Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-12-23

1ecting window. At any moment they
might be disturbed by some other stray
couple in search Of quiet nook, and
what Gray had to say, if he did not wish
the occasion to slip through his fingers.
must be brief and to the point.
Presumably it was so, in view of the
fact that not more than three minutes
elapsed from the time of our people find
ing themselves alone in the alcove to
that of their emergence. 1t may fur
Their be assumed that their conversation,
brief as it was, had not proved unsatis-
factory to either Of them, seeing that,
as Miss Lumsden's partner for the next
dance came mp to claim her, Gray con-
trived to whisper in her ear, 81 will call
upon your father in the course of to-
morrow"
Mention has been made of Marcus
Gray's uncle, Mr.. Orde.
John Orde's dearest friend was Ed
ward Lumsden, Mary's father. Their
friendship dated back to their echool
days. They took to each other, as the
saying is, from the first-so much so in
deed that some portion of the holiday
of each was generally spent at the home
Of the other. When the time came for
them to push their fortunes in the world.
the city of London acted as loadstone
to both; Lumsden found stool In the
Office Of drysaltery firm in Upper
Thames street, while Orde went under
the tutelage of his father. whose bust
ness was that Of a shipbroker. Years
passed, bringing with them their inevita-
BILE changes and vicissitudes, but in no
wise interrupting the current Of their
friendship. In the course Of time Orde
succeeded to his fathers position, while
Lumsden started in business on his own
account, and to neither Ct them did
fortune prove unkind.
We come now to q certain memorable
ninth Of June; the day Immediately fol.
lowing that of Mrs. Venable's carpet
dance. Both Lumsden and Orde had
deemed it advisable little while before
to put themselves in telephone connec-
ton with such Of their customers and
agents as preferred to specify their wants
and wishes through that ready medium
of communication, and accordingly a
wire had been laid on the premises of
each, Although Lumsden and Orde were
in no way related in business affairs, they
frequently used the telephone for mes
sages about private matters, such as lit.
tie while before would have necessitated
the writing Of note or the transmission
OF telegram. For instance, Lumsden.
having got himself switched ON" at
the exchange. would telephone Orde
an invitation to dinner or q request
to join him at his club at q GER
tain hour, while Orde, on his part.
would inform Lumsden through the
same medium that he had just had tick
cts sent him for . concert or the thea
ter, and would specify when and where
he would look to meet his friend and
wife unless they happened to be other
wise engaged.
Attwenty minutes to two clock ON the
afternoon of the aforesaid June ninth. the
telephone bell in MIR. Orde's private
Office signaled that some one was de-
sirous of speaking with him. Mr.. Max,
one Of the staff, whose duty it was to
attend to the instrument during his en-
ployers absence. at once responded to
the summons, which was followed up
by the usual preliminary question, "Are
You theref'
To this Max replied with the stereo-
typed, Eyes; who are your
"Lumsden," was the answer. Then.
evidently recognizing that the voice was
not his friends. SIS not Mr.. Orde thereY'
he queried.
at present he is out, sir" replied
Max; ''but l am expecting him back
every moment"
"In that case will keep the connec.
ton open for few minutes. Tell him
to signal me immediately he returns"
"All right, sir" responded Max, and
with that the conversation came to an
end for the time being.
So far as could be ascertained after
ward, 1t would seem to have been
Lumsden's intention to ask Orde to meet
him at his club and dine with him, his
wife and daughter being under an en-
gagement to accompany some friends
that evening to concert. I.
Four minutes later Mr.. Orde pushed
open the swing doors of the outer Office
and was at once informed by Max Of
the conversation that had passed BE-
tween himself and Mr.. Lumsden. Go
ing forward into his room he took up
the telephone tube with the intention of
signaling to his friend that he was there
and at his service. The tube was in his
hand, and he was on the point Of put
ting it to his lips when a sound which
reached him through it arrested his at
tention and caused him to clap it t4his
ear instead. What he heard sounded to
him like an inarticulate cry, as it might
be, of surprise or fear, followed, the mo-
ment the tube touched his ear, by the
words. "Oh. Harry. Hary-this from
you!" Close upon which came a groan
then dull thud as Of some heavy body
falling. and last Of all. after q brief
silence, but very family. what seemed
like the clashing of door.
For few moments longer Mr.. Orde
stood with the tube glued to his ear like
a man stupefied, but no further sound of
any kind reached him. Then his wits
came back to him in some measure. He
gave the signal he had been on the point
of giving before and waited. with a sick
ening suspense impossible to describe.
for response. But none came. Again
he signaled. and again he waited; but
with a like result. or rather with no re-
suit at all. The tube dropped from his
fingers and he sank into his chair utterly
dazed and confounded
What had happened to his friend?
Had he been the unwilling auditor of a
tragedy in which Lumsden had played
the part of victim? II nothing had hap
pened, why had the latter failed to re-
spond to his summons? But the need for
ascertaining, beyond the possibility Of
doubt, whether bis fears had any foun-
dation in fact was a spur to immediate
action. He rang and ordered a hanson
to be fetched with all speed While
waiting for it he signaled again through
the instrument, hoping against hope to
hear his friends CHEEKY "Halloo" in re-
turn, but the silence that ensued was as
'he SILENCE Of the grave. It was with q