The Winslow mail., 1923-03-23

L
the laurels till Grundle went to his
dinner, and then l attended to the car
especially the magnetic. 1 did it ar
tistically. You can take it from me,
the old bus will never leave Scroope
today Dads visit is washout. He's
no time to get here except by car
l know he has to catch the ten o'clock
mail train from Seabridge. He'll have
to take the carriage there-and start
early, too"
Billy emitted stifed noise
ITS all to save Dad pain and
worry" said Aimee complacently.
zone must consider ones parents.
Never do to have him coming here just
now"
Great Christopher" said Billy.
'But that doesn't explain how"
I'm coming to that. 1 made cir
cult through the Home wood to the
cottage where Amy Shocks lives with
her old grandmother. tackled up and
down in the otfing till 1 saw grand
mamma toddle away on her usual af-
ter-dinner visit to the woodcutters
wife, and I nipped indoors to have it
out with my dear old Snooks. 1 found
her packing for Jervaulx, and 1 told
her what l wanted her to do.
Amy Snooks is what you call stolid
and I've broken her in very well-but
I'm bound to say she was absolutely
paralyzed this time. But she surren-
! dered, before I'd done with her. She
| just came to heel. 1t may surprise
you, Billy, but she simply adores me.
Amy never refused me anything in
her life.
Having melted her into flexible con-
ditiOn, l borrowed one of her print
dresses (she hadn't another black
one) and her second-best coat, and did
my hair like hers. I'm jolly good at
doing hair.
''1o cut it short, 1 cleared out and
tramped across country to Pilbrook
station and took the afternoon train.
Amy joined it with her two tin boxes
at Burnt Ash, and 1 got into her car
riage at the next stop. l gave her all
the money I had, and made her go on
to Seabridge with one of the boxes.
She'll get herself lodgings there and
have a good time till further orders
she can last a week, anyhow. l took
the other box and came on here. And
now, partner-what about 1t? Wasn't
it a brain-wave?"
Billy took off his cap and made dis
order of his honey-colored hair.
"YOu mean to tell me,," ne said diZ-
zily, that girl fell for it-just because
you told her to?"
"Ah, you don't understand the
feudal spirit" said Aimee complacent-
ly. There have been Snooks in the
Home wood ever since there we're
Scroopes in Scroope Towers. They
help each other When Amy and |
were kids and went birds-nesting, she
was always underneath when 1 fell
out Of the tree. She has irregular
features, but heart of gold. And, by
the way, Of course Aunt Erythea has
never seen Amy-she engaged her on
Dads recommendation"
"But she's seen your exclaimed
Billy, "when you crashed the Sphinx
into her carriage"
Only for half a second. She's blind
as q bat She'll never know me- Isn't
it great, Billy?"
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"Great Caesars ghost!" he said, ex-
plosively, ut is! You're right The
last place on earth those fool police
would ever find you or look for you,
Is the house where the burglary hap
pened. It's better than the cave, any
way. You'll be right under my eye /;
and among your own folk in case real
trouble came. But"
"But what?"
"Why, you can't do it! You, par
lormaid to Lady Erythea? It's the
acid test Partner, you could never
get away with it."
Aimee regarded him pityingly
"Billy, l may not know anything
about men, she said, "but you
know less than nothing about
women There isn't the woman
living, from six years old upwards,
that isn't a born actress, when she has
to be- Most of US are acting all day
and every day-whether you guess it
or not l don't do that myself-that's
why you and l get on. But l can! 1
can get away with it, Billy"
He put on his cap with bang.
'Then let's get on! he gasped
There's nothing else for it now. The
boats are burned. Away for Jervaulx !"
He leaned over and opened the rear
door Of the car. Jump down, part
ner, and get in behind"
81 sha'n't! What for?"
"Get down, tell you," said Billy,
sternly. "Ive been warned about this
If I'm seen talking to parlor maids
get fired. In with you"
Aimee obeyed like a lamb
"This has got my nerve" groaned
Billy, as he let in the clutch. Here's
where we get ours"
He drove at furious pace till, turn