4
THE OMAHA SUNDAY- BEE: MAT S. 1910.
Birds on Our Street
Featured Chorister Who Sahte the Coming Day with Notts of Joy
Buiy Hu&ileri Into Whose Lives the Uoise of a Greftt City Bring Ko
Terror Omaha Haj a Great Variety of Them in It Many Shade Tree.
BY EMILT WOOD.
UR street is a qilt byway,
shade! by jour.g (Ims and ma
ples. Here and th'ie a great
cottonwool stands, marki.-ig the
file of some farm hous of
eariy days. A car line crosses
o
the Hrt; t! e transfer po rt of three line
is nearby. The hum cf the trolley ar.d the
roiae of traffic t.pon pavements are aud.t'.e
all day and far Into the right, yet our
trees shelter more than thirty varieties of
birds. We are kindly folk on our street
and the wild creatures lave grown used to
u.. They are molested by tats, of course,
but a bird ifcms to look upon a cat as we
do upon appendcill. It is a constant
menace, threatenir; roth the Just and the
unju arid not to N? averted by taking
tiinug.it. No man moves because his
ne'.ehbor has died of ajiper.dk .t:s; hy
M Lnui a bird move because his neighbor
' Has died of a rat?
The plum, peach and t berry tres in our
yard, the roses, clematis and loneysuckles
climbing about ..ur p'.irches furnish shelt'r
and abundant f"d f. r tnartv immigrant.
Tie vacant lots rea-h,'. Just now new
plowed, attract tie sturdier birds.
Before the drfwn las co-Tie the bird life
'ji infl !ireT. is inr. i ne catona waieens
lirst. At half rast 3 he hegins a series
of drearry gurl!n.;s. .mackingg and fluid
rippiinga of sound. Fur l.alf an hour hia
Is the only voice heard. Then far aay
the field spairow wakes and tr:lls his
near notes so fraught with the spirit of
solitude. The sunlight touches the cotton
woods beaide the car line and the tobins
face th east with their full-toned praise
of the morn.
Soon the whole colony is aaake. A
downy woodpecker works his way about
the rough crevices In the bark. A red
headed woodpecker drums vigorously upon
some dead ilmu or with a raucous shriek
dashes away at the sound of tha first car.
Flickers make the welkin ring, d think
we have a welkin on our street; at any
rate 1 know it rings.) Elue Jays bounce
Vghtly up the maple trees and swing upon
-Jifie plant bough. They shout murder
and sudden death at the world and at the
same moment exchange sweet confidences
In soft tones of love. I believe Dean Swift
to have been the only other creature who
could make the change from Billingsgate
to love's "little language with equal rapid
ity and grace.
A flock of cowblrd settles upon the Cot
tonwood. Sidling about with many gro
tesque bows, they exchange empty com
pliments of the day. Thoreau once said
of the g rack Us' chattering. "As nature Is
becoming, these notes may become melodi
ous at last." and there Is the same basis
for belief that the cowblrd may be evolved
Into a songster of degree. He may even
learn to conform to the conventions of the
bird world and cease to be a disreputable
hanger-en In society. Just now Ms field
of usefulness Is limited and his economic
value very smaJL It Is. however, a pleas
ing thing to sea Chat It is not only among
L.aV - V
tCopyright, 1510. by Bobbs-Merr ill Co.)
(IHPTEH ..
AT THE BOARDING HOUSE
I had not been home f ir thlrty-siv hours
Since the morning of the preceding day.
Johnson was not in sieht. and I let my
elf in quietly with my. latch key. It was
almost midnight, and I had hardly settled
! m- V in the library when the bell rang
tinV) I was surprim-d to find Hotchklss,
'much out of breath, in the vestibule.
Why. come In. Mr. llotchklss." I said.
"1 thought you i r R uns home to go to
red '
iv.o I was, n I w.-.' Ur dropped Into
jf chair beaide my reading lamp and
mojiped his face. "Ar.d here it is almost
midnight, and I'm wiiirr awake than ever.
I've seen Sullivan. Mr. Blakeley "
"You have."
'I have," he said impie&sively.
! "You were fallowing . Bior.son at I
I o'clock. Was that when it happened?'
' "Something of the r orv When I left you
(at the dour of the reefaurart. I turned and
almost ran irto a plain clothes man from
the central office. 1 knew him preity well;
lice or twice he has taken me with him
ion lntensUr.jr bits of work. He knows
; my hobby.
"You know him. too. probably. It was
i the mail Arnold, the detective w hom ihe
(state's attorney has had watching Bron
son." Johr.son beins otherwise occupied, I had
atked for Arnold m self.
1 nodded.
"Well, he stopped me at once; fcard he'd
been o.i the fellow's tracks since early
mornirg and had ro time for lunchr-on.
Bront-on. it seem, i&n'l eating much these
days. I at once jotted doan the fact, tio
cUM it argued that he was being both
ered by the man with the notes."
