Show helpley Hel ples innocence by JACK WOODFORD warn union LLOYD mcclintock glanced up suddenly from the depths of the metallurgical and mining review as one hlll when steadily stared at to encounter the direct and somewhat puzzled gaze of his young wife As he met her she smiled at him in a puzzled way as though she hoped that he was not wroth with her but nevertheless would not be at all surprised it he were she the speed with which she waved a fan clovd still pound difficulty in con himself that after all the hote thing part of a dream bis coming down to mexico to take over the mining properties of the AI batross syndicate and meeting louisa that she had married him seemed al most inconceivable you do love dont you she aked ills answer was convincing if wordless 1 I wish to heaven I 1 could get you out of this country and up into s country where I 1 could feel sate about you suppose some prowling dexl cans but there are the servants worse than useless afraid t their own shadow 8 commotion in the patio at the moment interrupted him presently a bedraggled native appeared in the doorway what Is it manuel asked lloyd irritably manuel struggled gain his breath fire I 1 he managed to get out between gasps at the mine questioned lloyd manuel nodded lloyd cross ing to the side of his young wife pressed something into her hand keep it near you ever moment that I 1 m gone loulia this Is the first time I 1 ve ever left you here alone at highl with a last lisa be followed the excited manuel outside As the pair passed out of the gate and climbed into a small car two unshaven half ipso creatures crea turea smiled grimly at each other in their place of conceal ment behind the stone wall that en closed the patio silently they vaulted over the fence and approached the door good evening remarked one of the men pleasantly aa they strode calmly into the allvin room of the little house suddenly they both advanced her when lloyd reached the mine loca alon a good ten miles away he jumped dittly from the car and ran toward the group of shacks which surrounded the main shaft the night watchman approached and greeted him wheres the fire snapped lloyd atch inan looked his bewilderment lt fire I 1 Is there a fire somewhere lloyd whirled about and glanced toward the car manuel had disappeared instantly his mind took in the situation running back to the car he stamped wildly upon alie starter and beaded back toward home As the car bumped back along alie rond the perspiration broke out upon lloyds body he reached the patio gate and sprang out the house was quiet ominously quiet As he opened the door his hands trembled 0 o that he could scarcely ifft the little latch inside all was still and calm just as he had left it stepping into the cen ter of the room he gasped in amazement at the sight of the two bound forms upon the floor so trussed with round upon round of rope that they could hardly move an eel asli he cast a swift look about the room at first be thought that louisa as not there looking oer the back of the laigh chair however he found her quietly reading an american novel why what on earth I 1 he managed louisa carefully marked her place laid down the book and turned up her face for a kiss automatically he kissed her these men he gasped out impatiently hat does it mean ob them remarked louisa they came n shortly after you left and started to act very badly I 1 of course t them because they are your countrymen so I 1 used the jn f ruction lu tills clever novel for handling the situation my I 1 your american writers must be experienced and it s b a lady too I 1 begged the 1 of the two to step aside into the little alcoe room over there and told him that he must get rid of the other man because I 1 wanted him only to remain here with me the big man was immensely pleased and said he would beat li 1 out of the oilier one at once I 1 implored him homeer ho weer to let me talk to his and try to get bilm to leae peaceably coming buck into this room here I 1 had left the other man I 1 told him that I 1 was much fascinated with him and had merely taken his friend aside to implore him to icae us 1 screamed a little then and the big man flew into the room and attacked his smaller friend but the little man was DO coward they for an hour and 0 halt it was ery amusing when they fell exhausted I 1 tied them up aa you see I 1 hope ou re not angry with me for handling your countrymen it sais in the noel lloyd stood back and surveyed the diminutive jet haired beauty with a new expression in ins eyes an expression which seemed to delight her immoderately for once the uncertain ty was gone from her calle when regarded ham |