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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1923)
RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF COOOCOCC3COOOOOCOOOOQCOOOCOOOCO THE By Sidney Gowing ifepsccocoscocccccccocccooccoscos "PARTNER!" SVNOI'SI.S.-I)lHllklnK tlio pros pect of u mutitli'H visit to her aus tere aunt, l.ady Hrythea luntia, nt Jprvntilx abbey, ntul her cousin, Alexander Lambe, Almee, vivacious daughter of tliu Wry Itovcrcml Vlmount Hcroopc, wanders Into tlio pailc, there oncotinterliiK u strnnKu youth. Ilu laiiRliliiKly Introduces himself an ' Hilly," Ainurlrnn. Tlio two tide on his motorcycle, the "KlyliiK Sphinx," ntul part. Willi OorRlmi Hcrners, her cousin, Altneo nets out for JcrvmiW. Him derides that (liorglua shall Impersonate hor nt .lervnnlx, while sho roob on ii holiday. UcorKlna's horrified pro test Is unavailing. Alincn nKaln meets "Hilly." Ho tills her his nniiio Is Spencer, unit she given hers ns Amy Snookcs, at present "out of a Job " Hilly offers to tnlto her Into partnership In sellltitf the Sphinx. In u spirit of madcap ml venture, she acceptH. The two pro ceed to the town of Stanhoe, taking scpatnto IoiIkIiiks In Ivy cottnRo. Thru ulKlit Atinec visits CleorKlna mill Icarus that the ileccpllon has dot been dlscoveied. Sho compels (icorKlna to continue tlio suhtcr fiiKc. On n trial spin, with Hilly, Mmeo almoHt collides with u car tIiiku In which aio her mint, Ocor i;lua nud Alexander. The pair ex tape unrecognized. (leorKlna learns Mint l.onl Scroopo Is coming to Halt 1-idy Hrythcn and Is In hope less bewilderment. While Aimed Is Mccretly visit Iiik tieotglnn ut Jcr Mxtilx, tliu place Is burglarized. Almvu escapes. I'ollco decide the thieves are "Jack the Climber" anil "Calamity Kate," who travel on u motorcycle. Hilly, who has shad owed Almee to Jervaulx, follows the thieves. Me Is knocked out, but llnds ho has some cosily emeralds. UcullzinK they must be part of tlio loot from Jervnulx, ho starts for tlio abbey. He meets Almcc, with the police In pursuit. CHAPTER XI Continued. 5 "Close call, partner," lie observed. "I thought It must be they," said Almee breathlessly. "I wonder they haven't culled out tlu military us well. All the countryside seems to be chas ing me! Hilly 1" she said, with a sus picious tremble In her voice, "you'll ielp me, won't you? I'll tell you about It. I I've kept it from you, but I won't any longer. 1 " Hilly laid a hand on liar arm. "Amy," he said quietly, "Just repeat this piece to yourself. Say: 'I'm safe, my partner's lookln nfter me.' Got that? I'll see you through; you've nothln' to worry for at all. Hut we can't till I: here. We've got to bjat It." He picked up the Sphinx. "Follow close after me, an' keep quiet." lie wheeled the machine along the Held path at a run, passed through another gate, crossed n stretch or heathery common-land, ami made for a small copse at the foot of the slope. Almee trotted behind silently, with an odd sense of relief and security. Billy would see It through. He had said so. Ho halted by the copse, and looked round to make sure of his bearings. "It ought to be close bandy her?," be said. "Yes I've got It." lie pushed on to a small bosky dell which led Into a series of old crag pits, masked with brambles. Almee wondered how lu could llnd his way vo conlldently In the dark; she had hot the remotest Idea where she was. "Walt here a minute. I'll come ouck for you," said Hilly. He wheel jd the Sphinx away along n scarcely visible path, and presently let u mod without it. "I was fooling mound here on nn oil' day, llrst tlmu I came to Stanhoe," he said, "an' I lit on something that's goln' to be mighty useful. The old Sphinx lias got to disappear for a bit, an' you'll soon understand why. Fol low behind; there's only room for one at a time." He led the way through tlio bram bles and, pressing ahead,, turned on the light of his pocket torch cau tiously. Almee, close at Ills luols, presently found herself In the en trance of a sandy cae with u cry Huiall mouth, screened by rough creeper and brush. "Thers's seeral of these around here," said Hilly, "hut this Is one you don't llnd unless ou hunt for It wlih a sounding pole. It's a heap quieter spot than the high roads tonight. Sup pose we sit down." They seated themselves on the powdered crag In i cave's