"It nujl.t p int to other ihinss." I
eussesteO. "liid.Kestlon, you know."'
Hotchkiti Ignored n e. "Well, Arnolt had
some reifoi f ,r th liking that Bronson
would try to give him the slip that iiiRht.
he asked ne to stay around the private
entrance' there while he ran across the
ttt ai:d get scm-thir.g to eat. It
-0M a fair preemption that, aa ho had
goue theie witii a lady, they would dine
leiure!y. and Atr !d v.ould have plenty
of time lo get K-u-k."
"What about i.-r otn dinner?" I asked
curiously.
"S.r,- he ai.s-.irid p"" .?ju!y. "I ha-e
givtu Jou a wroi-c .i i r.e uf Wil.-oa Bu31
llotrhkiss if ou t...; -k tr;..t a yii, i,n of
dinner w .uld eve". eb'.ru.t !tlf on h i
rnind at such a time a tikis."
He waa a fra-l lutic man. ar.d tonight
tie locked P!' v. i.h heat a id over,
-.art ion.
h Did jou liave any lu!;cnjr. ? ' 1 akd.
, !) r.a ttfUt eit.l i i a.vm1 at that.
1 1rcallyA- Elakeley. ihe evtria o
T: doy were sj e.ngiowii.g "
"WeU. 1 sa-id, "I n r.ol soiif t see
i
V 'T
men that utter Inefficiency is combined
with perfect complacency.
Next to the corner a half dosen cherry
trees attract the chiwde the year round.
All winter this familiar call greets one.
Now they cry, "See rnel Pee mel" as thejr
swing head downward from some larvae
laden twip.
Bluebirds sit upon e'rr telephone wires
rolling out their plaintive "truely, truely."
Their sapphire flight brings a dosen lively
sayings to one's mind. Maurice Thompson
raid, "His flight is a poem In Itself. As
he poes trembling and wavering along
through the air and sunshine, he adds to
e Miy day Just the touch which makes It
perfe t." Thoreau calls the bluebird's
wartle "The accent of the south wind, its
vernacular." and again "Blue birds warble
curls through the air."
Kingbirds contend noisily over some hap
less insect. Their satin-white breasts, black
coats and severe attitude as they perch
upon wires or fence posts, give them a min
isterial air. The topsy-turvy antics as
they follow the erratic flight of their in
sect prey make us suspect the clown be
neath the cleric's dress.
In the new ploughed f.elds where soon
the rose-breasted grosbeak will be har
vesting potato beetles, the meadow lark
moves about sedately. He searches for cut
and wire worms, the wile whistling his
few notes of absolute purity. He is so
eareful to hide his yellow throat and Jt
black collar that the children on the
street refuse to believe that these belong
with the dull brownish black and white
marked tall with which they are familiar.
Flourishing families of wrens pervade
our yard ell summer. They quarrel
among themselves, blackn j.rd cats and
men without fear or favor, and In rare
moments of peace, ravish the ear with the
most Joyous flood of song known to bird
dom. Before the first of May we have had only
the winter residents ar.d the hardier spring
birds, the seed eaters and destroyers of
grubs and larvae. With the coming of the
oriole the first week of May there begins
the great migration of -the Irsect eaters.
Some stav with 'us all summer, but many
go on to the northern woods to nest. This
week we hear the pipe of the oriole and
Joy In his black and orange glory as he
rashes about the maple trees. Many
frequent the street, but no two have Just
the same notes. One bird, which visited
us for two summers, seemed to have a
regular sound to follow each day. His
scng was so different from others on the
street that we could trace him at he wokd
his way from tree to tree.
Tha yellow-throat, gay little masker,
flits among the weeds or perches upon the
fencing of our chicken yards, flinging Ms
"Which way. s'r?" at each passerby.
Goldfinches undulate above us calling
tremulously. Now and then one sits him
down to sing. This is no desultory perform
ance. He uses all the trills and quavers,
the synocopatiors and crescendos of a
house canary. If the Jet black cap he wears
upon his yellow head were a trifle less
Jaunty In its effect, we might take him
7A
pua rS La i rcasfe; . lfi
you drop on the floor from exhaustion.
Just wait a minute.
I went back to the pantry, only to be
confronted with rows of locked doors and
empty dishes. Downstairs, in the base
ment kitchen, however, I found two unat
tractive looking cold chops, some dry breed
and a piece of case, wrapped In a napkin,
and from Its surreptitious and generally
hang-dug appearance, destined for the
coachman in the stable at the rear. Trays
ihere were none everything but the chairs
and tables seemed under lock and- key, and
there was neither napkin, knife nor fork
to be found.
The luncheon was sot attractive in ap
pearance, but Hotchklss ate his cold chops
and gnawed at his crusts a though he
had been famished, while he told his story.
