind a stone garden wall. Peggy had
always admired this wall, the trees
dropped over 1t so protectingly, ana
there were gllmpses OF flower-bordered
paths within.
Today, on the walk before the house,
stood baby carriage, and smiling en-
chantingly from beneath the carriage
hood was a dlmpling love of a baby.
"You darllngp Peggy responded to
the smile, while the baby put forth a
chubby hand with an evident invitation
for its clasping.
"You friendly little thlngw Peggy
exclaimed.
GOO" answered the baby.
No attendant was in sight; probably
the child's mother had left 1t while
she stopped at the great house. Peggy
decided to visit with the baby until
her return.
Gratefully the little one put forth
efforts to entertain. The girls laugh
rang out at its droll tricks-hide and
seek with the tiny skirt Of its dress,
peek-a-boos between chubby fingers.
But no mother was Forthcoming.
Loath to leave the adorable little
thing, Peggy made a trip OF investiga-
ton up the fower-bordered path.
The baby's lusty cry at her deser-
ton caused her to go farther and ring
the front-door bell. To all appear
ances, upon this glorious October day
the great house was vacated.
"Some careless nurse GIRL" Peggy
Indignantly reflected, chad forsaken
the baby for her own pleasure. She
must already have been gone some
time. No wonder the tiny one had so
gleefully welcomed her presence"
Peggy returned, to find baby's smile
Of greeting banishlng the tears. She
decided to push the carriage slowly
down the stone walk until the one In
charge should appear. But no one
came.
Baby, indeed, seemed the only object
| of life in all the silent surroundings.
Peggy continued to push the carriage.
"Just as well to give the neglectful
one a scare" she considered. And
as she went on, new vistas OF fall seen
cry invited.
She had never looked before from
the Hill to the valley. Baby cooed de-
lightfully, while Peggy's thoughts went
wool gathering
"This was the first day of her long
stay in which the nice man had not
passed her sisters home"
In her own thoughts-and strange to
say he was often In her thoughts
Peggy referred to him as the mice
man."
| There was something so wholesome
| ly frank in the good-natured face, even
in the mans swinging carriage. Peg
| gy wondered dismally how 1t was that
they had not become better acquaint-
ed Her sister introduced them one
| day, in passing.
| "Oh, that Is Tom Price" she care
lessly remarked.
If the married sister had guessed at
| the Wild commotion the chance encoun-
ter with this same Tom Price had
raised in Peggy's usually adamantine
heart, she might have been more ex-
| pllcit In her desCrinu0n.
IN some inexplFcabTe way, in the
many places where Peggy had hap
pened TO be during the past changing
/ year, this mice man" had bobbed up,
until recognition between the two be-
came an astonishing fact. Peggy fan
cied him eager for a meeting; yet, af-
ter her sisters introduction, Tom Price
passed on his contented way-with but
a daily, distant bow. And now she
must so homel
Goo" reminded the baby.
Peggy glanced about in surprise |;
she had gone farther than she knew.
Then suddenly, apparently tout of the
nowhere into the here" mans figure
loomed up before her.
"How de DOR said Tom Price.
Peggy stared, then she laughed.
81 might have known that It would
be you" she said. "This is about the
only corner where we had not met"
The nice mans grin expressed satis-
faction.
Couldn't be too often to suit me-"
he remarked pleasantly. "Where did
you get the babyT
"Ohv" she murmured; 81 did not re-
allze 1t, but l guess-Ive kidnapped
him"
Severe penalty for that" said Tom
Price, and his eyes twInkled
ut is really serious" Peggy protest
ed IL have been most thoughtless.
Perhaps some distracted mother is now
wringng her hands over his absence.
He was SO captivating, you see, | Just
kept pushing him on from before the
big stone house, where found him.
"The house is at the top Of the hill
must get him back directly"
Breathlessly she swung the carriage
about The nice man took hold OF the