The Man on the Box

nd, they were mightily worried. They questioned Jane, but she knew nothing. Jack went out to the stables; no news there. Willia

some friends last

his hat!"

on't worry. I'll take

He may be at on

e found his note awaiting me. I was at the court by noon, armed w

and locked up overnight," I said c

s Osb

James Osborne,"-reach

im. Here, officer, show this gentleman to James Os

I wondered what the deuce the rascal had been doing to get locked up overnight. I was vas

irate! I wish you had been in m

ghed

that thirty-fi

been paid," I replie

n't you

told me that it ha

Just been paid?-Who the deuce

me what you'v

t was a question which of us laughed the more. But he didn't say a

the women?

ce, as if deciding. Final

they were, eh?

aughed, and dr

never expected to do it so well. Let's get out of this hole. I won

would

nothing,

his spirits had gon

ning papers," I said. He needed a little wo

say, Chuck, can't you use your influence t

, and that is to cut out of town till your beard has grown. It wo

f town, Chuck; and on

as interrupted by the e

borne,"-ironically. H

on and

adily discern-and extracted the letter. I closely watched his facial expressions. First, there was

, Chuck. I

? Now

ffed of the faintly scented paper and cleare

to hear it as he had been to read it. I beli

ecall the manner in which you handled the horses last night. It may be possible that they ran away with you. However that may be, I find myself in need of a groom. Your horsemanship saved us from a serious accident. If you will promise to let whisky al

ything I ever heard of. Had you arrested, and now wants t

,"-smiling. "And I'm not goin

why

I am going to accept the position,

?" I

s the policeman

o make the family a laughing-stock

he town will know anythin

trated. "It's a clear case of insanity

to drink any wh

u are fo

rs. No one would recognize me. Besides, being a groom, no o

emanded. "There's something back of all this

ing something. I've been inactive too long. I am ashamed to say that I should tire of the house in a we

is woman befor

morning till night. Think of the fun of meeting persons whom you know, but

a month," sai

oney,"-t

et hold of it, you would be disgraced. They wouldn't take you as a clerk in a third-rate consulate. S

; they'd tumble and leave me alone. Chuck, I'v

's name, Bob;

etermined on this. You ought to know me by this time. I never back down; it isn't in the blood. And

not,"-s

gh." Then he stretched an appealing hand out toward me, and said wheedlingly: "Chuck, give me your word to keep perfectly quiet. I'll drop you a line once in a while

merry enough, but my word for it, you'll regret it inside of twenty-four hours. You are a gradua

en locked up overnight. You ar

se; but if you get into any such scrape as this, yo

t's get out. Got a cigar in your pock

rilliant ide

Annesley, the girl you

was at the emba

e. "When I get through with this exploit, Na

You see what you missed

night's rest and a col

you were last night

hadn't thought of that. Say that I met some of th

r cane in the stand. You are supposed

had been sitting and picked up the groom's

about it,"-and I r

ere? I can't wear this th

you shall! You'll wear it to the hatter's, or st

ark me, I'll get even

d played poker all night. That hitches wonderfully. You didn't feel well enough to go to the embassy, but you could go and play poker. That sounds as if you cared a lot

xcuse can I give?"-worriedly lig

ie to Nancy on your account. Poker is the only excuse that would carry any weight with it. You will hav

Chuck. I wish I could t

think mean things of me

escape if I

way with? Come, make a clean breast of it. If it's s

"I give up. You've hit it. You understand now.

n love wit

her name, if it's getting red in the face when you only just think of her, if it's having a wild desire to pick her up and run away with her when you see her, then I've got it. When she stepped out o

tered the nearest hatter's together. He took what they call a drop-kick out of the hat, sending it far to the rea

t was a fine example of colonial architecture, well back from the road, and fields beyond it. It was of red brick and white stone, with a wide veranda supported by great white pillars. There was a modern portico at one side. A fine lawn surrounded the whole, and white-pebble walks wound in and out. All aro

orne has come in reply to her letter," he

e Osborrrrne

es

fine-looking young man to make eye

ging up his polished pans in a glistening row back of the range, and he was humming a little chanson which Warburton had often heard in the restaurants of the provincial cities of France. He

his new hat from one hand to the other, then suddenly put the hat under his ar

in those magnetic sapphire eye