"I had been there only a few minutes."
h said, with a chop 1n one hand and
the cake In the other, "when Bronson
rushed out and cut acroaa the street. He's
a tall man, Mr. Blakeley. and I had hard
work keeping close. It was a relief when
he Jumped on a passing ear, although
being well behind, it was a hard run for
me to catch him. He had left the lady.
"Onco on the car. we almply rode from
one end of the line to the other and back
again. I auppose he was passing the time,
for lie looked at his watch cow and then,
and when I did once get a look at his
fsce it made me er- uncomfortable. He
erould have crushed me like a fly. sir."
I had brought Mr. HotchkUs a glass rf
wine, anel he was looking better. He
stopped to finish it. declining with a wave
of his hand to have it refilled, and con
tinued: "About o'clock or a little later he gut
off somewhere near Washington Circle.
He went along one of the residence streets
there, turned to his left a sjuare or two.
and rang a bell. He had been admitted
when I got there, but I guessed from
the appearance cf the place that It was a
boarding house.
"I waited a few minines and rang tha
beil. When a maid answered it. I asked for
Mr. Surllivan. Of course there was no
Mr. Sullivan there.
"I said I was sorry; that the man I
was lookin for was a new boarder. She
was sure there was c such boarder In
the house: the only new arr.val was a
man cn the third floor she thought his
name was si cart.
" My friend has a cousin by that name,'
I said. I'll Just (o up ard see.'
"She wanted to show me up. but I siil
it was unnecessary- So after telling: me
it was th bedrvxim and sitting room on
lliu third floor front. 1 wcnl up
"1 met a couple of men on the stairs, knit
rentier pf them paid any atten'.on to me.
A boarding house Is the easiest place in
the world to enter."
"They're not always so easy to leave,"
1 put in, to his evident Irritation.
"Wiitn 1 got to the third story, I tok
out a bunch cf ke s arid posted owslf
by a door near the one the (irt had In
more seriously for Ms song 1 sn Imposing
effect. Appearances are stalnst fclm.
however. Nature hss destined him for
corr.lc opera though his S9ul longeth tj
produce Wagnerian strair:.
Pummer warblers, or "wi'd canaries." as
the children tall them, devote themsel-.es
to the lttu beds across the way. Five
or ax tray be sen there assimilating ap
hldae. The red-eyed vareo. Wilson F'.agg's
'Treacher bird." delivers his staccato
mandates from the chieadees' cherry trees
and the warbling vlreo rolls Out his rich
notes, dropping the last one "a if it were
rtd hot." All the vlreo are dull green in
color and act upon the precept that It is
best for little birds to be heard and not
seen. Thi-y are very hard to distinguish
from one another, but this year gives us a
chance to learn them. They are due this
week and the foilag is so tbin that they
can scarcely escape the watchful eye.
Their songs are very characteristic and so
unlike that once associated with the per
sonality of their owners they will always
betray them to the bird student.
The third week of May brings a flock of
Tennessee warblers. They are very tiny,
grayish-green birds with white unde'parts
j lightly washed with yellow to seem
merely a soiled white when observed
through an opera glaew. Their song, like
the wren's, with a fairy buzx-saw attached,
rises continually from the Crimson Rambler
vines. They spend the hour from to 7 with
j,
( '
4
I
'i
t
THE
. M " ' ft I J
dicated. I could hear voices in one of the
front rooms, but could rot understand
what they (.aid.
"There was no violent dispute, but a
steady hum. Then Bronson jerked the
door open. If he had stepped into the hall
he would have seen me fitting a key Into
the door befoie me. But he spoke before
he came out.
" 'You're acting like a maniac' he said.
'You know I can get those things some
way; 1 m not going to threaten you. It
isn t necessary. You know me.
" 'It would be no use.' the other man
said. 'I tell you. I haven't seen the notes
for ten days.'
" 'But you will." Bronon said ssvsgely.
'You're standing In your own way. that's
all. If )ou're holding out expecting me
to raise my figure, you're making a mis
take. It's my lust offer."
" I couldn t take It if It was for a mil
lion.' said the man inside the room. 'I'd
do it. I expect, if I could. The best of us
have our price.'
"Bronson slammed the door then, and
flurg past me down the hall.
"After a couple of minutes I knocked
at the door, snd a tall man about your ,
s:ze, Mr. Blakeley, opened it. He was
very blond, with a smoth face and blue
eyes what I think you would call a hand
some man.
" 'I beg your pardon for disturMng you."
I said. "Can you tell me which Is Mr.
Johnson s room? Mr. Francis Johnson?"
" 'I can r.ot say." he replied civilly. "I've
only been here a few days.'
"1 thanked liim and left, but I had had
a good look at him. and I think Id know
hun readily any place.''
I sat for a few minutes thinking It over.
"But what did he mean by saying he
hadn't seen the notes for ten days? And
why U Bror.sem making the overtures?"
