The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-08-17
The
Baby Kidnapers
Observation-Disclosures
BY AUSTIN FLINT

leaving; a dozen baby carriages stood
outside the portals. In each Of them
lolled fat, complacent white nope.
sucking either thumb or com
forter.
The flowing tide OF purchasers ebbed
for an instant. Upon that instant Lar
ry the Blood had gllded forward and
softly snatched one of the white hopes
out Of its dOwny nest. The next mo-
ment he was carrying 1t IN his arms
down the street, while the child slept
peacefully.
Difficult? Not for Larry. The East
Side tough had been transformed into
quite II dainty-loOking nursemaid.
while wig of raven hair and two
slim ankles completed the Illusion,
while the skirt was just long enough
to prevent the intrusion into the pic
ture of pair Of bowed, muscular
legs.
Five minutes later Larry and Skin
ner reached their haven Of safety in
ramshackle tenement in side street.
Larry dropped his burden on the bed.
The white hope slept.
Gee, Larry, you sure pulled Off a
good thing" said Skinner In admira-
ton, as he examined the dainty cloth
| Ing. That babes worth five thousand
ransom. as soon as they find It's miss
ing"
| THAT means more maZuma than you
and me have handled In years" said
Larry.
Atlantic City for NINE" said Skin
ner, land a rolling chair"
You're cheap" said Larry. Mines
European tour. Say, we sure have
got good thing all right, all right
Now all we got to do is to lie low
! till the rewards offered
There came a stirring from the bed
a fretful whlmper. The child opened
its eyes, and, seeing the strange faces
about 1t, began TO cry.
"Hush-a-bye hush-a-bye, baby" saiC
skinner, picking it up In his arms ant
rocking il. But the child only crieC
the harder. The two looked at eacf
other in CONSERVATION.
Say, thiS'll have to stOp!" sab
Larry. How d'you stop 1t howling|
where's it's feeding bother" aske'
Skinner.
There amt none. How often d.
they have to be fedT
Search me-" said Skinner "My sis
ter had one last year, and she wa
always giving 1t the bottle. Say, you'll
have TO buy one, LarrylH
How longll we have to keep tn
blooming brat" asked Larry. "D'yo
suppose the reward will be out b
tOnightT
well, suppose 1t is? Wen have t
wait three or four days to arrang
about the ransom. Say, Larry, you'v
pulled off a good thing, sure enough
by the looks Of it, but you forgot tn
; incidentals."
The other cast whitening glance 6
him.
What's wanted except the bottle
he asked. "And cd teach 1t to drin
: out of me hand In an hour or tw
J. when It gets hungry"
who's going to wash it?"
wash it?" yelled his friend. 81
wash It's face II 1t gifts dirty, and II
; rest Of 1t won't show under Its clothe
will it? FIR the love of Mike stop thu
- howling!"
But the child, puckering up its re
face. yelled obstinately. madly.
! clenched it's little fists In paroxys
of rage. The two looked at each 9TH
In bewilderment.
Nip out and git that bottle. Larry
suggested Skinner.
III Hold hard" said Larry. at air
that. / know what it is. Mebbe there
a pin pricking it somewhere. Thai
what makes 'em yOwl. Look and 81
Skinner"
"You look" said Skinner, surveyi
the masses of clothing with ca
tious eye.
| "Tll look, then! Say, Skinn'
you're certainly hopeless sort
cuss when It comes to difficulties. Ht
d'you open itT'
THAT looks like a button" SO
Skinner.
THAT amt It, Look at that pi
Hello, what's this?'
| On the inside of the long exteri
garment was pinned piece OF pap
written on In a fine feminine hal
They read together:
ITO any one who may find my pre-
GUS baby. His name Is Olaf and he
eleven months old. have dressed h
up In his best things. l cannot Ike
him longer, because his father has Il
me. So l am leaving him outside Jol
sons Department store, In the nc
that some one will adopt and care
my precious one"
That was all. The two stared
each other in CONSERVATION.
"You-yOu-yOu nursemaid" PIP
Skinner. That's what comes OF
your schemes. Take 1t away. FIR
love Of Mike take 1t away before
adopt precious little Olaf. A Swet
BAIL Take II where you found 1t
don't come back till you dol"
Il Ten minutes later an empty bt
carriage outside the door Of Johnso
Department store received its preci'
freight. The child, which had fal
asleep, stirred uneasily, rubbed