Omaha daily bee., 1922-02-26

"Come i'm he barked. you're hell of
a salesman. He wants to see 1t now and ask
you some questions about putting 1t on the
market"
Nancy shot Matt look Of malice. and for
some reason he felt suddenly convinced that
he was the victim of fell conspiracy and
that there was nothing to do but fall for It.
He reached for the extinsuisher. then turned
and went UP the steps with knees that felt q
little wabbly.
This way" said Uncle Jerry, and showed
him ahead into the study. where couple Of
days before Matt had talked so confidently
to Mr.. Gates and the policemen. The room
was at this moment vacant-that is, except
for Matt who did not feel that his presence
affected tho vacancy perceptibly.
Sit down." growled Uncle Jerry, and
Matt obeyed, seating himself on the extreme
edge Of a chair, with the extinguisher be-
tween his knees.
wait minute" commanded Uncle Jerry,
and went out, leaving Matt to his reflections.
Several minutes passed Matt waited
nervously, still sitting on the edge Of the
chair and slightly toeing in. His hypersensi.
tive ears seemed to catch the sounds of dis
tant laughter. The big clock chimed, and
Matt thought with despair OF the train
which he had purposed to catch. Then a
heavy step sounded on the parquet Of the
hall without. The doors were flung open
and Mr.. Gates bulked on the threshold. But
1t was different Mr. Gates from the gentle.
man whom Matt had interviewed. With fig
ure erect and glow on his ruddy face,
which was that Of an English country squire,
and flash in his eyes, still slightly congest.
ed, he plunged at Matt with both hands out
stretched.
My dear boy!" he cried in deep and
resonant voice, II knew you were right.
You've got a head on your shoulders worth
all these fool detectives and reporters. You
were the only one to give me hope, and, by
gad. you justified your theories by bringing
back my daughter" and he grpped both of
Matt's nervous hands, the extnguisher fall
ing to the floor as Matt rose, with no effort
to deny the warmth of praise which his
reason told him to be as untrue as it was
unmerited.
AS he was being pump handled by the
joyful parent Uncle Jerry appeared in the
doorway wearing the sardonic grin which
was about as near as Matt had ever seen
his uncle come to smile.
Why don't you kiss him On both cheeks
Hy?" he asked, and then to Matt: "Let's
see that darned extinguisher."
Matt stopped and picked it up. Uncle
Jerry took it from his hands and surveyed
with pleasure its polished brass and nickel
exterior. Anything mechanical and bright
and shiny never failed to make its strong
appeal to Uncle Jerry, Just as it might to a
savage or a child.
is it charged" he asked with the real
put-outthe-1ame stuff?" He read the trade
mark on the side: Flame Out"
noyo
it is all loaded for its principal function,
which is to extinguish fire. But it has oc.
Cured to me that we might also devise spe.
cial burglar charge. 1t would be far better
than any pistol. In the first place. you
could scarcely miss him, on the principle
that it is easier to get on your mark with q
hose than with gun. Also, it would take
him alive. And if by any chance you hap
pened to get one OF the family by mistake, or
guest walking in his sleep in some part Of
the house where he had no business, the
result would not be fatal. There might even
be mitigated dose to be employed on beg
gars peddlers, summons servers, and duns."
Uncle Jerry chuckled. do you think it
would really nip bad fire in the bud?" he
asked.
81 know that it would, uncle" Matt an.
swered warmly, and without the slightest
damage to rugs. carpets, curtains, or clothes
I've seen 1t demonstrated time and again.
mischievous look came into the deepset
eyes Of the convalescent- "Well, then" said
he, let's see it demonstrated now. A prac-
tical demonstration-eh, Hy?"
"Vhy-er. Yes-o. cou-se." raid Mr..