The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-08-31


"What can have happened 10 himT'
"Buck up; / guess he's all right
really. Why shouldn't he be? See
here, it was a foreign-looking guy he
went off after. Maybe they've gone
abroad-to Poland, or something like
that?"
Tuppence shook her head. I've
seen that man, Boris something, since.
He dined with Mrs. Vandemeyer last
night"
"Mrs. Who?"
81 forgot. OF course you don't
know all that"
I'm listening" said julius, and
gave vent TO his favorite expression.
Put me wise"
Tuppence thereupon related the
events of the last two days. julius
establishment and admiration were
unbOunded.
"Bully for you! Fancy you q me-
NAL. 1t just tickles me to death!"
Then he added seriously: "But say,
now, 1 don't like 1t, Miss Tuppence,
sure don't. These crooks we're up
against would as soon croak a girl as
a man any day."
ooh, bother me-" said Tuppence
impatiently. Lets think about what
can have happened to Tommy. I've
written to Mr.. Carter about it," she
added, and told him the gist of her
letter.
julius nodded gravely.
Il guess that's good as far as 1t
goes. But it's for us to get busy and
do something. / guess we'd better
get on the track of Boris. You say
he's been to your place. Is he likely
TO come againT
"IIe might. ! really don't know"
buy a car, a slap-up one, dress rs a
chauffeur and hang about outside.
Then If Boris comes, you could make
some Kind Of signal, and I'd trail
him. How's that?"
splendid, but he mightn't come
for weeks.
Wen have to chance that. I'm
glad YOU like the plan" He rose.
"Where are YOU EOing?'
"To buy the car, of course" replied
julius, surprised. I'll be round in 1t
in half an hour"
Tuppcnce got up.
you're awfully good, Julius. But
| can't help feeling that it's rather Il
forlorn hope. I'm really pinning my
faith to Mr.. Carter. BY the way, l
forgot to tell you Of a queer thing
that happened this morning"
And she narrated her encounter
with Sir James Peel Edgerton. julius
was interested.
"What did the guy mean, do you
thinkY" he asked.
II don't quite know" said Tup-
pence meditatively. "But / think
that, in an ambiguous, legal, without
p%rejudiceish lawyers way, he was
trying to var me-"
"Why should he? See here, we
don't want any lawyers mixed up in
this. That guy couldn't help us any,"
"Well, l believe he could" reiter-
ated Tuppence o~bstinately.
Don't you think 1t. SO long. I'll
be back in half an hour
T~hirty-five minutes had elapsed
when julius returned. He took Tup-
pence by the arm, and walked her
to the window.
"There she is.
"Oh!" said Tuppence with a note
Of reverence in her voice, as she
gazed down at the car.
Friday and Saturday passed I'M
eventually. Tuppence had received a
brief answer to her appeal from Mr..
Carter. In IT he pointed out that the
Young Adventures had undertaken
the work at their own risk, and had
been fully warned Of the dangers.
If anything had happened to Tommy
he regretted it deeply, but he could
do nothing.
This was cold comfort. 1t seemed
to the girl that, for the first time, she
realized the sinister character Of the
mission they had undertaken so light
heartedly. 1t had begun like a page
Of Now, shorn Of it's glamor,
1t seemed to be turning to grim real
ity. Tommy-that was all that mat
tered. Many times in the day Tup-
pence blinked the tears out Of her
eyes resolutely. Little fool" she
would apostrophize herself. "don't
SWIVEL. OF course you're fond of him.
You've known him all your Life. But
there's no need to be sentimental
about It."
In the meantime, nothing more was
seen Of Boris. He did not come to
the fat. and julius and the car wait
ed In vain. Tuppence gave herself
over to new meditations. Whilst ad-
hitting the truth Of julius objec-
ton, she had nevertheless not entire
ly relinqulshed the idea Of appealing
to Sir James Peel Edgerton. Indeed,
she had gone so far as to look up
his address in the Red Book. Had
he meant to warn her that day? II
SO, why? Tuppence decided, with her
usual shake of the shoulders, II was
worth trvinC and fry n sho wnuId