Show I 1 el R I 1 IA A L sr STORY ry THE LITTLE I 1 tk JJ atif 1 N J MAT HIL ij Allm alini go 10 by MEREDITH NICHOL NIC nOlSON illustration by RAY WALTERS ALTERS 0 um by the bobbi bobba company 2 26 Syri SYNOPSIS thomas thomaa ardmore and henry malna blaine griswold upon intrigue when tho the governors Bo vernora of north and south carolina aro arm reported to have quarreled quarrel ltd griswold Orl awold files allies himself with barbara osborne Oa borne daughter of the he governor of south carolina 1 1 n w while ha ae ardmore es espouse vouse vie the cause causa of 3 jerry e r ay 1 daughter or of the governor of 0 north h carolina these two ladles ladies are trying ying to 1111 the shoes oboes of their abet lathers th ersTwhile while the latter are missing both states are in a turmoil over one apple ap paint weight an outlaw with great political influence fl bic e unaware of each others position in both griswold and d ardmore set abet out to make the other prosecute both have forces scouting the border pap lures but jerry finds ands hirn him ind aid takes him to ardsley her own oner ardmore arrests a man on 0 r t lila ill s pe property 0 p erty who says lie la is gov 0 osborne a b orn e a n while another man la in arrested as aa A by the tha south Caro carolina linci inetia the north carolina ta Is palled called into action when col jerrys fiance bance finds that real war Is I 1 afoot he flees la Is taken B me creely creaig by ardmore and lodged in n a jh j H 11 in n bout south carolina to at ar ry r ardmore ands that Dillings the baiker bai iKer ind nd foster treasurer or of north carolina have been arrested CHAPTER in the red bungalow what do you think cried lira airs atchison Atch lson glowing before jerry an and d ardmore on their return we have a new guest in the coal cellar inquired her brother no in ili the blue room adjoining misa ilass Danger nelds and what do you think it is none other than the daughter 0 of the governor of south carolina oh Ne nellie Illel gasped ardmore why the matter demanded mrs airs atchison Atch lson 1 I had bad gone in to turners to 40 look at that memorial church were building there and I 1 learned from the rector that miss alias osborne with only a maid was stopping at that wretched hole bole called the 06 majestic je 13 tie hotel 1 I had bad met miss osborne in washington last winter and you y ou may forget tommy that on our mothers side bide I 1 am a daughter Daught dr of the seminole war a society of which miss osborne lg Is the president general I 1 hope miss Oa Os bornes presence here will not ha be ol offensive to ao you miss dangerield Danger an g erfle neld I 1 d she seemed reluctant to come but I 1 simply would vot not take no and I 1 am to send tor for her at four miss aliss osbornes Os bornes presence Is not only agreeable to me mrs airs atchison Atch lson responded jerry but I 1 shall join you in wel welcoming comin g her I 1 have heard beard that th the ancestor through whom darbara barbara osborne derives membership in the daughters ot of the seminole war was waa afterward convicted of robbing an orphan of whose estate he was the trusted exec executor utoy and such being the case I 1 feel that the comia commonest onest christian charity demands that I 1 should treat her with the most kindly consideration era tion I 1 shall gather some roses with your permission and have them waiting in her rooms room when she or arrives with mccard and compliments ardmore had rarely been so busy as during the afternoon several more newspaper correspondents were found prowling about the estate and they were added to the howling mob in the tha adsley cellars it has baa all happened very handily for us said collins weve got the highest priced newspaper talent antho world right under tinder our hands and before we turn them loose well dictate exactly whit what history Is to know of these dark proceedings edinga when weve settled with griswold and proved to him that hes lost loat out and that the real mr Apple weight Is in n hla his jail not ours well have to find gor dangerfield and be mighty quick about it replied ardmore paul says theres a battery of south carolina La rolIna artillery guarding the dil well county jal and that tha t fooled tho the peolia into thinking north carolina troops and lobody can get within tour four blocks of the jail they must have