"I think he was lying," Hotchkusa re
flected. "Bronson hacn't reached his fig
ure." "It's a b:g advance. Mr. Hotchklss. and
I appreciate what you have done more
than I can tell you." I saiJ "And now,
if you can locate any of my properly In
this fellow's room, we'll send him up for
larceny, and at least have him where we
can get at him. I'm galne to Cres-n to
morruw, to try to trace hlra a little from
there. But I'll be uaca In a couple of
days, and we'll bhgin to gather in these
scattered threads"
llotchkias rubbed his hands together de
lightedly. "That's It.'" he aid. "That's what we
want to do. Mr. Blakeley. We'll gather up
the threads ours-Ives, if we Irt th? po'iee
m too so.!-, they'll tangle it up again.
I'm not vindictive by nature; but when a
fellow like dullivan sot only commits a
murder, but g lo all sorts of trouble
to put the burden of guilt on an fnnorent
man I say bunt him d.wn, sir."
"You are convinced, of course, that Sulli
van did It?"
"Who else?' He looked over bis glasses
J,
.- -r- v
'.-' 'A:,
the ro par'ts. then hunt about tre
maples a while and then cMsapc-ear to re
turn at the same time rett flay. Sometime
a Nashville warbler omes too. He Is Hen ti
red by the d stinct'r yellow underjarta.
blutsii-grar hal and olive back. H srme
tims spends a whole morning upon a
maple tree working about the branches
and mlftsing very few twigs In hll search.
For a Osy or two the red start maddens
us with his varied tones so hard for the
amateur to place. He cart not futile one
long, though, for the orange patches upon
hie black w inr and tail and his Incessant
movement make him very cor.splclous.
The yellow billed euck-o comes occa
sionally. His hoarse "kou kou" foreboding
rain, thev say, bears the association of
thick woods and breathless July afternoons.
He Slips about quietly that one rarely
sees the yellow lower mandible and white
"thumb marks" on his tail which Identify
him.
It may be possible to add many species
to the list of birds seen oh our street or
your street. This year the leaves have been
killed and the birds must hunt in trees
almoft as bare a.s they usuaJly are In
March. Whether the list is long or short
matters little, however. What count are the
res; and refreshment which come Into our
busy lives as we watch our neighbors over
head.
We are wo-k'.r g men snd womn on our
street, but we stop a minute or so In the
mcmins to hear the brown thrasher psur
.y
' v
-n K- ft it'.
fFnoDucu er the
GLORIOUS FOURTH
at me with the air of a man whose men
tal attitude is unassailable.
"Well listen to this," I said.
Then I told him at length of my encoun
ter with Bronson in the restaurant, of
the bargain proposed by Mrs. Conwr.y,
and finally of McKnight's new theory. But.
although be was impressed, he was far
from convinced.
"It's a very vivid piece of Imagination."
he said drily; 'but while it fits the evi
dence as far as It goee. it doesn't go fs.r
enough. How about the stains in lower
seven, the dirk, and the wallet Haven't
we even got motive in that telegram from
Breneon?"
"Yes." I admitted, "but that bit cf
chain"
"Pooh," he saJd shortly. "Perhaps, like
yourself. Sullivan wore glasses with a
chain. Our not find.ng them does not prove
they did not exist."
And there 1 made an error; half con
fidences are always mistakes. I could not
tell of the broken chain In Alison West's
gold purse.
It was 1 o'clock when HotchkiRS finally
left We had by that time arranged a
definite course of action Hotchklss to
search Sullivan's rooms and. If jmsslble.
find evidence to have him held for lar
ceny, while I went to Creseon.
Ptrar.gely enough, however, when t en
tered the train the following morning.
Hotchklss was already there. He had
bought a new note book, and was sharpen
ing a fresh pencil.
"I changed my plans, you see." he said,
bustling his newspaper alde for m. "It
Is no discredit to your Intelligence, Mr.
Blakeley, but you lae'u the professional
eye. the analytical mind You lr.il gen
tlemen call a spade a spade, although it
may b a shovel."
"A primrose by the river's brim,
A yellow primrose was to him.
And nothing more."
I quoted as the train pulled out.'
CHAPTER XXIII.
A NIGHT AT THE I-AVREI.8.
I slept most of the way to Cresson, to
the disgust of the little detective. Finally
be struck up an acquaintance with a kindly
faced old priest on his way home to his
convent school, armed with a roll cf dance
music and surreptitious bundles that looked
like boxes of candyt From scraps of con
versation I gleaned that there had been
mysterious occurrences at the convert
ending In the theft of what the reverend
father called vaguely, "a quantity of un
dermuslins." I dropped asleep at that point,
and when 1 roused a few minutes later, the
conversation had progressed. Hotchklss
had a diagram on an envelope.
"With this window bolted and that nne
inaccessible, and If, es you say. th er
garments were In a tub here at X. then,
as you hold the key to the other door I
t.Mr.k you said the convent dog did not
raise any disturbance? Pardon a personal
question, but do you ever walk in your
sleep? '
The priest looked bewildered.
