Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-11-23

I Routed out OF bed, the Colonel KEEP
BRACE waiting a full half hour befor
he put In an appearance. Then. how
ever. he offered a faint ray of hope
n He had discovered hat a certalI
Frenchman, a wineN dealer. living a
an address he produced scrawled OF
paper. was reported TO be an lntimat'
OF stepho. Possibly from him Mr.
Drnce might
Drace hurriedly explained the de
cree which had banlshed him. then hs
presented" the Colonel with a check
on account. asked him TO convey his
respects to Miss Lucy and took his
departure.
On his way 10 the ~Frenchman's he
stopped at the hotel. where he found
Shottle strapping up their baggage
and a police official paying an informal
but suggestive call. An hours grace
remained. Drace paid his score at the
desk, sent his baggage to the boat and
then, summoning a cab, drove of with
SAotise te@ttaSSxsa Es th9@EEExs&
man. II proved to be a mean abode,
both wineshop and dwelling. BRACE
knocked eagerly. A small man, his
mustache dyed. came TO the door.
blinking.
II beg your pardon, sir, but ] am a
friend OF Mfr. la vltte. and"
Pardon. monsieur. but you do not
look like him, re friend"
But ! am. And | came with word
that VIII be Of advantage TO him. The
police are after him"
Jaw. he know zat. Monsieur would
trouble himself for nothing. Good
morning"
Just a moment, please. You have
no need to look on me with suspicion.
l am his frtend-nnd-n
IF you his friend" interrupted the
man. you know he gone-to Europe.
on steamer to France"
Drace was about TO abandon the man
In despair when ShottIe. who had been
staring at a case of wine which stood
by the door ticketed and sealed for
shipment. suddenly Interrupted.
"Ah." he cried. ''can this be the
famous Chateau Yquem?" And brush
ing past the %Frenchman. he leaned ov.
or as II 10 examine the bottle. With a
cry. the wine merchant showed hin
rudely away. "Zat is re private stock"
he snaried. Hffe is not for sale. | am
not yet open for business, sirs. Good
morning"
Shottle grasped Braces arm and
drew him away. A cart had halted
outside. and as they entered their cab
they saw the carter %shoulderlng the
case Of wine and bearing toward his
vehicle.
AS they turned the corner. a deep
throated blast from the Bumblebee
sounded a warning. Shottle turned
upon the disappointed Drace with n
gleeful countenanee. Master" he
said. "Tll thank you for that money
again. I've found him"
Found him! !" exclaimed brace.
"How?'
THAT case of wine was addressed to
Stepho la Vitte at Farnum's Landing,
Mississippi. That wine is going to
Stepho on the Bumblebee. And so
are wei"
An hour later Drace sat with Shot
tie on the deck OF the Bumblebee,
watching the eyerchanging panorama
of the Mississippi and musing upon
the sudden shifting OF his quest.
Liberty" asked Drace presently,
far up is this Farnum's Landlng7
Do you recall it?'
Yes" said Liberty. ~ know this
Farnum's Landing is-by gol-
ly u he exclaimed. breaking off, Far
Landing is the next stop
Bethpage's Landing! And Gen
eral Bethpage is my uncle Wen 20
But" Drace said obviously. hes
not my uncle. and I'm afraid 1t would
be intruding somewhat on his hospi-
to-"
Nothing of the sort" averred Lib
erty. "Any friend of mine would be
toubly welcome. You can't know
NUN hDout inc 1tutltA. inning,
now, but he used to be the most re-
markable character. in a quiet way,
along the river. And when / tell you
about him. Virgil, you'll laugh. Before
The war he was professor at Newsome,
! little college up In the scrub-oak
country. He entered the army as a
colonel and came out as a brigadIer.
4 don see anything 10 laugh at In
that"
mo, but wait. He had considerable
money. and at times used to come
to New Orleans to enjoy him.
Ielf. On n occasion he lost all his
money ut roulette"
"Stli nothing TO laugh att
"Nof All the property he had with
was a bodyservant, = Guinea ne
FRO named Dip. SO what does he dot
says TO the proprietor OF the gam-
house: Il wish TO play this u
no. SIR An right I'll take on the