Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-09-11

in the wall, with a swish of wet gar
mentS. The guards from the outer
edges of the garden had clamherei
down and they gathered about us as
began questioning Dutch.
Dutch, undoubtedly enjoying his vic
tnriouS encounter. was tearing Opeh
the PROSTATE captive'S collar to give
him air and with his knees Clamping
the mans body was disposed to delay
the story of his adventures to inCreaS"
lis dramatic effect.
1T happens this evenin'." he hogan,
Spouting water. that | seen Elsie,
who's been sneakin' me meals to the
old stables. an she says to me:
Dutch, she says. they'S all agin us
here. calm us Huns. an we gotta
show 'em Yves good Americans she
says. An she tole me Teller been 10
see 'er at wanter 'er 10 rob the house
fer i'm. he thinkin' 'cr likely 10 do Ut
fer love q the kaiser. She said as 'Ow
she'd nail i'm when he comes tonight
10 git fan she's promised 10 lift fer
i'm. She said that'd prove she wasn't
u" putrhw0man and recommended If I
got the chance to do the same.
thought nothin' wuz goin' 10 happen
an wHz sleePin' on me bench here in
the garden when the h0llerin' at the
garage woke me up. sits quiet, lis
TENN an this guy drops into the gar
den an wuz crawlin' past me bench
an | pincheS i'm. He wuz fer h8vin'
Il fight an we knocks over one of the
big urnS an lit In the tank. He says
It's thousand bones an ye turn ME
loose. he says, an sOused i'm ag'in
fer that"
The man was still choking from the
Sousing and Dutch turned him over
and pounded him vigorously on the
back, assisted by Zimmerman. the
obltging valet. who had seized the &C.
caSiOn 10 show his hand on the side of
the allies. Shall | telephone for the
Barton police. sir?" asked Antoine,
with an extreme eXaggeratiOn of his
professional manner.
This was obviously the thing to do,
but | feigned not to hear the question
while | debated the matter 1t was
plain that many things relating to the
capture were yelled in mystery; that
if Mrs. BashfOrd and her companion
were involved in an international tan
gle and had in their possession some
thing that vitality concerned the ma
lions at war, common chivalry demand
MS agent In such manner as to
shield them. l was thinking hard and
in my perpleXity even considered
sending messenger to Terrence; but
he was already suspicious and would
be very likely to summon Raynor i'm
mediately and precipitate a crisis l
was not prepared to face. To invite
the attention Of the American state de-
partment to the increasingly complex
situation would not be giving my aunt
the chance meant she should have to
clear herself.
The captive had got upon his feet
and stood dazedly staring at Us. He re-
fused to answer my questions, even
when l suggested that If he could give
satisfactory account of himself he
would be released. He only doggedly
shook his head. When | asked If he
had been hurt in his bout with Dutch
he smiled and extended his arms in
denial. He was very decent-Iooking
fellow, blue-eyed and smooth-shaven,
who seemed to accept his plight with
a degree of good humor.
l decided that as nothing would be
gained by sending him to the Barton
calabOOse that night, | would assume
the responsibility Of OBTAINING him I'M
til | had CROPPED my way through the
haze OF suspicious and circumstances
that envelOped him.