"I'll tell you what to do," HotchUiss
said cheerfully. leaning forward. "look
around a little yourself before you call
In the police. Somnambulism l a queer
thing. It's a question whether we are
most ourselves sleeping or waking. Ever
think of that? Live a saintly life all day,
prtyers and matins ar.d all that, and the
subconscious rnjnd hikes you out of bed
at night to steal undermuilns. Subliminal
theft, so to speak Better examine the
rtof."
I dosed again. When I wakened Ho'cfc
kies sat alone, and the priest, from a cor
ner, was staring et h'tn dazedly, over h's
bieviarr.
It wss raining when we reached Cresson.
a wind driven rain that had forced th
agent at the news stand to close himself
In. and that beat back from the rails in
parallel lire of white spray. As he went
up the main street. Kotchkiss was cheer
fully oblivious of the wesiher, of the
UaesttrUr.g d-sk.uf ur generally draggled
mit Ms Hortous love sts:. H te
voice of the May. All the rapture and ra
rest of the spring thrill through hie en
chantit g S"t t. It is the revelat on pf
youth, a-d Joy, and love. At htaht, while
ham swallows dsr-t and wheel abo'rt m
lawns, the wood thrush sounds hi trarquil
note. It 1 the voice of the 'c'lo. vibra-t
with the deep rm-aninas of life. The
ecstasy of the mornir.g Is forgotten as the
quiet tone falls like a benediction throug-n
the gathering dusk.
The right come the birds are silent, hut
there is still ore astir. A tiny owl drifts
silently among th9 trees or aits upon a
cottemwood limb at the corner, turttlne
fascinated eyes upon the trolley car as it
rushee by. a sort of owlish cyclops
May i. 1.19 EMILY WOOD.
Birds to be seen on an Omaha street be
fure the last week of April: Bluebird,
robin, chlcadee, nuthatch, shrike, cardinal.
Jupco, flel(f sparrow, chlppirg sparrow,
grasshopper sparrow, goldfinch, meadow
lark, red-winged blackbird, cow bird. cmw.
jay, flicker, downy, hairy and rcd-r.eadM
wood peckers, screech owl, saw-wheat o I
Later arrivals: Wood thrush, olive
backed thrush, wren, thrasher, red start.
Maryland yellow throat, myrtle warbler,
yellow warbler. Tennessee warbler. Nash
ville warMrr, wsrMtnr nrw. mj-eyeil
vireo. bam swallow, purple martin. d:ck
SBel. Indigo bird, rose-brf asted grosbeak,
oriole, kir.g b'fd. curkob, mournlrt dov.
Total number, forty-four.
I.' I ',' .
t t. .
i ' V
1
Jfi f
It -.
"
if
J
n ar
covurar of HF ' t
efeasB-
condition. My draggled condition. I should
say, for he Improved every . raomiru his
eyes brighter, his ruddy face ruddier, his
collar newer and glossier. Sometime, when
it does not encircle the little man's neck,
I shall test that collar with a match.
1 was growing steadily more depressed:
I loathed my errand and its necessity. I
had always held that a man who played
the spy on a woman was beneath can
tempt. Then, I admit I was afraid of what
I might learn. For a time, however, this
promised to be a negligible quantity. The
streets of the stragglirg little mountain
town had been clean-washed of humanity
by the downpour. Windows and doors
were inhospitably shut, and from around
an occasional drawn shade came narrow
strips of light that merely emphasired our
gloom. When Hotchkiss's umbrella turned
imide out, I stopped.
"I don't know where you are going."
I snarleel, "and I don't care. But I'm
going to get under cover lns'de of ten
seconds. I'm not amphibious."
I ducked Into the next shelter, which
happened to be the yawning entrance to a
livery stable, and shook myself, dog fash
Ion. Hotchklss wiped his collar with his
handkerchief. It emerged gleaming and
unw lited.
"This will do as well as anv place." he
said, raising his voice shove the rattle of
the rain. "Got to make a beginning."
I sat down on the usual chair without
a back. Just Inside the door, and stared
out at the darkening street. The whole
r.ffair had an air of unreality. Now that
I was there. I doubted the necessity, or the
value, of the Journey. I was wet and un
comfortable. Around me, with Creon as
a center, stretched an Irregular circumfer
ence of mountains, with posijjhly a ten
mile radius, end In It I wan to find a resi
dence of a woman whose first name I did
not know, and a man who. so far, had
been a purely chimerical person.
Hotchklss had penetrated the streaming
Interior of the cave, and now his voice,
punctuated by the occasional thud of
horses' hoofs, came to me.
"Something light will do," he was say
ing. "A runabout, perhaps." He came
forward rubbing his hands, followed by a
thin man In overalls. "Mr. Peek says." he
begsn- 'thls Is Mr. Peck of Peck Peck
Kays the place we ar looking for is
t.bout seven miles from the town. It's
clearing. Isn't It?"
