The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1920-10-28

nv CECiLLE IANcDON

The popcorn man was d"ciued
novelty when be- established himself
In LnSton. Il was ut the fall season
When county cXpo~itions, street fairs
aud the like brought great many ~
the outside population To the village
Ills machine was run by little steam
engine. II had a CHEEKY whistle and
iillcd the air with an appetizing flavor,
aud the old fellow who passed out the
Salted bags with their buttercd con
tents gave satisfactory value for
money received.
lie rarely spoke 20 anybody and was
usually almost enyciuped In n long
linen coat. down drawn slouch hat
sud he wore long bushy whiskrrs.
The fact was discovered that the,
we're fals,
Makeup Yes" he freely admit
tel Ia the curious aud suspicious
town marshal "Why uoti u gives
me picturesque Identity. don't you
seef"
the reign - the popcorn man hat
iilldn Brewer came down town one
evening driving the family automobile.
The town band was giving concert
aud. parking the machine ~ ~" curb
she. like others. strollcd about taking
Iu friends. acquaintance and rhc live
ly strains 81 music when she saw
Elsie Dover NJ Uiiic distance ~.
Immediately iu.ucd her She lit-d ~
sic and they we're real friends. She
liked Elsie, brother. Fitch Dover. too.
but she had not told anybody that. not
even himself Her first question was
regarding him He had been IN the
city for a month and Illda was eager
TO learn how he was getting along.
"famously. he writes" said Elsie.
although b. l. dreadfully mysterious.
lie hasn't yet told " what he l. work
Ing at. though papa thinks II i In
some secret service position Fitch
wrote last week io him limiting that
We had better look oui for him souu.
- be- had commission to execute ~
Easiou"
= shall be- glad 10 --r him" admit
ted Iiilda. We miss him up NJ the
house
The two girls finally separated and
iIilda was ou her way back tu the
auto when whin from III, corn pop.
made her feel hungry 81" approached
'he pepper which the nondrScrlpt op-
orator was moving TO aud fro. placed
her nickel on th. shelf leaf aud jus,
then her eve, met those ~ the pop
corn man. A thrill 'r.mor. shock
~ the fairly impos,ibl. tra,rrscd her
frame
Fitch =" she ga>prd involutnrily
The popcorn man cast a sharp.
alarmed glance an about him Don't
speak my name. don't recognize me.
don't tell anybody am here" he
whispered quickly. when give YOU
a paper bag take 0, home aud keep u
safely till come and see you. Here.
Pretend q is popcorn"
IIilda was an IN q CULVER. I, was
only by a CLEAN from those magnetic
eyes Of Fitch Dover that she had rec.
ognized him, despite his groiesque dis.
guise Here was mystery. secrecy. IN.
deed She went back to the auto.
somehow she vas greatly Interested
and disturbed Was Fitch in amy dan.
r"rF She did not start up a.. ma.
chine she knew not why and when
Fitch. through fnr m. evening. GOV.
cred the popcorn wagon with heavy
piece of canvas and started away
slowly and NJ distance she followed
As he turned into another street an
auto circled past her. Two men uer.
IN u. They halted as they D.ared
Fitch, sprung out. there was scuf.
Ne They seemed Ca knock him sense.
les, picked him M. lung him into
their auto and started up again
Al of a sudden then Hlda Erewer
felt herself To bee the center of vast
adventure. She did not try to an
alive its merits. Her pulses heating
tumultously. she had hut on. idea
10 keep her captive lover In sight until
she could secure aid or rescue. Now
courageous 10 fac any peril for hi
dear sake. she knew thar she loved
him.
II WAS apparent as the two men lefi
the town behind that they noticed the
pursuit. Al all events they speeded
up terrlfcnlly as they struck the open
road Iillda all In n iiutter could only
think OF keeping them In view. A.
they turned sharp curve they w.r.
momentarily lost 10 view. She shud
dered and shrank down as crash
echoed out. Circling the curve she
brought the machine to halt.
The other machine lay overturned
IN a ditch. the two men under n
Flung free from Il. Fitch revived from
his first assault and was staggering
wildly about. Vaguely and then won.
ieringly he recognized IlIlda
Get TO the nearest telephone sum
mon the police at Easton." he qua.
,.red. and sank to the ground from |
sheer shock and weakness
What a story he had TO tell when
back 20 normal In day or two. The
real popcorn man had been the leader
~ gang of burglars who were In
testing the district. giving them "tips
~ Ia prospective places to loot. com
with them through nof,.~ |