Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-30
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Continued from last week

Mrs. Farnsworth. When she dropped
the make-believe fOOlishness in which
she INDUCED quite as amusingly as
Alice. she appeared to be a very sen.
Sible person. The humor danced in
her eyes now, but her glance was more
than an appeal; it was a command.
IF you knew that our troubles are
not at all the troubles you're thinking
about, but very different"
please pardon me-" | muttered
humbly, and wished that Alice were
not so bewitching in sailor hat 1t
may have have been the hat or only
Mrs. FarnswOrth's pleading tone that
brought me to a friendlier attitude
toward the universe and its visible
inhabitants. The crowd thnned out,
but we fingered, talking of all manner
of things
I'VE must come in again very sOon,"
sand Alice. "And next time we Shan't
run away, which was very naughty. |
suppose when you begin a story you
just have to keep it going or it will
0Ie on your hands. That's the way
with our story. you know. OF course
it's unkind to mystify you; but you
are in the story just as we are"
My mystificatiOn was certainly deep
enough without this suggestion that
| was a mere character in a tale whose
awkward beginning aroused only the
gravest apprehensOns as TO the con-
cluSiOn. She looked at her watch and
continued: I'm so absurd-really |
am, in ever so many ways, that no
one would ever put me in a book.
Everyone would say no such person
ever existed! It's incredible! And
so have to pretend I'm in story all
the time It's the only way | can
keep happy. And so many people are
in my story now. not only Montanl
and the poor fellow locked up at Bar
tOn-Oh. what if he should escape!
Constance, it would be splendid if he
should escape!'
You didn't finish your enumeration
of characters" suggested. rs my
part an important one or am only
a lay figure?
MY dear boy" cried Mrs. Farms
worth, you are the hero! You have
been the hero from the hour the story
began. If you should desert US now.
whatever should we do?"
If I'm the hero" l replied in her
own key, Il shall begin making love
to Alice at once"
Alice, far from being disturbed by
my declaration, nodded her head APP
prOvingly.
"Oh, we had expected that! But
you needn't be in hurry. In a story
like this one, that runs right on from
day to day. we must leave a lot to
chance. And there are ever so many
chances"
Not all on the side of failure, l
hopper
1--WE must be going" She laughed.
| wished she hadn't that characteristic
little turn of the head that was SO
beguiling!
Folly rode with US all the way to
Barton. If anything sensible was ut
tered on the drive, can't recall it. Our
talk, chiefly of knights and ladies, and
wild flights from imaginary enemies.
had the effect of squirting Flynn to
perilous spurts of speed.
"Flynn has caught the spirit!' cried
Alice exultingly. Haven't you,
Flynn?"
Flynn, turning to confirm this caus-
ed the car to swerve and Craze a truck
piled high with household goods.
1--WE may elude the pursuing
Knights" | suggested, but some viii
lage constable may take it into his
head to pinch. u.s."
"Oh, that would be lovely cried
Alice. "And wen telegraph dear Mr..
Terrence to come and bail US out"
We reached Barton at nine o'clock
and after an informal supper | list
ened to AntOine's solemn reports as
| walked to the garage. The prisoner
had made no sign, he said, and moth
ing had occurred during the day.
but there's this, Mr.. Singleton,
which you ought to know, Sir. The
old birmingham people don't like the
goings on here. You'll admit it's all
mighty queer. l don't complain, sir.
but some of the boys threaten to
leave, sir And look at it this way,
that nobody understanding what the
spying and brides offered and taking
prisoners is all about, is most Pc
culiar We got to know where we
stand. that's what it's come TO, sir.
And the widow being flightylike and
Flynn coming home and saying moth
ing, but shaking his head when we
ask him where he's been You see
for yourself, sir. how it looks to u.s."
What lie said as to the general as
pect of things was true, but | didn't
admit that it was true. Alice had con-
verted me TO the notion that | was a
character in a story, plaything of
fate, and l lightly brushed aside An
tones melancholy plant.
ANY man of you." l said, who
leaves this property will be brought