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Show TWISTED MESSAGES By MARSTON LEE VERNON. (Copyright. 1915. by W. G. Chapman.) "Now do those two errands right, Marvin," directed Leonie Tripp to her little brother, "and I will give you an-. an-. other cookie when you get back." "Yes'm, I'll do it," mumbled youthful youth-ful Marvin, his mouth full of a portion of the advance payment. "You will leave this package of books with Mrs. Dunscombe and say 1 am greatly obliged. Then run down to Mrs. Bond's and tell Leslie to come up to the house tonight about eight o'clock, as you folks are all going to be away from home, and we will have a nice long chat. If Lettie is not there, leave word with her mother." "Yes'm, I'll do that," pledged Marvin, Mar-vin, and started forth in good faith to execute his mission. He was telling off on his fingers the main points of his errand, when, turning turn-ing a corner, alas! a boy on the run drove him directly off his feet, lingered lin-gered for neither apology nor explanation, explana-tion, and poor Marvin went headlong Into the ditch. He arose wrathful and disordered, his wits all astray. There was little willingness or system as to the frame of mind with which he blundered blun-dered through his double, errand; Itomeward bound got interested in a game of marbles with, some playmates und forgot to even claim that other cookie from his pretty sister. Then later he and his parents drove over to a neighboring town to visit a relative, and Leonie, left alone in the house, lighted the evening lamp and sat down to await the coming of her particular girl friend and confidant, Lettie Bond. Now, two strange circumstances had grown out of the episode of tbe double message Marvin had got mixed up. When he arrived at the home of Mr. Dunscombe, the new bachelor minister, minis-ter, he found that gentleman away from home. So he delivered word to his housekeeper in this amazing fash-Ion: fash-Ion: J'My sister Leonie says to tell Mr. Dunscombe that he is to come up to the house tonight about eight o'clock, I Wm "Take This Stuff and Keep a Close Lookout." as we folk3 are all going to be away from home, and they can have a nice long chaU" At Mrs. Bond's, Marvin found also Lettie absent, but he delivered the package of books to her mother, saying say-ing Leonie had sent them and was much obliged. They were two volumes vol-umes on the subject of woman's clubs, wmch the young divine had loaned to Leonie. Reverend Dunscombe, shy and retiring, re-tiring, listened agape to the message communicated to him by his housekeeper. house-keeper. "Remarkable!" he breathed to himself. him-self. "Extraordinary!" he burst forth, once alone in his room. "Oh, there's some mistake!" First, because, he reasoned, Leonie was the most modest, though charming, charm-ing, young lady in the world. Next, for the reason that he doubted if she cared enough for his society to endure his dull company through a long evening. eve-ning. It was true he had called on her several times, had loaned her books, and at the Sunday school picnic she had been very gracious towards him. When he compared his quiet, sedate" makeup with some of the brilliant village vil-lage beaux, however, Elmer Dunscombe Duns-combe felt that he was in a decided minority. Sensitively he had tried to smother the budding love that had taken root in his heart. With all his analysis of the present situation, he could not get Leonie and the strange invitation out of his mind. Perhaps little Marvin had said more than he had been told to say. At all events, a few minutes before eight o'clock that evening Mr. Dunscombe, strolled in the direction of the Tripp home. An irresistible loadstone seemed to pull him along. Then the timorous young man trcm-'. bled quite as he noticed a light in the; ell of the house, where seated in an; arm chair was Leonie. Should he ven-j ture? Yes no. Finally he mustered' courage sufficient to open the gate,. His heart beating mightily, he started around for the side entrance to the house. ' He stood in the shadow near the steps, debating with himself as to the wisdom of a call. He could see the face of the lovely girl in the arm chair now. Leonie was asleep. Her sweet face reminded him of a bfiautiful rose. He longed to kiss those drooping eyelids. eye-lids. Mr. Dunscombe started back as a muffled figure dafted around the side of the house. "Hey, you!" spoke quick, cautious tones, "take this stuff and keep a close lookout. The girl is doped, and it's a chance to ransack the rest of the bedrooms." bed-rooms." The speaker thrust a small bag into the grasp of the astounded Mr. Dunscombe, Duns-combe, dashed away and the startled reverend "woke up." "Why, it's a burglary!" he gasped. "That man took me for a confederate who is somewhere around. They have chloroformed Miss Tripp and are looting loot-ing the house! I must act!" and he dashed up the steps. The screen door was hooked on the inside. Mr. Dunscombe Duns-combe ' tore it open with a wrench, darted across the floor to the telephone tele-phone and took up the receiver. "Central!" he shouted, "send the police po-lice at once to- Mr. Tripp's home. It is being burglarized!" he added, excitedly. excit-edly. Then with a distracted look at the helpless Leonie, he ran at a baseball club belonging to Ma'rvin standing up in a corner of the room, seized It and ran out on the porch. But his call had been heard. He noted a racket as of some one coming down the stairs. Then a sharp whistle, whis-tle, and two slinking forms made for the street and disappeared amid the night shadows. All the thoughts of Reverend Mr. Dunscombe were for Leonie now. He returned to the ell room. There was a dead taint of chloroform In tne air. He threw up all the windows. He dashed into the kitchen and returned with a wetted towel. He placed it across the brow ;Of the insensible girl. She moved, sighed faintly and breathed more freely. He hovered about her, anxious and distressed. Soon someone would come, he felt sure, in response to his message of alarm. Ah! these were precious moments. mo-ments. That lovely face drew him nearer nearer. He could not help it! The tempting lips were so close! He pressed one fervent kiss upon them, and then drew back aghast at his Impulsive Im-pulsive temerity his conscience named It "treachery." There was a knock at the door, and there he confronted Lettie Bond, gazing gaz-ing in with wonder-filled eyes. Had she seen that tender caress? Oh, he hoped not! And then he stumblingly explained the situation. "I received some books belonging to you from Leonie," said Lettie, "and came over to find out what it meant. Now I see a mistake on the part of little Marvin." The police arrived Just as Leonirt had roused her dear friend from her insensibility. Then it was discovered that the little bag given by the burglar bur-glar to Mr. Dunscombe held all tho family jewelry. "You you won't tell?" he flushed and floundered, as he walked home with Lettie. "I surely will!" flashed forth the mischievous young lady defiantly. "And Leonie will be glad." "Oh, I hope so!" murmered Rev. Elmer El-mer Dunscombe eagerly and Leonie was! |