Show 1 i of the Minute J i. i By HELEN R. R I MARTIN Copyright by I Dodd Dodd o M lI Mead ad A C COb X S r STORY FR FROM M THE HE START I Handsome fastidious and wealthy young St. St Croix Crelghton Creighton Creigh Creigh- ton awaits his sweetheart n at t I their trysting place Sh She j I Is la late j this ordinary le Pennsylvania little enn van a I ID Ig Dutch girl g I 1 I Meely l ely i iI D Despite her seeming g innocence nc I and Ignorance she succeeds in keeping him at at it a a distance to his chagrin Meely In the j home homo where where she I Is boarding i is altogether unlike Oll th the gl girl l who meets St. St Croix clandestinely Sh She is' is the thel teacher In the neighborhood school of which Marvin Crelghton Creighton Creighton St St. Croix brother Is 5 superintendent dent Meely learns le that Marvin was vas t tye to have bave ye married his his' cousin a titled tided E English lady b but t believing she shewa's was wa's attracted by the the Creighton w wealth alth h had d refused the alliance It Is the rumor that St. St CroIx I is to take Marvins Marvin's place and marry I the English girl St. St CroIx Jealousy jealousy Jeal jeal- I la arous aroused d by report report of an a aged ed s suitor for her hand The girl cleverly decoys him Into admitting be he has no ln Intention ot of oL marrying her Marvin visits visits' school rn his official l' l capacity ns as as superintendent and discovers how shockingly little tittle Meely knows knoW's abo about t school teach teaching ng CHAPTER IV IV Continued Continued 10 10 No she decided for he Is really fastidious and Netties Nettie's a hopelessly common little uttIe thing And yet If it he can cnn stand m me and the dope i I hand handout handout handout 0 out to him him Of She did not know ImO however veyer that St. St Croix to his own wonder never felt that she was Yas or vulgar not even eyen when she manifested the intelligence intelligence in in- of a sheep or twisted the English language until his bis nerves were rasp rasped d not even en when she sat sprawling ungracefully with her feet far apart nor when after tasting an apple she drew the back of or her hand band across her mouth She was a good actress but there was that something Inherent that nothing nothIng noth noth- ing lug could disguiseS disguise disguise- S C S S C C CIt It was Just when relieved of Aunt Rosy's espionage Meely was beginning beginning begin begin- ning to feel fecI In spite of 91 the dangerous proximity of Marvin Creighton more at her ease ense less Insecure in her equivocal equivocal equiv equiv- ocal position that o on that very evening evening evening eve eve- ning when she sat In the warm bright kIt kitchen peacefully writing letters she was to find the complexity and pr cariousness ca- ca of her situation greatly Increased In creased by the ou outcome come of an episode which was was at that same hour in its Incipiency on a Sunbury street sheet corner eight miles miles' distant Mr Sam having haying finIshed tin fin the business which had taken him to town was about to ent enter r hiscar his hiscar hiscar car parked on the edge edse of the town and start for home when a man standIng standIng standing stand stand- ing on the corner apparently waiting for a trolley car approached him Pardon me how me-how how often do these cars run ron the thc man inquired ired In a tone of extreme Irritation Ive been been waitIng waitIng waitIng wait- wait Ing here twenty minutes I 1 lilt It dont don't run no cars on this line after seven o'clock Mister This here trolley line aint doln doin much business aready anyhow so It stops till seven You must be bc a stran stranger er here here aint aint that or you'd oud 0 o 0 No but No but I seldom use the trolley I to leave my nu- nu automobile automobile au au- Today however had at nt the repair shop Are Arc yo you road driving out this by any chance Yes eight mile milc out Will you ou then for tor a consideration ret fet me go with you Now as the night was raw and ond wet et it would Mr felt be only a Christian act to offer this stranger a seat In his car Also He te one to talk to toon toon toon liked company any some sonic drive But Hut the newspapers newspapers newspapers news news- an mile eight-mile on stories stories- holdup were so full of papers deal of good and he was carrying a wouldn't he be be bc taking money chances decent however howe man looked so Th The dim dimness of ot him in the what could be he seen had as and Mr lr ness nl night always when hen he hc tra traveled led at himlie him him him- with Ith revolver vol er brought brough his his r and surl surreptitiously ep- ep pocket his II lie He felt In 10 his hist SIY moved d HI his bin Pistol from tO his lois left heft t rI right