mouth. "It's time to show down our hands, partner," mi Id Hilly. "Do you mind putting me wise? Don't leave any thing out. I want the facts." Almee was silent some moments. She found It dllllcult to begin. "It was like this, Hilly." She plunged Into the tale, and went through It from beginning to end leaving out nothing. It took some time. She could hardly seo Hilly In the gloom. He made no comments; ha was so silent that sometimes she wondered If lie was there. Hilly was, for a time, too flabbergasted to speak. At the finish, she heard n stifled, grunting noise, u sense of something shaking. It seemed to touch a spring In Almee. She bowed her head on tier knees and laughed till her checks were wet. "Haven't I torn it!" sha moaned. VUxd I downed Cousin Alexander JOY OF LIVING Copyright 1923 by Sidney Cowing and the butler's got yards of my sklrtrl". Hilly wiped his eyes with his sleeves. "An' you can laugh," he said, with Intense delight, "after all that I tJce, hut you're the stuff 1 Sand right through. You're all right. As long as you can laugh, the Itoil Cods'lt stand by you 1 An' so will I. I'm one of 'em." "Hilly! There's nothing but you between me and thos! beastly police. Hut I'll bet It's enough, What's to be -done?" "Hear my side of It 1" said Hilly, dropping on his knees and producing tlie Jewel cafe. "Here's tha llrst Hem!" He opened the case ond shone the torch upon it. Almee gave a little cry. Hilly explained briefly how he bad come by the gems. He said little Almee Gave a Little Cry. about the struggle; that point was ns sore as the side of bis head. The best of us have our pride. "One of them knocked mo out for a spell, and like n fool I let 'em got away," he said. "I guess I didn't get all the goods, but this looks like an ace flush to ma." "How splendid you are!" cried Al mee, a catch In her voice. "Why, those will be the I.nmbe emeralds. I've heard of them everybody has. They belong to my Aunt Erythea !" "Then I shouldn't wonder If they scooped the Jack-pot. Hut there's some high cards out against us. See here. We had' to run for It. Here's the police prancln' over the country after a man and a woman on a motor cyclefor I guess they must be wise to It. Here's me with the stuff In my pocket, and you with a dress sample In the bauds of the sleuth-hounds, lieen the slaljon-houso for ours, If they'd got us Just now an' there'd he loo much explaining to do. We'd have hit the cells for the night, sure. No place for you, partner. And all the newspapers spreading themselves over It." "I know. It's f-fearful!" "Not a bit !" cried Hilly. "For now j ou can get In ahead of the cops. Don't you see? I'm your folks wise to It lay down all your cards. You're Lord Scroope's duughter you ain't a burglar. (Jive It them straight. I'M stand by an' see jou through." "Hut I can't, Hilly! It'll all have to come out, then. Every bit of It," said Almee with a gasp. "Why, of course It will! It was bound to come out anyway, soon or late. You didn't think ,ou could keep up this .Jervaulx racket? I don't see any way you could do that. Hut you can keep It In the family. You've got to face the music." There was a long pause. "I can't," said Almee, scarcely audibly. Hilly was amazed. If It had not been so dark and an Incredible sup position In any case he would have supposed from her voice that she was crying. "You aren't afraid?" he said won derlngly. "Of a row? No! It Isn't that." Hilly sat down beside her. "What Is It then, partner?" he said gently. "I never thought ef It till fJeorgie told me," said Almee In stilled tones. "Told you what?" be answered qui etly. "What's the trouble?" "About staying there. I Ivy cot tage!" Hilly moved slightly. "I I don't quite get you," he said. "I can't tell Dad I" Almee put her hands over her eyes and burst Into tears. "I daren't I Hilly, what am I to do!" CHAPTER XII A Gambler's Chance. Hilly stared straight before him, When at last ho found Ids voice, It had so dazed a tone that Almee hardly Illustrations recognized It. Hcinld a bund on her shoulder. "This thing's got me guessing," said Hilly slowly. "I I don't know what" "Of course, you never thought twice about It. And no more did It" said Almee. "I didn't care! And I don't care now! or I wouldn't if it wasn't for Dud. Hut people it's all this mis erable sentiment that's what's wrong." '"Yes?" said