The Monroe journal., 1921-05-13


sooc-hs. aud | was IN the baggage
roam digging up the put-of stun. al
the soo'i .y minute. Bur ] GUESS they
didn't quarrel any-the boss and Mrs
Sheiia. SEE was laughing little to
hers'lf rs helped her down from
the car. and when asked her wi, {
she wanted 10 %, she said | might
ask one of the porters 10 carry the
traps. .nd we'd walk 10 the hotel.
which was only a few blocks up tlR
main street.
She Took Maisie Ann on the other
side OF her and let two of the blocks
go ny without, saying anything more.
anu then she gave that quiet little
laugh again and said. Your Mr.. Nor.
cross amuseS me. Jimmie He says
l have 10 business To travel without
guardian. What ,lo you think
about III"
told her hadn't any thinks com
Ing. and she seemed TO take that for
a joke and laughed some more. Then
she asked me if Id ever been in New
ierI. and | felt sort of small when
had To tell her that | had never
been east OF Omaha in all my life
With that, she told me not to worry !;
that If | stayed with Mr.. Norcross
Id probably get TO 20 anywhere |
wanted TO.
Something In the way she said IL
made II sound like little slam on
the boss, and of course | wasn't go
Ing TO stand for that
There is one thing about il: the
boss will make good wherever he
goes" | hit back. "You can bet on
that"
Il like your loyalty" she flashed out.
1T Is a fine thing In a day that is
much too careless of such qualities.
And ! agree with you that your Mr..
Norcross is likely TO succeed; more
than likely. IL he will only learn to
combine little gentle cleverness with
the heavy hand"
Il don't think you have any cause
to blacklist Mr. Norcross," | said
Hasn't he been right good and broth
erly TO both Of you this EVENING""
"Oh, | didn't mean that" she said
real earnestly. But In the stateroom
In Mr, Chadwick's car: the ventilator
was open. you know. until Maisie Ann
got up and shut it. and we couldn't
very well help hearing what was said
about the kidnapping. Neither Mr.
Chadwick nor Mr.. Norcross seemed
TO be able TO account for IT,"
Can you account for itY' asked,
bluntly enough, guess.
AT this she smiled and said. ut
would be rather presumptuous for me
to try where Mr., Norcross and Mr..
chadwick failed, wouldn't It? But
maybe ! can give you just wee little
hint. You saw the two men who went
over to the auto and smoked while
they were waiting for the other two
to come backi IL am not mistaken,
| have seen them many times before,
and they are very well known here in
Portal City. One OF them, the smaller
one with the derby hat and the short
overcoat, was either Mr.. Rufus Hatch
or his double, and the other, the
heavy-set one, might have been Mr..
Gustave Henckel, Mr. Hatch's partner
In the Red Tower company"
This didn't help out much, but you
can bet that made a note OF the two
names.
You are going back to Mr.. Chad
wlck's carr she asked, when she was
telling ME good by and thanking me
for coming up to the hotel with them.
told her | was. and then she came
around to the kidnapping business
again Of her own accord.
"You may give Mr.. Norcross the
hint ! gave You, II you WISH" she
said; "only you must be good hoy.
Jimmie, and not drag me into It,
Il see" nodded; an tell the
boss. when get good chance, and
sou can bet your last dollar he won't
tangle you up in it--he Isn't put to-
gether that way"
We'll. then. goodnight" she smiled.
giving me her hand. And with that
she sort of edged the little girl into
the elevator before we could get a
chance TO shake hands, and heard
her tell the hoy TO take them up to
the mezzanine landing
BY and by, went down to the STA.
tion and began to hunt for the Alexa.
The boss and Mr.. Chadwick were
facing each other across the table,
which was all Uttered up with papers
and maps and reports, and they hard
ly noticed me when | blew in and
sat down little to one side.
Just after | broke In, Mr.. Norcross
jumped up and-began TO pace back
and forth before the table. with his
hands In his pockets.
"No. l cant see 1t. Uncle John"
he said. still sort OF stubborn and de-
termined "You are trying TO make
me believe that | ought to take the
biggest job that has ever been set be-
fore the expert In any field; 10 dem
oastrate. on this rotten corpse Of
railroad, the solution of problem
that has the entire country guessing
at the nrespnt time. namely tho win