hand pocket tO his lois left heft t rI right hand pocket g consideration consideration consid gI no sich a 8 want wouldn't I aint Just sos so's you ou Mister read Ou can here thugs you one of these t the papers papers in abo about laughed Youre twice I The Thc man ou not to hold size If I can cnn trust you my safe 1 youre you're I 1 guess All All' Allright me rue up so too All that's Yes I 1 gU guess ss on then right Come qu felt rather cheated cheat cheat- Mr fr found that the thC le stranger ed when he enough agreeable though ough sociable und and his hospitality to repay was not going as to who his curiosity by satisfying the thc lendIng leading questions ns he be was All AU him received re rc re- re which th the farmer plied with This seemed evasive c answers suspicious that so 50 to Mr r. r felt In his left hand he frequently case of need be ready in pocket to tried to put his apprehensions n However aside he tie and to beguile the ride with friendly talk to to the tile shop had bad to go car So your neb hehl b luck luckl I Yes worse car 1 drove my DY y got When I first cold till un I got ot t the thO har ur nd nU drove ter ker r Ini my chest and It near give pneumonia monia Inonia yet et I Yes anyhow I IThe IThe The stranger tra ger t made a a. a so sound 1 expressive sive vc of of his s sympathy For a wh while le lethey they d drove ove In silence Funny lunny thing g happened In the bank toda today Mr Ir Sch resumed con con- I W When en I j went In to get ct a h ck cash cashed d- d lie stopp stopped d ds s short ort In const consternation V ho how tactless t to td mention in hn having cashed a check ck 1 What was his compan ion on 4 t i Not much much n a d dollar nr or so I spent It ft said Mr ton pointedly I mean what was the funny thing thin that happened ne' ne r. r J i Oh Oh that Well Well- Wella fl a la I lady alongside of ot me inc In Inthe bank banI she handed handed hand hand- ed In In a check and the banker he said to her What denomination and she says ys sort of snappy Well Vell she says Tm Im I m. m a rr Presbyterian j n but I I. I dont don't see what business it t is of of yourn yourn she says The laugh In ha which they Joined over Ter this yarn seemed to establish between them more confidence Mr ton always ays hearted warmhearted was sorry he had been feeling so suspicious of or a fellow man and tried to atone by being as friendly as possible Was you rou ever eyer to New ew York MIster MIster Mister Mis MIs- ter Yes a place I never seen But my ray brother he ha w was ts always set on seem this here New York that you yon can read so much about In the papers So at last his missus she says to him she says Top Pop P p she says youre you're getti gettin on In life and if you dont don't dontso go so soon to this here New ew York you'll be too old to go So then he said hed he'd go on et So she helped him get ready and start off Now mind you write she he says to him and tell me how you like It ft So after atter a couple of da days s 's she got such a pitcher post postcard postcard postcard card from him and hed he'd wrote on It Mom Y YI yi Pop Again their Joint laughter t seemed to bring them sympathetically etl ally close Since leaving the lighted town the road had be been n very dark for the night was cloudy and starless Where do you want out stranger Mr presently Inq inquired ired As he spoke he took his hand from the steering wheel to have a glance at his his his' watch and watch and as he did did- so theman the theman theman man beside him him gave gaye an uneasy start With a shock of some horror Mr lr fingers found an empty pocket where his watch should have haye been Instantly he stopped his car carand carand carand and Jerked out his revolver Now then you hand band out that there watch and then you run for your life I he shouted The man obeyed with alacrity thrusting the watch Into Into the farmers farmer's outstretched hand leaping from the car and disappearing in the blackness of the thc road Mr greatly shaken shalen by so narrowly escaping being manhandled manhandled manhandled man man- I handled by a thug his soul heavy with sadness at the desperate wickedness of man w went nt on n his solitary way war musing on bis his own folly in having let lethis lethis lethis his kindness of ot heart get the better of his prudence It aint safe to take tale up strangers these da days that days that s that It aint And me I Iwas Iwas Iwas was always too trusting that way 1 Well WeH this heres here's certainly a lesson to tome tome tom m me 1 Be kind to your Jour fellah creatures point That's danger yes up yes up to the all the further a fellah darst be a Christian those these days Ills His despair over the perfidy of ot our he reflected reflect reflect- human