Hilly dlsully. "Well" "And now why, the police nro look 'ng for n man and woman on u motor cycle, and thci'll And out we were at Ivy cottage. They'll got my de scription. And even when they And out who I really am" Hilly drew In Ids breath sharply. "Cleorgle told me It was my finish even before this silly burglary hap pened," continued Almee gloomily. "fJeorgie knows about these sort of things. It Isn't the burglary that mat ters. I could get over that. It's this this other thing." Hilly was silent. "The Idea is," continued Almee, with the same remarkable calm, "thnt I'e lost my character; like n luAisemald that's been stealing, or n groom caught selling tho corn. Only I hnven't been caught yet. "Hut If Dad knew! You don't know my father, Hilly. I couldn't ex plain him to you. Dad Is just nbout the dearest thing that ever lived In his way. Hut he belongs to n time about two hundred years bnck. Mother would understand ; but not Dad. It's his creed that a girl mustn't be oven suspected. It was only tonight Cieor glim told me this tiling would well, It would break- bis heart. And I know him; I see she's right. If you and I" "Stop!" said Hilly hoarsely. "Don't sny any more. I I've got to think this thing out." Almee found that ho hnd suddenly left her. Presently she became aware of the outlines of his big flgure, stand ing motionless Just outside the cave He wns there quite a long time. Al mee sat where she was, twisting her handkerchief between her Angers. She felt very much calmer. The trouble and the stress were now with Billy. He came back, and stood over her. "I'm n coyote," lie said quietly. "What I need Is a quirt luld across me. I've been a fool." "Not u bit!" said Aimeo quickly. "How should you know?" "It was my business to know! There Isn't any excuse. Hut things are so different, where I come from. And I don't know anything ubout women. We think a lot of women, down my way, but we don't talk about them much. Partner, this thing I've let you In for through my foolish nessIt's broken me all up." "Hecause I'm Lord Scroope's daugh ter?" "No!" said Hilly shortly. "He the same If you were his housemaid. Hut It's up to me to see you clear you and him, too. And I'll do It." Ills voice wns so confident thnt Almee's trouble fell away from her, ns a sun-ripened chestnut sheds Its prickly husk. "What uro we to do then, Hilly?" "It seems to me," said Hilly gently, "that the simplest way Is the best way. Let's you an' me go to Hip old man. No use talkln' nbout It hero. I'll put It straight for you, partner." "No !" "I hope I can make him see sense even If he's two hundred years old, ns you say. It's all my fault. It Isn't yours not one scrap of It. I won't say much hut come right nlnng with mo to your father now an' leave the talking to me." Almee rose. "Never! I won't hnvo It, Hilly!" she said desperately. "I don't know I don't know what you might say. If It comes out I'm done for anyhow; I'm going to take the chance thnt It won't ! There must bo a way to stop It there must be some wny. "It's my trouble mine! And I won't have It given away." Hilly drew a quick breath and straightened himself. "It!ght!" ho said. "Those are the orders. I accept them. I s'pose a man can't give away a girl's secret, If she wants It kept. I know that much." "Why, of course," said Almee sim ply. "Hut will you please understand, Hilly, that I'm not going to drag you Into tills. The best thing you can do Is to get away out of It all. I shall mimiige till right. I don't want to" "Cut that out," said Hilly very qui etly. "It don't go." There was a pause. "I did think, for a while, it might be best for you. Hut that's wrong. I've got to bo right on hand, for I'll bo wnnted. Now hold on while I tell you what we've got to do." "Yes?" said Almee eagerly. Hilly stretched out a long arm, plucked a leaf from tho bramble that screened the cave, and chewed It pen sively. "There's Just a gambler's chance," he said at last. "It's pretty thin like drawing to a throe-card flush. Hut It's wonderful how they como off sometimes, If you back yout luck, good an' full." by ELLSWORTH YOUNG x He flashed the torch round the walls of tho cave. "What d'yoii think of tills placer "It's snug." "Snug!" echoed Hilly ndmlrlngly. "That's you ! It would give some women fits. Hut you've sand. Do you think," he added dlflldently, "that