his little criminal problem.”
“But perhaps it isn’t possible to ‘solve’ a problem like Silas Monstrosity,” Thaddeus shook his head “My keen heroic instincts are telling me the fiend is up to something.”
“Perhaps your instincts just need to get used to the idea as well,” Mary Jane suggested.
“Maybe…” Thaddeus sighed. “Have you seen the afternoon paper?”
“It hasn’t been delivered yet. If you’d like I can walk to the corner for one.”
“No, I think I’ll do it myself,” Thaddeus grinned at his wife, “my instincts could use a bit of fresh air.”
Thaddeus stepped out onto the sidewalk. Given all the warnings from his wife about being distracted, he took special care to move across the street without, say, getting run over by a carriage. Thankfully, he made it into the street corner safely.
“Hello guv’nor.” The voice of the young paperboy spoke cheerily as Thaddeus approached.
Thaddeus gave a pause and remarked, “You’re not the usual paperboy.”
I just started today, actually. The last boy who worked here got a promotion.”
“To what?” Thaddeus asked.
“Child with parents,” the paperboy cheerfully replied.
“That seems to be going around lately,” Thaddeus shook his head and pulled a pair of coins from his pocket. “Afternoon edition, please.”
The paperboy handed Thaddeus his paper, and another scrap on light brown paper which has been folded in half. Thaddeus had to ask. “What is this?”
“Supplemental. Some executive from the main office sent them down. It is something to do about a brand new law.”
“What brand new law?”
“Sorry guv, I deliver the news, I don’t read it.” The paperboy picked up his paper stack and began to shuffle away.
“You get what you pay for, I suppose,” Thaddeus unfolded the extra scrap of paper, looked down at it, and tuned white as a ghost.
In the back of his mind, Thaddeus considered still working on maintaining the composure he knew Mary Jane would want of him. By the time he thought this, however, he had already dashed back to the Preston estate huffing and whooping about what was written on the paper. Mary Jane took a moment from her housecleaning to stroll over and stop her husband’s rampaging entrance by holding his jittering person down by the shoulders.
“What’s the matter, dear?”
“He’s done it. By jiminy he’s done it!”
Mary Jane took a respite from comforting her husband long enough to give him a quite violent shaking, attempting to restore his senses, “Now, again I ask what on Earth is the matter?”
Thaddeus raised the sheet in his hands. Indeed it was a supplement from the paper, one that read ‘WANTED’ at the top and had two detailed drawings of The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay underneath.
Mary Jane took the paper and read it out loud. “By royal proclamation of the Duchess Wilhemina de Nodont, the two vigilantes known as The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay are hereby considered fugitives at large and are to be brought in for a 5,000 pound reward each.” Mary Jane blinked at the paper “But why?”
“Officially, it is due to the fact the Duchess blames us for encouraging Silas’ criminal ways.”
“I assume you have another theory, dear?”
“Of course I do. That malformed misanthrope used our deductive skills to ascend to royalty and turn the tables on us, the clever bounder, should I see him next I will ring his virtually non-existent granite neck!”
“We’re not down and out yet!” Mary Jane said sternly, “Perhaps the Constable can be of some help.”
O O O
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid it is legitimate.” Constable O’Gratin said as he looked over the newly written law on his desk “The Duchess of Nodont is adamant about putting The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay behind bars.”
“But it doesn’t make any sense, Constable,” Thaddeus replied, “You can’t just shift the law on the will of a royal alone.”
“Ordinarily I
“But perhaps it isn’t possible to ‘solve’ a problem like Silas Monstrosity,” Thaddeus shook his head “My keen heroic instincts are telling me the fiend is up to something.”
“Perhaps your instincts just need to get used to the idea as well,” Mary Jane suggested.
“Maybe…” Thaddeus sighed. “Have you seen the afternoon paper?”
“It hasn’t been delivered yet. If you’d like I can walk to the corner for one.”
“No, I think I’ll do it myself,” Thaddeus grinned at his wife, “my instincts could use a bit of fresh air.”
Thaddeus stepped out onto the sidewalk. Given all the warnings from his wife about being distracted, he took special care to move across the street without, say, getting run over by a carriage. Thankfully, he made it into the street corner safely.
“Hello guv’nor.” The voice of the young paperboy spoke cheerily as Thaddeus approached.
Thaddeus gave a pause and remarked, “You’re not the usual paperboy.”
I just started today, actually. The last boy who worked here got a promotion.”
“To what?” Thaddeus asked.
“Child with parents,” the paperboy cheerfully replied.
“That seems to be going around lately,” Thaddeus shook his head and pulled a pair of coins from his pocket. “Afternoon edition, please.”
The paperboy handed Thaddeus his paper, and another scrap on light brown paper which has been folded in half. Thaddeus had to ask. “What is this?”
“Supplemental. Some executive from the main office sent them down. It is something to do about a brand new law.”
“What brand new law?”
“Sorry guv, I deliver the news, I don’t read it.” The paperboy picked up his paper stack and began to shuffle away.
“You get what you pay for, I suppose,” Thaddeus unfolded the extra scrap of paper, looked down at it, and tuned white as a ghost.
In the back of his mind, Thaddeus considered still working on maintaining the composure he knew Mary Jane would want of him. By the time he thought this, however, he had already dashed back to the Preston estate huffing and whooping about what was written on the paper. Mary Jane took a moment from her housecleaning to stroll over and stop her husband’s rampaging entrance by holding his jittering person down by the shoulders.
“What’s the matter, dear?”
“He’s done it. By jiminy he’s done it!”
Mary Jane took a respite from comforting her husband long enough to give him a quite violent shaking, attempting to restore his senses, “Now, again I ask what on Earth is the matter?”
Thaddeus raised the sheet in his hands. Indeed it was a supplement from the paper, one that read ‘WANTED’ at the top and had two detailed drawings of The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay underneath.
Mary Jane took the paper and read it out loud. “By royal proclamation of the Duchess Wilhemina de Nodont, the two vigilantes known as The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay are hereby considered fugitives at large and are to be brought in for a 5,000 pound reward each.” Mary Jane blinked at the paper “But why?”
“Officially, it is due to the fact the Duchess blames us for encouraging Silas’ criminal ways.”
“I assume you have another theory, dear?”
“Of course I do. That malformed misanthrope used our deductive skills to ascend to royalty and turn the tables on us, the clever bounder, should I see him next I will ring his virtually non-existent granite neck!”
“We’re not down and out yet!” Mary Jane said sternly, “Perhaps the Constable can be of some help.”
O O O
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid it is legitimate.” Constable O’Gratin said as he looked over the newly written law on his desk “The Duchess of Nodont is adamant about putting The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay behind bars.”
“But it doesn’t make any sense, Constable,” Thaddeus replied, “You can’t just shift the law on the will of a royal alone.”
“Ordinarily I
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