"It 1 not." I returned savagelv. "And
we don't want a runabout. Mr. Pek.
What we require is a heremetlcrally stialcd
diving suit. I suppose there- isn't a ma
chine to be had?" Mr. peck gazed at me
in silence: machine to him meant other
things than motors. "Automobile." I sup
plemented. His face cleared.
"None but piivate affairs. I can give
you a good huggy with a rubber apron.
Wike. I the doctor's horse In?"
I am still uncertain as to whether the
raw-boned roan we took out that nlsrht
over the mountains was the doctor's horse
or not. If It was. the doctor msy he a
Eood doctor, but doesn't know anything
ab.-iut a horse. And furthermore. I hope
he didn t r.eed the beast that miserable
evening.
While they harneased the horse, Hotch
kiss told me what he had learned.
"Six Curtls-s in the towu anJ vlcinitv,"
he said. "Sort of family r.ame arou-.iel
here. One of them is telegraph operator
at th station. Person we a-e looking for
is was a wealthy widow with a brother
ramed Sullivan' Both supposed to have
teen killed on the Flier."
"Her brother." I repeated stupidly.
"You see." Holchkls went mi "thr.e
people, in one party, took the train here
that iilfhl, Mies West, Mrs. Curtis and
Sullivan. The two women had the d:ains
rucro. Sullivan had lower seven. What we
want to find out la Juat who those people
were, where they came from, if Bro-.on
knew them, and how Mibs West beta me
entangled with them, f he may hav mar
ried Sullivan, for one thing."
1 fell lato gloom after that The roaa
. I " -k nm
Letters from
Baby Dorothea
By Eunic Wright. Aped 11 Years. M: No-tn
Ix'gan Street, Fremont, Neb. Red Side.
8he was asleep now and mamma was
admiring her as she lay In her cradle cf
blue. Her full name was Evelyn tcirothea
Baird, but iKirothea was the prettiest,
mamma and papa thought, and so she was
called that. 9he was Just a month old
yesterday. If ever there were proud par
ents, I think IVTMhea's parent were the
proudest. Then mamma went out cf the
room ar.d Iorothea awoke and looked
around. Yes. she ai sure she had seen
that picture, and thst one. too. She hud
tried In vsln to get them with her chubby
little hand, but could not do It Why. what
was that blue thing? staring at her In the
face? he had only seen the pictures, and
papa's and nummi'i bed. Now t-he forgot
mamma and turned her attention to the
blue thu'.K. She pulled at her little white
coverlet and pulled until she got It off.
but could not get the rretty blue thing.
Just then mamma came in. "Why, Doro
thea"' the excisimed. "you've pulled the
(overs all off of four cradle! Papa, come
liere. Lot'k at the darling." For baby was
"one broad smile" of satisfaction over the
diftjvery of that pretty blue thinp.
Then she thought mamma could help her
and shy sti i tolled htr small, short arms
to tiie thing (which Wa a blue ribbon
b'W on the top of her cradle .
Tap hfied hi little daughter out "f her
cradle end lei her piav with the blue thliiR.
U!t. hu she cooet and Crowed. How preity
and soft the thing was. and how she loved
the' blue Color. She had blue eyes herself,
probably that accounted for her liking blue.
l'apa and mamma were smilir.K at their
little dajtihler. She was so happy out of
those hot covers. 1'apa let her pUy awhile
with it. then had to put her in her cradle
again, as mamma said thai it was U.o
cold for her. Ho she hated to leave the
pretty blue thing, but being a good baby,
was content tu he In her cradle and lock
up at it
After a bit she got tired of looking at the
blue thing and fell asleep.
The next morning she was taken up in
Auntie Blanche arms. Then Aunti
Blanche sit down and put the baby on
her knee and said to the baby;
"Io you know that couains are coming
today? Oh. you dear baby!" she added, aa
the baby looked up into her face and ac
tually made a little noise that was meant
for a laugh.
Of course, mamma and papa had to be
called and told all about it. After whicn
they both kissed her. But the baby didn t
know what Auatie Blanche meant when
the said that her cousins were coming.
But she did know that she was now in
mamma's arms and so baby patted
mamma's cheeks with her soft, fat hands.
But cousins did come that very afternoon
anl Dorothea saw them.
But she didn't like them because she
had never seen anybody else that she could
remember but grandma. Auntie Elanche,
mamma and papa. She puckered up her
little lips and hid her head In mamma's
arma! Then she put her fat forefinger In
her mouth and looked at them again. But
they were not like mamma and papa, so
she turned around tu mamma and cried.
waa led unwillingly into th weathei,
Hotchklss and I la eclipse behind the blan
ket. The liveryman stood In the doorway
and called directions to us. "You can't
miss It," ho finished. "Got the nam over
the gate, anyhow. The Laurels.' The
servants are still there: leastways, w
didn't bring them down." He even took a
step into the rain as Hotchkiss picked up
the lines. "If you're golnpr to settle the
estate." he bawled, "don't forget us, Peck
& Peck. A half but-hel tf name and a
bushel of service."
