The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1920-12-24
The Popcorn Man
By cECILLE LANGDoN
"a ,aeo w.s,arn N.wsnaper Union

an Easton. Ii was at the fall season
OaAen county cXpositiOns, street Ialrs
and the like brought great many OF
1he outside population TO the village
ais machine was run by II little steam
Angine. Il had CHEEKY whistle ana
lzied the air with an appetiZtng uaVor'
Nnd the Old fellow who passed OUT the
united bags with their buttered con.
annts gave satisfactory value for
money received.
He rarely spoke to anybody and was
usually almost envelOped in II long
NnNn coat, q down-drawn SLOUGH hat
and he wore long bushy whiskers.
Hhe fact was discovered that they
were false .
-sMakeup2 Yes" be freely admit
4ed 10 the curious and suspicious
HOwn marshal. "Why not? II gives
me q picturesque identity, don't you
HeeY' .".
Il was during the second week OF
me reign Of the popcorn man that
Hllda Brewer came down town one
evening driving the family automobile
THE town band was giving n concert
and. parking the machine AT the curb
she. like others. Strolled about taking
IN friends, acquaintance and the live
u strains of music. When she saw
Elsie Dover at a little distance she
Immediately Joined her. She liked El-
sie and they were real friends. She
Hked Elsie's brother. Fitch Dover, too
Sbut she had not told anybody that, not
even himself Her first question was
regarding him. He had been in the
city for month and Hilda was eager
TO learn how he WAS getting along.
"Famously, he writes" said Elsie.
although he is dreadfuly mysterious
He hasn't yet told us what he is work.
ing at. though papa thinks it is in
sBome secret service position. Fitch
wrote last week to him limiting thai
We had better look on Tor him soon.
Ihs he had commission to execute at
Easton."
Il shall be glad 10 see him." admit
ted Hilda I'VE miss him up al the
house.
The two girls finally separated and
auto, when Whit from the corn pop
Per revived early juvenile days and
made her feel hungry. She approached
1he pepper which the nondescript OPP
orator was moving to and fro, placed
her nickel on the shelf leaf and just
then her eyes met those of the pop
-rorn man. thrill a tremor, shock
So;
6rame
glitch !" she gasped invoIuntarily
The popcorn man cast sharp,
alarmed glance all about him. Don't
speak my name, don't recognize me.
flpn't tell anybody | am here" he
whispered quickly. when give you
a paper bag take il home and keep II
1afely till come and see you. Here.
Pretend it Is popcorn" ..
Hilda was all In a culver. II was
only by CLEAN from those magnetic
eyes Of Fitch Dover that she had rec
ognized him, despite his groteSQup dis
Euise. Here was mystery. secrecy, in
deed. She went back TO the auto
Somehow she was greatly interested
and disturbed. Was Fitch in any dan
.Eer2 She did not start up the ma
chine, she knew not why and when
Fitch, through for the evening COW
cred the popcorn wagon with heavy
piece of canvas and started away.
islOwly and NJ distance she followed.
As he turned into another street an
auto circled past her. Two men were
I'm 1t. They halted as they neared
Fitch. sprung out, there was scuf-
fie. They seemed to knock him sense
less picked him up, flung him into
their auto and started up again.
All of sudden then Hilda Brewer
felt herself to ne the center of vast
adventure. She did not try TO an
salyZe its merits. Her pulses beating
tumultously. she had but one idea
10 keep her captive lover in sight until
she could secure aid or rescue. Now.
courageous to face any peril for his
dear sake. she knew that she loved
him. .. a.. ..
II was apparent as the two men left
the town behind that they noticed the
pursuit. At all events they speeded
mp territically as they struck the open
road. Hilda all in tlutter could only
think of keeping them in view. As
they turned sharp curve they were
momentarily lost TO view. She shud-
dered and shranB down as a crash
echoed out Circling the curve she
brought the machine to a halt. Il
The other machine lay overturned
in a ditch. the two men under it,
Flung free from it, Fitch revived from
his first assault and was staggering
wildly about. Vaguely and then won
,ieringly he recognized Hllda. ,...:.
Get TO the nearest telephone. sum-
mon the police at Easton." he qua
vered. and sank to the ground from
sheer shock and weakness.
What story he had TO tell when
hack to normal in day or two. The
real popcorn man had been the leader
of a gang of burglars who were in
Testing the district. giving them tips"
rs TO prospective places to loot. com
municating with them through notes
In the popcorn bags and posing and
acting up TO the average peddIer.
Fitch had captured him and had as
uumed his disguise. but had been sus-