Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-09
| NJ |
I1

II k(~tN NtX|lX Lust DeCcIIlDeE
VI ASNN1S located permanent
e1GEa ly in Chicago ant
it was in that cit!
that the memorable adventure l an
about to relate took place.
My offices consisted of two adjoining
rooms on the eighteenth floor, rear, OF
n the Boomerang building. The outer
apartment as you entered from the
hallway could only be lighted artiti
cially, but the inner one had a fair
sized window giving upon narrow
airshaft. 1t can readily be understood
that the suit was not an especially de-
sirable one, but the rental suited my
pocketbook much better than the lar
ger sums demanded for more preten-
t!ous quarters. Like most young law
yers, my business at first was incon-
siderable, and | employed no clerk or
other assistant.
On Saturday, the 9th of January,
present year, was given case which
involved my taking short journey
westward 1 prepared memorandum
stating that l would be back In about
of my outer office. After locking up
descended in one of the elevators. On
the main floor, as l headed for the
street with travelling bag in one hand
and document case in the other, met
the janitor of the building and stop
ped to speak to him.
Il am going to be away for about a
xraaIy Dnupharfv Soi6 s.ap6 ! IoD'f
want any cleaners or busters or any
body else to enter my office till l get
back. There's lot of important pa
pers scattered around, and l haven't
time to put them away"
"All right, Mr.. Jennin's," he replied
effusively
l thanked him and hurried off to-
ward the railway station. But l had
scarcely gone more than couple of
blocks before commenced to worry.
Il don't believe I'd better 60 off and
leave those deeds and things scattered
around the outer ROOM" l muttered to
myself. 1--WE got time enough to go
back and still make the train
Accordingly l turned about and hur-
ried back to the Boomerang building.
The janitor was not visible. l rode up
to my floor in car operated by
strange elevator man. l hastily I'M
locked the outside door If my offices,
taking care not to disturb the wafered
memorandum, and slammed the portal
shut behind me. Hearing footsteps in
the hallway, locked the door from the
inside, for l had no time to spare and
did not want to be interrupted.
Nov I'll put those papers in the in
side office and lock them up there" l
said to myself.
Hastily setting the spring lock on the
connecting door, gathered up an arm
full of the documents and darted inside
with them. As l did so the projecting
end of a stout roll of papers caught the
edge of the half open door and brought
it slamming shut behind me. 1t was
only by an involuntary leap forward
that l avoided being struck in the
back
That's a good, big. solid door" was !
my first thought as |. dumped the pa /
pers into an open drawer. "When | |
have a clerk. there'll be little danger Of
his overhearing
At the instant another idea flashed
through my brain, and l ran to the
oaken portal.
Locked inn l calculated as l pulled
hard upon the unyielding knob. Then
] commenced to laugh at my own clum-
siness. But laughing out loud when
alone is not an overcheerful thing, and
Isoon desisted.
1t did not take me many minutes to
realize that l was in an awkward
plight, to say the least. Like all mod
ern office buildings, the Boomerang
was constructed with soundproof floors
and walls. The outer office, interven-
Ing between the one where l was con-
fined and the hallway, would cause my
cries to be useless in that direction. l
carefully examined the door and the
lock, at least as much of the latter as
was distinguishable. The door was of
oak and very solidly made, as l have
said. The only tools in the office were
my penknife and a steel eraser. |
could not have cut much more than
square inch of the woodwork away in
a whole days chipping. Moreover, in
prying around the keyhole l snapped :
the single blade of the knife in twain.
The window seemed to be my last
and best hope. Nothing but the bare :
party wall of the airshaft met my view
al first. But, although it was bitterly
cold outdoors. l raised the sash. Above
md below We're similar windows to my
OWN, l knew, but wide lodges inter-
pened. and the tightly closed sashes of q
glntry weather make poor sound L
yelled and shouted until l
was hoarse without making any viz a
Die impression. 1t was one Of those re- b
,essed airshafts, and / was abe. hold q
rs on by both hands % the sill. 20 lean 4