you could make out here for n bit? Could you sleep here?" "Certainly I could. Why, they'll never And mo!" "Come up here," said Hilly, leading tho way along tho cave, which turned In a long curve, narrowing to n very small space. At the end stood the Sphinx. "She'll have to stay here, too. There's a bit of risk to that hut very little. We can't help It. In the pan-nlor-ense you'll And iron rations, n can-opener, biscuits, an' chocolote. I olwnjs carry those. Down the pit yonder, Just by tho alder bush, Is a spring of water. That settles sup plies. "Now, the llrst deal is to keep you right out of ''o way. For a few hours, perhaps for a day or more I can't sny how long. Hut we've got to put up n hi. i. And you'll be at least as safe lieio as anywhere In the British Isles. "Our host cb.-n' e Is thnt the police may get tho I nieclots onto the real thieves right away. I'm not much stuck on thnt chance. Police, wher ever you strike 'em, are well, they're Just police. We're in a lot more dan ger from them than that dead-beat who broke Into Jervaulx, and the fe mnle rattlesnnke lie hart along. The police mustn't get you, at any price. And tiny mustn't get mo either. Only there's more to it than that. Half a hundred things. There's n mighty tangled deal In front of me. "Now, I'm going to sail right in. All you've got to do Is lie here In this cache till about seven or eight o'clock. I'll bo back here by then. If I'm not," said Hilly quietly, "it'll be because I've fallen through. Yoti bet your life I won't. Hut if I don't get here by then, you must throw your hand In, Just get straight to your father, best way you can. Do you promise thnt?" "Y-yes! But tell mo what you're going to do, Billy 1" she said breath lessly. "I can't tell you anything. I'll Iinve to piny the hand as It's dealt me; it Just depends how tho cards fall. And don't you worry any!" he said ear nestly. "If you get doubtful or scary, Just wash It right out of your mind, nn' sny this: 'Billy's running the thing for me, nn' he'll see mo through! I'm orf. Shake 1" Witli u sudden gesture Almee put both her hands in ids. He gave them a crushing grip, und broke into the sunniest smile. "Wo sure nro seeln' life, partner!" ho chuckled. Almee replied with n rnther tremu lous laugh. The next moment Billy had dropped her hands, and wns gone. Onco clenr of the crag-pits, Billy made for the road by another route. While climbing u gnte he glanced nt the luminous dial of his wrist watch, if Billy Laid Before Her the Lambe Em eralds. and emitted n whlstlo of consterna tion. Almee's account of herself wns absorbing, but ho did not realize till now what nn unconscionable time they hnd spent In the envo. The night was nearlng Its close. Billy avoided tho roads. lie struck tight across country and reached Ivy cottngc with us little loss of time as possible. Hut tho eastern sky wns rapidly lightening when ho arrived. Filtering tho gnrden with extreme cnu Hon, Hilly found everything quiet, llo climbed tho trellis deftly, and heaved himself through Almeo'a window. With a certain senso of emhnrrass ment Billy swept tho walls with his torch, unhooked tho blue dust-cloak that hung on tho door, folded it smnll, nnd packed It Insldo his Jncket. That was the main object of tho expedition. ft mi ., n cHl I h M A J3f . V . --A. ry.t JH9H shBBf He also annexed a enko of soap, n towel and a brush and comb these latter he had himself bought for Almcc ut Sydcrford on the Arst morning. Billy again descended the trellis, raked over his footprints carefully, nnd with all possible speed shook the mud of Ivy cottngo from his feet. It wns broad daylight when he had crossed tho fields and came within sight of Jervnulx abbey. Ho hid the cloak and Its accessories under a thorn bush, glanced nt his watch again, seated himself under the hedge, und lit n cigarette. He drew the Jewel case from his pocket nnd examined tho necklace, thoughtfully emitting pulTs of smoke. Then lie replaced tho case In his pocket nnd finished his cigarette, his smooth forehead wrinkling Into tiny Hues. Finally ho rose and walked briskly towards the entrance lodge or Jervnulx. There was nn electric bell In the groat porch. He pulled n pendant handle of wrought Iron, and was an swered by an archaic clanging Inside. After n brief pause tho doors were thrown open by Tarheatix