Arizona republican., 1920-02-22
ALocal Romance

Il ALOCdl Romance
1 suppose if one should try to tell the
old seasoned Arizonian. or I might
more specifically say, the old seasoned
Phoenician, that romance and adNen-
ture fairly sambol along the streets
and highways and byways of their
little desert town, they might be in
clined 10 accuse one of romancing or
rha psodizing or something. But when
one of naturally retiring disposition,
who loves to look on at the crown,
and would really rather be forced to
take all ones meals the rest of ones
life at most any restaurant in town
than be brought out into the lime
light by truly, honest-to- goodness.
live and kicking romance. or some
thing that savors of one anyway, and
at a most inaus0icious ord unwary
moment, then one can not help but be-
lieve that those in search of the same
thing will surely find it lurking most
any place they choose TO turn.
Seated in private booth in a down
town restaurant one evening. waiting
for thed inner which had been ordered
and watching the people as they drifted
in and out of the place. idly meditatinS
on who they were and what they were,
fragments of a low animated converva-
ton in the booth adjoining began to-
interest and hold my attention. Not
being a willing eavesdropper. the
thought occurred that l should find
something else to distract my atten-
ton and Immediately looked about for
a newspaper, or perhaps a menu card,
which can always interest one, espe
cially if read from right to left, when
these words; spoken in an unmistak-
ably refined but foreign accent,
reached my ears: I'VE passed through
the net of the custom officers who
merely glanced at our passports, with
hardly look at US while Media car
ried these sewed--'. the rest hay
ing escaped my eager ears. Then came
calculations spoken in both English
and some foreign tongue which
sounded to me very much like won
derfuf'. magnificent superb. u
could almost see the gestures accom-
panying these exclamations-so eX
pressive did they sound to me. | de-
cided there must be at least two men
and I could hear the voice of a girl
The girl said very little but her voice
attracted and held my interest when
she did speak. 1t sounded unusually
musical and low and had a thrill il
it that sort of stirred my imagination.
Who We're these people that I should
feel such a curiosity-and not a mere
idle one at that. l knew they were
different that they had passed through
fence and that they had something
in their possession that was no doubt
the cause of their thrilling escape from
-what-and called forth their elated
remarks regarding their safe passage
into this country But what could
have brought them to Phoenix. / de-
cided to find out if possible. Ny din
ner had arrived by this time and |
made up my mind not to linger long
over it, I still heard low murmering
conversation but could get very little
of it, when it soon became apfslrent
TO me that they were preparing to
leave. / franticalIy looked for a
waiter, desiring TO pay my check and
follow them out. when they passed
my booth. There were two men,
I guessed, and a girl also None of
them had l ever seen before. and /
knew they were newcomers. The men
were both dark and well dressed and
one, the shorter of the Two. wore a
beard. Sounds we'll so far, doesn't it?
The other was smooth shaver and
quite young with goodlooking eyes
and a. sensitive, full mouth. The girl
was a blond and beautifully dressed
in black with a large fur cape and
also a large black hat. | thought
she was beautiful. They passed out
of the restaurant and l got Up, in
tending TO find a waiter and go out
after them. Not being able to spring
against his will ask him for my check
I decided to deposit the amount on
the table and leave. / got out in front
of the place in time to see a touring
car drive away carrying my prey. By
this time my spirit of adventure was
thoroughly aroused and / prayed for
wings or the heels of Mercury or some
thing-a taxi-that was it would
hire a taxi and follow them. / jumped
into the one nearest where ] was and
said: Did you see that car drive away
just now" The driver said you mean
the one with the dame and the two
guys?r 1.-The same" / replied. Il sure
did, lady We'll, follow it until l
say quit, will YOU" With that he
was off They were Enthusiastically
bound toward the longest road that
leads out across the desert and al
though they had quite a start on us we
managed. to get close enough TO them
to see that they were our people. /
Then we followed them, discreetly, un-
til we came to q turn out on a road
that leads into another state, if fol- /
lowed many. many miles. when to our
surprise they slowed their pace and
finally came to a stop. AS we could
not afford to be caught spying we
only had time to see them alight from /
their car and get into another one that /
was waiting for them and which looked |
as though it were in readiness for a
long journey. After we were salts