somebody in n jail at kildare I 1 dont like 1118 tho looks of IV it jerry a pleasing figure abura to contemplate in white lawn ia wn and blue blua ribbons 8 ug that the meeting take place in the library as more like ilka an imperial council chamber hut but ardmore warmly dissented from this A peace should never be signed he be maintained in so large a house as ardales Ar Ard daley at appomattox and in many other cases that hd recalled the opponents met mat in humble farmhouses they finally agreed anthe on iho red bungalow na as convenient and indest for the tha purpose and so tt it was waa arranged A few before five the flag of north carolina Or olna was hung from the wide of aube ame door stood mood att aix armed mill hainan col acl daubenspeck had been invited to be present and he ha appeared accompanied b several other officers in full fttie torn form word ot of the place had bad been sent through the lansa ia to th tai enemy and tho the messenger rode back with griswold who was followed quickly by the adjutant general ot of south Car carolina ollila and tail halt a cozien boiden oth I 1 er cr officers the guard saluted as ap gris I 1 wold ran up the of tho the veranda I 1 and at the door ardmore met him and greeted him formally at the end of a long table jerry dangerfield sat with her arms arma folded she wore as befitting the occasion a gray riding dress and a gray felt hat perched a trifle to one aide she bowed coldly to Gri griswold awold whose hand band as he surveyed the room and glanced out at the ing flag that fluttered in the tha doorway dobr way went to hla big mustache with that gesture that ardmore so greatly disliked r but gris wold again bowed gravely to his bin adversaries ver saries sarles miss dangerfield and gentl gentlemen emen besan began griswold with an air of ad dres sine a supreme tribunal 1 I believe this whole matter depends upon the arrest of ono one a well known outlaw of north carolina P 1 I beg your pardon it was jerry who interrupted him her little fists clenching a glint of fire fira in her eyes it la Is tor for we me to asi your pardon miss dangerfield let us ua agree that this person la is an unworthy citizen 0 of any state and proceed it has been your endeavor to see this man under arrest in south carolina thus ing north Carol carolina carolan ln or her chief exco U ti 10 of responsibility for him we on our side have used every effort t to a lodge in jail on your side of the state line am I 1 correct jerry nodded affirmatively then miss dangerfield and gentlemen I 1 must tell you that you have lost your contention for spent last night in jail at kildare Kl daro and to secure his safe retention there we generously lent your state a few of our to guard him the proceeding was a trifle irregular we admit the least bit ultra vires but the peculiar situation seemed to justify us there are not two dill bill apple weights remarked col daubenspeck 1 I assure you that the real criminal spent last night in jail at turner court house guarded by trustworthy men and we are able to produce him the quickest way to settle this point prof griswold Is by bringing in your man remarked ardmore icily on taj th other hand and gris wolds apio 41 ic was confident as aa there ther e Is no reason tor for doubt that wo we have the real Apple weight anti and as we aro are on your territory and in a measure your guests it Is only fair that you produce the man you believe no ito be that thai v we may have a look at hm him first certainly said jerry our prisoner doa not dy deny his identity J it 14 ii g gives 1 ua u c io him bim f A at levs t a nod od tram from col the r orderly at the door ran ott off to where cooke and the prisoner waited in the interval there was waa a general exchange e of introductions at tho the at the door stood an armed man bungalow the adjutant gone general ral of south carolina was in a merry mood and began ch chaffing alling ardmore upon the deadly character of apples found in bis blo orchard beyond the Il raccoon 1 I deeply regret said ardmore Ard inore rubbing his chin that the adjutant j general of north carolina Is suffering from a severe attack of parmly sig and will be unable to meet with us 1 I deplore jahe the fact replied the adjutant generia ot of south carolina afo for one of our scouts picked up ud a darky in the highway a while ag ago 0 w who ho