The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-13

clinging vine of a wife might speak.
And then, in whispers so low that even
Mrs. Allis sharp ears could not catch
them, we discussed the bizarre situa-
ton in which we found ourselves in
volved-planned how best we could
circumvent the Vaccinations of the
clever, interruptions woman in the
next room.
For three or four days things went
on in their usual routine. Dicky and l
spent almost every glorious daylight
hour out of doors, fishing in the tur-
bulent brook, tramping the forest
paths, or climbing the steep mountain
sides.
Mr.. Cosgrove's Odd Warning.
At night l was generally so dead
tired that it was a real effort each
evening to accept Mrs. Allis' invita-
ton to drink tea with her in her room.
Not willing to arouse the woman's
suspicion by refusing her urgent invi-
tations, l religiously held to my night
ly visit, although it was all l could do
to keep awake.
Thursday morning, however, two
days before the last of the week"
which we had heard Mrs. Allis specify
in her surreptitiOus interview with her
accomplice, an incident occurred which
put out of my mind for the time being
all thoughts of both the woman and
the plot to steal the pictures in the
farmhouse parlor.
We had come down early to break
fast, Dicky and I, as was our daily GUS
tom, arrayed for fishing. There was
no one in the dining room save Mr..
Cosgrove, and I saw him glance at our
costumes. Then he spoke cautiously.
graphically, to DicIIy.
Better keep your eyes peeled today.
Heard there was a fox skulking
around
To my surprise DiclIy glanced at me
uneasily before he answered. Evident
ly he understood the elder mans ref
erence.
'All right. thanks" he replied lacOni-
cally. But I saw that he was thought
full during the rest of the breakfast
and as soon as the meal was over he
took Mr.. Cosgrove aside, and 1 heard
the two men talking earnestly together.
When their conference was ended he
beckoned me to come upstairs again.
followed him. bewildered, but certain
that Dicky had been concealing some
thing from me. He is not an accom-
plished prevaricator, and his manner
was exactly like that of a schoolboy
furtively trying to throw his teacher
off the track of his misdeeds.
sob! Nothing At All"
Suppose we go tramping today in
stead of fishing?" he proposed non
chalantly. but l saw that he was
watching me warily as he spoke.
"Why?" [ asked. I'VE tramped yes
terday, and I had so counted on fish
ing today. What has happened to
change your mind?"
ooh. nothing at all" DicRy assured
me hastily. But I don't feel like fish
ing today, and I'm not going to do
it,"
There was a sullly, arbitrary note in
his voice which I resented. With a
toss of my head I threw open the door.
I'm going trouting." I said spirited
| ly, 'if I have to go alone"
Dicky rushed after me, took me by
the shoulder, and swung me back in
TO the room.
you little idiot" he said savagely
81 suppose I must tell you, would have
done it before only knew you'd have
one of your splurges of conscience"
Tell me what?" I demanded.
"Why, simply that we have been
breaking the fish and game laws"
Dicky explained. flushing awkwardly-
trout season closed August 81 but the
wardens can't be everywhere at once,
and there's a sort of grapevine un-
derstanding among the farmers
they're always tipped off when he's
around. He's On the job Just now so
there's nothing doing"