The Re-Creation of Brian Kent

ly behind her, Judy came from the kitchen in great excitement,

from the kitchen-winder. He's got two other men with him. Their hosses is tied ter the

ite, and her lips trembl

e commanded, in a whisper; and went to open the fron

rned Auntie Sue's greeting heartily, and, with one of his companions,-a quiet, business-looking gentleman,-acce

nly was not built to carry such a weight, "how are you? I haven't seen you in a coon's age. I'll swear, though, you ain

s little laugh. "I sometimes think that I am a few days old

set in these Ozark Mountains. What was it you paid for them?" He turned again to their smiling hostess. "Oh, yes; fifty cents an acre for the land and fourteen dollars and a half for the sunsets. You'

at the window laughed

year, now. I always stop to see her whenever I'm passing through the Elbow Rock neighborhood, if I ain't in too big a hurry. Stayed with her

ies, he added: "I plumb forgot, Auntie Sue, this gentleman is Mr. Ross. He is one o

owledging the introduction, regarded the business-l

ked in contrast to the Sheriff's thundering tones,-"I think, sir, that this is the fir

woman, who regarded him with such child-like interest, and who sp

hope to live up to the reputation given us by the story-books. No secret service man living can remotely

turned Auntie Sue, gently. And the cheeks of the expe

heriff, "is, as I was telling you,

r attention to her

Burns people, you see, protect

so low and gentle that the m

fellow that got away with a lot of money from the Empire Consolidated Savings Bank, of Chicago, about a month ago;-that is,

ed Savings Bank that she had sent the money which she had received from her brother in Buenos Aires; and Homer T. Ward, the president of that bank

ssed the detective-"do you kn

the officer, "his

her emotions, though her voice broke a little as she slowly repeated the man's name, "B

but he never dreamed that this old gentlewoman's agitation was caused by a deeper interest t

actly,

-she supplied her

orhood, Miss Wakefield. There is really no cause for you to be alarmed. Even if he should call at your

she laughed a little with a relief

ad been drinking heavily and acting rather queer the two or three days he was at the hotel,-it seems. But I am not willing, yet, to accept the suicide idea as final, because it would be too easy for him to give things that appearance in order to throw us off; and I can't get away from the fact that a John-boat that was tied to the bank near the hotel managed to break loose and drift off down the river that same night. Working on my theory, we are following down the river, trying to get trace of

is beautiful f

deal of time on

s,

likely to notice any boa

s,

at at night,-in the

middle of the stream, away from the

boats pass lately

en a boat on the river

t, are you, Auntie Su

he returned. "Judy and I were

y?" asked t

"Just a girl that li

has seen no boats passing, because,

eld, if any one-any stranger, I mean-has called at the h

old lady

s searching her memory to b

icinity for several weeks. The last one was a mule-buyer, who stopped to ask if he

e looked at

ficer, "I reckon we mig

o men

ear heart was faint with fear lest they accept, and thus bring about wh

. He's got men on watch at White's Crossing, and if our man ain't passed there, or if we don't strike his trail so

, Mr. Ross. I have read such wonderful things about Mr. Burns and the work of his organization; and now that I have met you,-a real l

a great privilege to have met you, Miss Wakefield; and if you will promise to do one thing for me, I'll ag

ally wouldn't dare to refuse under the circumstanc

in this vicinity, will you get a message as qu

e. "But you have not yet told me w

ighs about one hundred fifty-a splendid head-smooth shaven-reddish hair-dark blue eyes-and a high, broad forehead. He is of Irish e

o had fallen, sobbing, at her feet so short a time before. "But, you do not make him seem like a crimi

Burns operative answered-a little sadly, Auntie Sue thought. "Life itself is so str

Mr. Ross, even here in my little hous

this fellow Kent's case. You will notice there is a big reward offered for his capture. If you can catch him for us, you'll make enough money to ke

t the door, "you didn't happen to ask at Thompsonville for my mail, did you, a

busy on this job, I clean forgot about stopping here; and, besid

hat seems to have been delayed. Some of the neighbors will probably be going to the office to-day, though. Good-bye! You kno

e had been spent in combating crime and deception, answered, as he waved farewell to Auntie Sue, who watched them from the door of t