the butler. Ho looked nt Hilly Inquiringly. "I want to see tho proprietor on urgent liusinoss," said Billy. "Is he up yet?" "If you menn Lady Krythea Lambe," snid Mr. Tnrbeuux with dignity, "her ladyship bus not yet risen." "I nin a strnnger here," said Billy, "but what I want you to do Is get a message to hor lndyshlp that It will ho worth her while to see mo ns soon as convenient. Say I've Important news about some property that's miss ing from here." Mr. Tai beaux became more nlert. "Como tills' way," he said, and Billy followed him. In loss thnn ten minutes Lady Fry then arrived, pallid after her night of stress, but unconquerable, clad In n purple wrap. Billy turned to face that tremendous presence. "What do you wnnt to see me about?" she said sternly. With his sunniest smile, Billy opened the leather case and laid be fore her tho Lambe emeralds. CHAPTER XIII "Very Good, My Lady." "Do these Interest you, madame?" said Billy simply. Lady Krythea stared as though tho green gems hypnotized her. Then, with n little gasp of Joy, she lifted them from tlio enso with trembling fingers. It was one of the rnre occa sions of her llfo when Lady Erythea exhibited emotion. She laid down tlio ncckiaco nnd looked at Billy ns one might regard n materialized angel. Before she could speak, however, Mr. Alexander Lambe entered the room. It hns been snid that Mr. Lambo's eyes were large. They expanded In descrlhnbly when ho saw tho Lambe necklace lying on tho table. Ho closed the door softly behind him, nnd ap proached the table In an awestruck manner. Ho glanced from the emeralds to Lady Frythen's face, and then, some what sternly, nt Hilly. "How did you come by these?" snid Lndy Erythea, pointing to the em eralds. Suddenly she presented the ear-trumpet at Hilly. "Explain!" Tho car-trumpet startled Billy n little. He felt so he declared to Aimeo afterward as If Lady Erythea hnd the drop on him. But his face, as he answered, wns Ingenuous as a baby's. "I was passing by your park gates early this morning, on my way to Sy dcrford. It was past one, an' the house was dark. When I got to the place where tho lane turns Into the road I lienrd a motorcycle coming up behind, h 1 for coming mighty quick," said Billy, turning pink, "it camo right by me, pretty near out of control. It hadn't any lights, there was n bend Just nhend, an' I heard It crash." Hilly delivered this with a beautiful fluency Into the ear-trumpet. "I Just ran In on them," pursued Billy, "for I didn't hnvo to stop nn' flgure It out that an outfit traveling that way with lights out nt one In the morning was up to any good. They wero Just picking themselves up when I arrived, and they went for me " "Was It u man and a woman?" ex claimed Mr. Lambe. "You've bit It, sir." "My dear aunt!" cried Alexander, "tho Inspector told me, nfter you re tired, that ho suspected n man and a woman, on a motorcycle, of being the thieves! They can be no other than thoso people who ran Into us yester day on the Sydcrford road " "Hold your tongue, Alexander," In terrupted Lady Er.Uhea Impatiently, "and allow this amazing young man to continue!" "There was some scrap," said Hilly dlflldently, "inaybo If there'd been two men I'd have done better, but the lady hampered me, and somehow I 'took the count. They knocked me out, nnd got away. But they left this behind them," he pointed to tho case of em eralds, "and it looks like they never know they'd lost It. I don't know, madam, If there was anything else of yours they got. If so, I'm very sorry I didn't attach it, and rope the two thieves for. you ns well. But, with tho pair of them, It wns rather u roughhouse. I did my best." Tliero was n flush of admiration on Lady Erythea's high cheek-bones. "Yes, there wero other Jewels sto len," she snid, "hut their value Is tho merest trlllo compared to. what you have restored to me. These cmernlds nro my most priceless family posses sion. They nro historic nothing could hnvo recompensed mo for the loss of them. Your conduct has been not only Intelligent, but extraordi narily gallant. May I ask your name?" "Spencer. William Spencer." "Mr. Spencer, it Is Impossible for me to express my gratitude In words. I thank you most heartily for what you have done; It Is fortunntu for mo tho emeralds fell Into such good hands. Let me say that 1 was about) to offer n reward