Hotchkiss could not drive. Born a cleik,
be guided the roan much as he w ould drive
a bad peri- And the man splattered through
puddles and eplashed ink mud, that Is
urtll I was in a frenzy of irritation.
"What are we going to say when we set
there?" I asked after I had finally taken
the reins In my one useful hand. "G'-t
out there at midnight and tell ihe aervan'.s
we have come to ask a few questions
about th family? It's an idiotic trip,
anyhow; I wish I had stayed at home."
The roan fell just then, and we had to
crawl out sjid help him up. By the time
we had partly unharnessed him our
matches were gone, and the small bicycle
lamp on the buggy was wavering only too
certainly. We were covered with mud,
panting with exertion, and even Hotchklss
showed a disposition to be surly. The rain,
which had lessened for a time, cam on
again, the lightning flashes doing more
than anything else to reveal our isolated
position.
Another mile saw us, if possible, more
despondent. The water In our clothes had
had time to penetrate: the roaa had
Kprained his shoulder, ar.d drew us a line
In a series of convulsive Jerks. And then
through the rain-spattered windaw. of the
blanket. I saw a light. It waa a amall
light, rather yellow, and It lasted perhaps
thirty seconds. Hotchklss missed it, and
was inclined to doubt me. But In a couple
of minutes the roan hobbled to the aid of
the road and stopped, and I mad a break
in the pines and an arched gate.
It was a small gate, too narrow far th
buggy. I pulled the horse into as much
shelter as possible under th trees, and we
got out. Hotchklss tied th beast and we
left him there, head down against the
driving rain, drooping and dejected. Then
we went toward the house.
It was a lor.g walk. The path bent and
twisted, and now and then we lost It.
We were climbing as we went. Oddly
there weie no liguta ahead, although il
was only 10 o'clock not later. Hotchklss
kept a little ahead of me, knocking into
trees row and then, but finding the path
In half the time I should have taken.
Once, as I felt my way around a tre in
the blacaness. I put my hand unexpectedly
on his shoulder, and felt a shudder go
clown my back.
"What di you expect m to do?" he
protested, when I remonstrated. 'Hang
out a red lantern? What was thst? Lis
ten." We both stood peering In the gloom. The
sharp pstter of th ram on leaves had
ceased, and from Just ahead there earn
back to us the stealthy padding of feet In
wet soil. My hand closed on Hotchklss'
shoulder, and w listened together, warily.
The steps were cloae by, unmistakable.
The next flash of lightning showed noth
ing moving: the house wss in full view
iiuv, datk and uninviting, looming hug
bove a terrace, with an Dalian garde.i
st the side. Then the blackness again.
Simeb-.fly'e teeth were chattering: I ac
cised Hotchklss, but he denied it.
"AlthoutrU I'm not very comfortable, I II
admit." he confessed; "thre was some
th ng breathing right at my elbow here a
n.omrct ago."
"Nonsense. " I took his elbow and steered
him in what I mad out to h the direc
tion of the steps of the Italian garden.
"I saw a deer Just ahead by the last flash:
that s what you heaid. By Jove I hear
wheels."
We paused to listen and Hotehk'ss put
his hand on jmttLir.g tiise tg us. "Her s
Busy Bees
But It wa not Vrg befoie she had learret
to like her count and was cniir.k' at
them and playing w th them. Sn now let i l
leave th bahy on the Hot surrounded ry
her blocks, ball, cousin and trsny other
thhiRs, having a g'od t'nie, p-orped up
by large pillows.
Dorothy's Tea Party
By Mildred Keliev. A se1 11 Year. Ill F.ast
S"e-ond St'cet. irod lland.
Neb. Blue Side
Po'Othy came home from school one
day looking very happy and said to bef
nuithrr. "Oh. mamma, can't 1 have a tea
party? Almot all the girls have h.vJ one
except me ad I'd Invite all the girls and
wi'd play Kmes and have a lunch and it
would Just be lots of fun. Can't I please?
Mis dray locked at her daughter and
said: "I supcose J ou can; Jt wouldnt
bother much."
Dorothy was so happy, she ran to her
mother and kit-sod her and Ktid: "I'm so
glad you said e. mamma, so now I'll
and write the invitations." and off she
tan.
Next day at school she delivered the in
vitations. The g-ris were all very happy
and promised thty would come.
The next day at I o'clock Dorothy waa
d'T.-sed in her party dre.ss and sitting la
the piitlor waiting when all at once, the
tl-ir bell rang Dorothy kneu at once it
was the girls and mn meet them. They
came in and look off their thine, then
ran outdoors to play lag. Then they got
tired and sat down to teil riddle, when
Mrs. Uray lame out and cal.ed them to
lunch. It ws almost 7 o'clock when th
girls went home. sa.iis they hid Just a
lovely t::r.e. When Ivrothy was going t
bed fhe kissed her mother and said she
was very giud her mother said yes.
