The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-04-19

that he knew the hour to be midnight
Midnight meant the coming of the las
day. fter sunrise, some greasy loung
er, pregnant of cheap tobacco, would
come in and assume that he represent
ed the sheriff, bills would be hung, IKE
banners on the outward walls, and
Bells, somewhere. Like the bells II
the valley where the vicarage used tc
stand. Steel vaguely wondered whit
now lived in the house where he was
born. He was staring, in the most alb,
conscious Of the shrill impotence Of the
little voice. He saw the quick pulsa.
ton of the striker and he came back to
earth again. e.
Jefferies, of the Weekly Messenger, OF
course. Jefferies was fond Of a late
chat on the telephone.
Steel wondered, grimly, If Jefferies
would lend him e1,0OO. He flung him
self down in a deep lounge chair and
placed the receiver to his ear. By the
deep, hoarse clang of the wires, a long.
distance message, assuredly.
From London, evidently. Halloa,
London! Are you there?"
London responded hat it was. A soft,
clear voice spoke at length.
SIS that you. Mr.. Steel? Are you quite
alone? Under the circumstances. you
are not busy tonight"
Steel started. He had never heard
the voice before. 1t was clear, and soft
and commanding, and yet there was
just a suspicion of mocking irony in 1t.
II am not very busy tonight" Steel
replied. "Who is speaking to me?"
THAT for the present we may not go
into" said the hooking voice. "As GER
tain old-fashioned contemporaries. of
yours would say, We meet as strang-
ers!' Stranger yet, you are quite alone:"
II am quite alone. Indeed, I am the
only one in the house."
Good! I have told the exchange peo-
pie not to ring off until I have finished
with you. One advantage of telephon-
ing at this hour is that n is tolerably
free from interruption. So your moth
err is asleep? Have you told her what is
likely to happen to you before many
hours have elapsed?"
Steel made no reply for a moment.
He was restless and i'll at ease tonight,
and it seemed just possible hat his i'm
agination was playing him strange
tricks. But, no. The Moorish clock, in
it's frame of celebrities droned the quar-
ter after IL; the scent Of the Dijon roses
flcated in from the conservatory.
1T have told nobody as yet" Steel
said, hoarsely. Who in the name Of
Heaven are you?"
THAT in good time. But I did not
think you We're a coward"
mo man aver told me so-face to
face" e
"Good, again. I recognize the fight
ing ring in your voice. If you lack GER
tain phases of moral courage, you are q
man of pluck and Now, some
body who is very dear to me is at pres
ent in Brighton, not very far from
your own house. She is in dire need Of
assistance. We can be of mutual ad-
vantage to another"
"What do you mean by ,that?" Steel
whispered.
footing. I want you to help my friend,
and in return I will help you. Bear in
mind that I am asking you to do moth
ing wrong. II you will promise me to
go to a certain address in Brighton to-
night, I promise that before you sleep
the sum of $1,000 in Bank of England
notes shall be in'your possession
No reply came from Steel. He could
not have spoken at that moment for the
fee-simple. of Golconda. He could only
hang. gasping to the telephone. Many
a strange, weird plot came and wenti Ill
that versatile brain, but Eve n more
wild than this. Apparently, no reply
was expected, for tine speaker resumed:
IT am asking you to 10 no wrong.
You may naturally desire to know why
my friend does not come to you. That
must remain my secret our secret. We
are trusting you because we know you
to be a gentleman, but we have enemies
who are ever on the watch. All you
have to do is to go to a certain place
and give a certain woman information.
you are thinking this is a strange mys-
terry. Never was snything stranger
dreamt Of in your philosophy. Are you
agreeable?"
The hooking zone died out of the
small, clear voice, until it was almost
pleading.
"You have taken me at d disadvant-
age,'' said Steel. "And you know"
Everything. I am trying to save you
from ruin. Fortune has played you into
my hands. I am perfectly aware that
If you were not on the verge of social
extinction, you would refuse my re-
quest. 1t is in your hands to decide.
You know that Beckstein, your credit
or, Is absolutely merciles5. He will get
his money back. and more besides. This
is his idea Of business. Tomorrow you