for Information leading to tho recovery of tho Jewels; n reward of" Lndy Erythea hesi tated, and achieved an inward strug gle "one hundred pounds. Hut I must really ask you to accept a hun dred nnd fifty." Lady Erythea unlocked n desk, and produced n check-book. Billy flushed red. "Madam," he said quietly, "tho serv Ico I did you cost me nothing. I'm glad you hnvo your Jewels bnck. I'm n man who earns his living, but I don't ucccpt gratuities. And people very scarcely ever offer them to me." Lndy Erythea turned somcwhnt pink in her turn. She slid the check book aside. "I beg your pardon," she said, with some cmhnrrassment, mingled with re lief and a touch almost of annoyance. "It was the least I could do. You will nccept no recompense?" "None, inadnui. Anyway not it money." j "You arc not English, are you?" "American. And n Westerner, n! thnt." "Ah ! You have done mo n great service. Is there nothing I can do for you?" Before Billy could reply, Mr. Tnr. beaux opened the door. "M'lndy, Inspector I'nnkc " ' Mr. Taibeaux's gaze felLon the em eralds. Ho was very human for n butler, nnd it took him ii fraction o u second to recover himself. "Inspector I'nnko urgently desires to see your ladyship at once." "Show him In here," said Lady Ery. then grimly. Billy did jiot move nn eyelid. It seemed to him thnt Mr. Lambo's sol emn eyes were watching him rathe Intently. Inspector I'nnko nppeared. It was n great day In the Lambe e-n-eralds' hlrtory. Tho- Inspector wrt the Afth person in whom they enlist 1 Intense emotion. "Well, have you caught the thieves? Inquired Lndy .Erythea, acidly. "No-nr., my lady," stammered In spector I'nnko, gazing nt the necklace. "Perhaps you had better enlist tha sendees of Mr. Spencer," said her ladyship, with n wnve of her hand townrd Billy. "This young man has already found tho emeralds and re stored them to me." "Then," snid Panke, with a search ing glance at Billy, "I should like n full account, at once, of how you cama by the Jewels." "Sure," said Billy genially. Mr. Lambe set chnlrs for them both. All four seated themselves; Lndy Ery thea, with an nvhl determination to keep nbreast of nffalrs, held her ear trumpet close to Hilly and the police man. Hilly repented his tale with fuller detail this time, and described, not without a twinge of embarrassment, his downfall at the bnnds of Calamity ICate. Lady Erythea's lips tightened grimly, the description did not sur prise her. The Inspector hnd his book before him nnd made careful notes. At tho conclusion he regarded Billy pensively, and with n touch or envy. "It's n pity you didn't hang on to them, when you'd got them In hand," said Panke. "But, of course, we knort what Calamity Kate Is." "Who?" echoed Billy. Panke described briefly tho populaf nnmes of the two thieves, nnd what little was known nbout them. "And now, Mr. Spencer, I hnve some questions to put to you for tho In formation of the police. This hap pened between one nnd two o'clock. It Is now seven. What became of you in the meantime?" Billy turned to the light and al lowed Panke to Inspect tho wound on tho side of his head, only partially concealed by his hair. "If you'd had thnt," said Billy, "I guess you'd bo lyln' on the grass yon der now." "A severe cut," 'said the Inspector, Impressed. "And you lay unconscious there till daybreak?" exclaimed Lady Erythea with Intense sympathy. "It might have been a week, for all I knew when I woke up. When I'd got my senses buck, nn' mnde up my mind what to do," said Billy calmly, "I came along here." "Didn't It occur to you," said Punke, "that the right tiling to do was to go to tho police?" "No. It occurred to me the first thing to do was to get the stuff straight back to Its owner." . "And perfectly tight, too!" said Lady Erjthea sharply. "How did you know," persisted Panke, "that the necklaco belonged hero?" Billy turned over tho necklnco and pointed to tho llttlo gold-ennmel pend ant that bore tho Lambo arms In a lozenge. "Those three sheepskins" he be gan. "Fleeces fleeces, nrgent," mur mured Mr. Lnmbe. "nro tho snmo brand ns thoso on tho shields over tho lodge gates here, which I noticed as I came by. And the thieves wero coming from this ill rectlon when I struck them." "What do you th'lnk of It, Billy?" she said. "Aren't I tho complete Amy Snooks?" (TO UK CONTINUED.) Don't disturb roursclL