Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1923-09-13

be found even against his Wilt"
eff he isn't sixteen kinds Of a fool.
| think l caught them all. my dear,
but II I left any out. please repeat"
YES" admitted the lady question
mark; "your legal mind answered them
all. Now tell me Just your human self
If you were In Bobby's place, would
you want to be found by you for the
purpose that you want to find him
fort"
Mr.. Milyuns did not pretend for one
second that he did no understand the
preposterously worded query.
"You bet I would" he answered
promptly and emphatically. "Now tell
me what you've got up your sleeve.
Please. Madge: that's a dear grill II
you only knew how I'm worried seven
times a day"
I'm trying to tell you" broke In
Miss Van Teller, but you talk so
much I can't get in anywhere. Last
night. a taxi brought me home from
er-from q drive. and the cabman was
Bobby, looking simply stunning In one
of those awfully high-collared. khaki,
waist-effect wOolly coats, chauffeur's
cap. tan puttees. boots. and all"
yes, yes" interrupted Mr.. MIlyuns :
Il know now just how he looked. What
was the license-number Of the car, and
to which company did 1t belongf"
A long pause.
"Why. I didn't notice"
Thanks awfully. my dear"
Sound Of hanging up the receiver.
$50 there you are" said Mr.. Milyuns
We've got this far and, by a fiuke en-
tirely unconnected with the twenty-five
sleuths ! have been p~ensloning In ad-
vance of their lifelong service, Robert
Is driving n Of the sixty-three thou
sand taxicabs that infest the streets
Of New York"
poor dear" said Pamela, tears ris-
ing to her adorable eyes. Then she dis
missed Mr.. Mllyuns, who would gladly
have fingered. II have to go out nov
I'm so sorry. but thank you very. very
much"
Cant I drop you wherever you're
going?" asked the very human mind OF
the leading legal authority on corpora
ton hedge-rows and byways.
'Oh, no." said Pamela, translucent
as love itself; Il shall go In taxls."
How many vulgar vehicles for hire
were blessed by the transient presence
of Miss Thornton during the text eve
hours Is a matter of gross mathematics
and consequently beneath the ken Of
an intelligence that can chat along
about nice things like Pamela and Rob-
ert Randolph for pure pleasure and
subsequently sell the remarks for cold
cash. Five minutes to spot q lively
cab. FIVE minutes to ticket the driver
and pile him on the discard. two more
TO find her purse, three more to look
innocent; then start all over again.
Divide eve times sixty minutes by
all that. and you've got her number.
Let us leave the statistical fiend and
pass on to seven O'Clock Of the near
Christmas evening when Miss Thorn
ton was momentarily out Of a cab
and strolling down the slope Of the
hump In West Fifty-seventh street A
mushy snowman had just begun to
fall. giving anyone with the price a
splendid u for taking a cab any
where for anywhere. Before the portal
Of the Great Northern Lights squatted
four taxis In a line. In the drivers
seat Of the rearmost Of these, and con-
s~eqIently the last on the rank, a lank
human being was buried in an enor-
nous ~turned-up collar rooted by a
chauffeur's cap set at m angle Of
slumber.
Pamela. the very moment her eyes
fell on the recumbent figure. felt that
short quick leap Of the blood In her
veins which Is ordinarily termed O
"hunch." She longed to step forward
and raise the yelling headgear. but she
dared not, for not only was the hotel
starter on the job but also the window
shades Of the Poppy club next door
were still elevated by special request.
owing to the slippery state Of the side
walk In conjunction with the home
ward-bound stream Of d~ress-models.
As a consequence. she was necessar-
fly content with opening the car door
for herself and stepping In. The starter
politely begged her TO pass 10 the taxi
NJ the head Of the rank and just as
politely she informed him that her feet
were wet enough as IL was. In the
meantime. even her light weight on
the running-bOard had startled the
driver into ~wakefulness and. without
going through any motions. be had
heard the unforgettabIe tones Of her
voice.
The starter shrugged his shoulders
barked out an address In Fifty-ninth
street and kindly Offered TO turn her
over for him The driver laid tretn'
bling hands on the wheel and cautious
] ly drew himself Up TO . sitting posi-