A Race in Fairyland
By Helen Verrill. Wueen lire. Axd 13
Years. The Strthlow, No. lit, Oman,
Neb. Blue Side.
The fairies were gwtung ready for a lace.
Rose, the queen fairy'; Thistle-down, the
Imp of the underground cavers; the June
bug and a baby grasshopper were all to
be in the race.
The fairy quetn. Rose, rode on a turtle,
the imp rode on a snail, the June bug rode .
on a very large bee and tha baby grass
hopper rode on his father's back.
When the moon was up they all met in
Bloomers' square, Fairyland, ard started.
The rabbits stood up on the hill with eyes
as big as nickels.
The fairies were to give a prize of being
able to understand all things.
One, two, three, ready, go! called out a
hare, and away they went. First tha
turtle, then the snail, then the grasshopper,
and then the bee getting ahead, ll waa
a very axciung race. The snail was on
his good behavior and went very fast for a
snail.
Now they were within one-third of a
mile from the base. The turtle was way
behind all the rest, when it gave a last
effort and reached base a second before
the snail.
Then all cheered and all went to tha
queen's bwlace and each racer got a prize,
1b order to remember that night.
your deer," he said. "Bronse."
As we reared th house the sense of sur
veillance we had had In th park gradually
left us. "Humbling over flower beds, run
ning afoul of a sun dial, groping our way
avagely along hedges and thorny banks,
we reached th steps finally and climbed
the terrace.
It was then that Hotchkiss fen over ore
of the two stone urns which, with tall
boxwood trees In them, mounted guard at
each side of the door. He didn't make any
attempt to get up. He eat In a puddle on
the brick floor of the terrace and clutched
his leg nd swore softly In government
English.
The occa.".iov.al relief of the lightning was
gone. I cuuld not nee an outline of the
house before me. We had no matches, anl
an instant's investigation showed that the
windows were boarded and the hou
closed. Hotchkiss, still recumbent, was as
certaining the damage, tenderly peeltns
down his stocking.
"I'pon my bouI." he said finally, "I don t
know whether this moisture is blood or
rain. I think I'v broken a bone."
"Blood is thicker than water," I sug
gested. "Is It sticky" See if you un
move your toes."
There was a pause: Hotchkiss moved his
toes. By that time I had found a knock- r
and was making the night hideous B it'
there was no response save the wind tfitt"
blew sodden leaves derisively in our face.
One Hotchkiss declared he heard u, win
dow sash lifted, hut renewed violence with
the knocke produced no effect.
"There's only one think to d-i," I said
finally. "I ll go back and tiy to brir i
the l-ugsy up for you. Yoj can t wall.,
uin jou?"
Hotchkiss sat hack In hi p-iddie and
said he didn't think he could stir, but for
me to go back to town and leave 1,1m.
that he didn't have any family dependent
on him, and that if he was going to have
pneumeaui he had probably got it already.
I left rum there, and started back ti
get the horse.
If possible. It was worse than bif. re.
There was no lightning. a::4 only l. a
miracle did I find Ihe little gate again. I
diew a long breath of relief, f.illo'ed by
another equally long, of dismay. For I
had found the hitching strap and there
was nothing at the end cf it. In a lull of
the wind I seemed to hear, fr off, ilia
eager thud of stable bound fet. 8j fnr the
second time I climbed the slope t-j the
Laurels, and on the way I tnought of
many things to tay.
I struck the house at a new ansie, for
I found a veranda, destitute of chairs and
furnishings, but dry and evidently roofed.
It was better than the terrace, and ho. bv
groping along th wall, I tried to make fny
way to Hotchkiss. Thst wss how 1 found
the open window. I had pasted perhaps
six, aJI closed, and to have my hand cri;w
for the next one, and to find Instead th
soft drapery of an Inner curls, ri, was
startling, to say th leaet.
I found Hotchklss at last around an
angle of the stone wail, ar.d told him that
the horse was gone. He was dlaconcrted.
but not abaaed; rnslntalnli.g that it was
a new kind of knot that couldn't slip and
that the horse must have chewed the l.&J
ter through. He waa lees enthusiastic than
I bad expected about th window.
"It looks uncommonly like a trap.'' I e
said. "I tell you there was some one In
tue park below when we were coming up
Msn has a sixth sense that scic-nt:'
ignore a sense of the i.eam- of thins.
And all the time you have b-en gjiie. un
one has been watching me."
"Couldn't see you.' 1 maintained: "I
can't see you row And your sense of con
tiguity didn't tell ou shout that flower
crock "
In th end. of course, he contented t g
with me. He was very lame, and I helcl
him around to the open window. He ws
wss full of moral rourrg-, the Utile man;
it was only the physical in him t-st
quailed.
(To L Continued.)