The Ordway new era., 1920-12-17

| VI u sblA pAA-
Yes. sir: very good. sir"
The man bent over with his back TO
| Clinton. as II replacing the trousers.
When he rose he had CIinion's shoes
IN his hand. Before the owner could
protest. he was at the door. re-
spectful explanation drifted back
through the opening as the door was
drawn shut: Must polish them. sir
You'll find them here in the morning
Clinton IeapeG out OF bed and ran to
jerk open the door. 1t was locked.
He raised his hand to knock. and
dropped it, probably remembering that
the door was deadened. He faced
about. On the floor lay the articles
that the man had taken from his pock-
cts. lie went TO replace them before
the moon could glide down behind the
ragged black mass of the mountains
and leave him In darkness.
Catching up a handful OF small
change. he reached for his trousers.
They were not where he had left
them. They were neither on nor under
the neatly hung coat and waistcoat.
It was evident that the man had SNUG
gled them out under his jacket.
Consternation alone saved Clinton
from an explosion of his quick. temper.
II was truly a dilemma In which he
found himself. To remain In the sani-
tarium might be to lose all chnnce of
escape; but to leave without trous-
ers-l The thought Of fleeing in pa
jamas with charming young lady
whom one does not acknowledge to bt
ones sister is, to say the least, EN-
barrasslng.
He put on his remaining clOtheA
buttoned up the coat. examined his
appearance In the waning moonlight
and blushed. Considerate Of his feel
lngs. the moon went down. and the
In the Obscurity, his courage rallied.
So dark night. no one would see.
With burglariOus stealth he crept TO
the bed and pulled of the coverlet
and sheets. To knot them end to end
was the work OF only n few moments.
He stole across to the window, low
cred the upper sash, and tied one end
Of his line to the two window cords
on one side. He did not open the
screen, but stepped down to crouch In
corner and look at his watch by the
light of vesta. 1t was five to twelve.
He had not completed his preparations
any too soon.
As he returned TO the window he
saw the light of passing automobile.
He sprang up on the windowseat and
opened the top screen TO peer out. The
automobile slackened speed and
stopped at the first house across the
alley from the sanitarium. 1t seemed
TO be coupe. At once he swung him
self out over the window sashes. peered
down to make certain that the window
below was unllghted. and cautiously
began to lower himself from the sill.
When he put his weight on the sheet
line it stretched with the tightening
Of the knots. but held He slowly let
himself down, hand under hand. Be
fore he came TO the lower end. his
stocklnged feet touched the ground.
He turned out toward the vague
blot under the oyershadowing tree.
The outlines of n coupe became dimly
visible. then the white form of an out
pcering face.
"All aboard" he whispered. slipping
inro the seat beside the excited girl.
The coupe glided out of the gutter
and started up the street at quickly
accelerated speed. As they swept
across the lighted intersection Clin-
ton crouched forward with his hands
on his knees. Amy did not observe
the embarrassed movement. She was
peering ahead into the darkness be-
yond the Intersection. She ran the
next block, swerved around the cor
ner. and turned on the coupe lights.
You're little trump he ex-
claimed
That's nice Of you, you poor dear
boy Isn't IT fun? Isn't II romanticf
| was shivering with fear that they
might pop out and Lean back tn
We pass the crossing"
Involuntarily he obeyed. She glanced
nj him to make sure. and perceived his
costume.
"oh." she Gasped- "Ohi Didn't
you have time; Where are your
trousers?"
"I-no-ihat--" he stnmmered-
that confounded attendant stole
them"
"Stole7"
"clalmed the rules required him to
take my clothes TO he pressed"
so that was 1t That must he one
wny they keep pa,'cnts from running
on. But 1t didn't stop you. you brave
boy"
Amy burst into gurgle Of lrrepres
siblc mirth,
Sec here" he admonishcd. Even
II am"
Indeed no, not even II you nre my
brother. mustn't see. lists real
ly To" sh-shocking'" This time she
startled the silence Of midnight with
n hurst of rInDIu,, tou,,i,.r