had on a uniform dress coat with the initials 11 it II G se wedIn in the pocket 1 I it you will return that garment to me general said ald ardmore 1 I will see that it reaches cot by special messenger where upon his cuch ot of pain he be chafes over his bla 0 enforced n absence from the field of danger steps sounded on the veranda and all ross rose as aa cooke appeared in tho the door leading hla his handcuffed prisoner coner who stood erect and glared at the company in gloomy silence this man said bald ai ardmore we declare to tobe be bill aun allai vo ilo freit I 1 ask aak you boti aarbo addressed tho the prisoner to fisi elate alte whether iou ou are not known ty by one or both of these names name fl tho the anan nodded Us his head bead and grumbled a reluctant prot griswold wont on I 1 tho the gentleman la in chargo charge ot of the prisoner la Is rpger cooke for foi many years in the tha secret service of M united I 1 states lie ile now conducts conduct a a private ie agency and Is a ray my employ sir I 1 1 coot I 1 will ast ask you whether you yot u this man as aa there to fa no doubt of alt ri lever j I 1 have known hini him for ceiri years 1 on onca es wetted arrested him tor for and ba h ae arved a year in the penitentiary as ai tho the result of that arrest you will par don me mir cooke continued addressing griswold directly tut ut this Is undoubtedly the man you had yourself captured at mount nebo church two nights ago but who was taken from you as you may not know ehnow by miss bliss geraldine Gerald lne dangerfield Danger flold she was lost in ila the woods and came upon the captive much to her own surprise griswold lifted hla his brows in amaze ment and turned toward jerry it that Is tho the case miss bliss dangerfield I 1 salute you I 1 I 1 am sorry to con fess fees however that I 1 did not myself see tho the man who was waa captured by by my friends at the tha church owing I 1 it appears to alias prompt and daring action and the regrettable cowardice of my men I 1 want to say to you gentlemen in all frankness that I 1 am greatly astonished at what you tell me our prisoner Is about the same game height as this I 1 nan man has tho the same slight stoop in the tha shoulders and the samo short board but there the resemblance ends ardmore was trying not to show too plainly ills his joy at Gris griswoldsr wolds discomfiture none of tho the south carolina officers had bad ever seen as they lived remote from iia ho scene acene of hla his exploits men who lind had so BO signally failed in the tha descent upon mount nebo church had taken to tho the woods on the appearance n ol 01 the stater soldiery along the border and could not be found to identify the man seized at the house on the creek lia habersham bershara Habe raham had discreetly declined to support aris wolds venture at the last rao moment ment to do so would he bo pleaded ruin hla his chances of 0 poll political lical prefer ment in the future or worse things might indeed happen it lie ho coun ced and supported the armed invasion ot of north carolina by south carolina mil itla tho the zealous young militiamen lamen who had bad captured the stranger in the house on the tha creek had pronounced the man and their statement had bad been accepted and emphasized when the man was taken before griswold to whom he stubbornly refused to make maka any statement whatever now that you cannot deny that we have the real began jerry who la Is you must remember a prisoner of tho the state of south carolina and be returned to the mingo county jail at once I 1 think we may as well look at your prisoner prof Girls graswold wold Us ile may be ba one 01 ol mr ale associates in business but as we are interested only in tho the chief culprit the identity of the man inan you hold Is of very little interest to us it s said ald griswold lie he la Is not ap plew eight the original blown in the bottle battle P jug if you pl cleasel easel interposed ardmore very 6 1 0 u a 1 t then aig welca wel do cm UT cir caro 1 f ilbo about t him and I 1 b or remarked re m arltol Ard inore 1 az I might light fri exchange him for a ruffian I 1 camtu captured d myself down on the yan cacoon tie e seemed quite insane doe declaring I 1 nr rl ng li M self belf io to be the governor of south carolina and I 1 locked him up in a corncrib for safe keeping TO FAE BE CONTINUED |