nature deepened as ed upon the thc gentility of ot the thief his nice voice his educated speech his polite manners what manners what with his Beg neg pardon Thank you very much muchA much to A slick one he be was I cant can't never again trust no ones one's appearances thought Mr with a sorrowful sorrowful sor sor- 1 sl shake ake of his head the tile worst harm a crook crool does lie does he spreads ds abroad a mistrust of ot man made in the I linage Image of f Fifteen minutes later Mr Ir ton usually the most pl placid of ot men confronted his family In the kitchen T T b Y X X X r I I 1001 looking ng so white and agitated that Meely and Nettle sprang up greatly I startled and even een Susie looked at him Inquiringly I was held up and robbed 1 I he announced Not two ml mile e up the road yet et Ach Ath Was Ws you hurt cried Nettie Nettie Nettle Net Net- tie tle In a fright frIgM running to him No I aint hurt And I aint lost neither I I held the thc crook up 1 I and got ot back ack what wits was stole off oft of r me pi That's what I done I Ach itch Pop I 1 Nettle gas in ruin ram j terror and admiration r I Good thing I took my rew with It aint safe these rough times to travel at night without a gun along 1 H Ho He told them then as as' s he removed I his hat hitt coat and gloves Just what happened happen happened giving givIng cd-givIng giving his his' story a dramatic dramatic dramatic dra dra- matic climax Now ow then I says sas t him you hand out that there watch and ond then you run for your life lite I I I 1 says And lie he did With that there of ot mine in his face face he e done what what 11 I I. I tol him and pretty quick about It too tool Yes and I guess hes he's yet 1 Yes well weli but Susie stolidly spoke to him hm over her shoulder you didn't take tak your watch along You let It at nt home You forgot It There it lays She thrust her thumb backward backward backward back back- ward toward a small shelf shelt which held helda a convenient comb and brush for family family fam fam- ily Uy use Her husband stared at her Incredulously Incredulously incredulously as ns she calmly rocked her sleepIng sleepIng sleeping sleep sleep- Ing Infant then Infant then desperately hoping to prove her words false he lie fearfully drew from his pocket the watch he demanded demanded demanded de de- de- de from the stranger and slowly reluctantly he lie let his eyes fall upon it It was not his I Such a watch it was as he could never hope nor even wish to own o Gold Jeweled Initialed In a stride he hc stood before the shelf and beheld his own accusing watch I was sayin to Nettle Nettie said Susie that you'd be awful put out at go goin In without your watch along And I never missed it iti I rot the wretched man murmured But why But why my lands faltered I N Nettle this heres here's got an awful look like like as if you'd held that there than man onan up and stole his watch Pop And I dont don't know v who it Is to give It back I Mr voice was agonized If It I never find him it'll make me feel awful conscientious to keep his watch 1 YI yi he shook his head and began agitatedly to pace the length of ot the kitchen Oh you'll have ha no trouble finding him Mr Sch said Meely encouragingly Hell Heli of course report to the police and they'll easily trace you ou up Yes and arrest me for tor a thief yet ret I exclaimed Mr Ill Til tell you 1 cried Meely You report to the police Mr ton and tell them of your our mistake mistake- and that you want them to find had the man That will s r you Mr stopped In his agItated agitated agi agI- walking to and fro and looked at Meely admiringly Youre y ou re got the head on you Meely I didn't think that far myself Educations Education's a aa a a grand help to a body in this here life That's what Ill I'll do this selfsame selfsame selfsame self self- same minute lie He went Vent to the telephone but found the line bus busy Delay may DiaT be fatal said Meeley anxiously ly You must mut report it before he docs does He has had a good c deal eal of ot time already alread already all an all the time youve you've been home unloading your car and nd putting It In the garage and garage and the time youve you've been In the house house- Yes well weB but I dont don't think hell he'll be It It wery soon soon-I soon I started him on a good run and I guess lies he's still I It was at nt this instant that they were all startled by a rap on the kitchen door and before anyone anTone could answer er It It the lie door opened and a wet bedraggled bedraggled be be- dru draggled and very tired looking young oun man almost staggered Into the room closing the door behind him and leaning leaning lean lean- ing against It heavily y TO BE na CONTINUED CONTINUa x X X X X X X X |