Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-27
The Story Teller.
A CODE OF
SIGNALS
fOrlgtnol.l

People tell re that because am
thlrty-eight, unmarried and wear spec
tacles l should not be interested In
young lovers. Nevertheless am inter
ested in them and always expect to be.
We live on short block fanked by
two long ones. From my bedroom win
dow, in the rear. l can look out on the
rear Of two rows Of houses opposite
one another. This morning l saw
young man stand at window of the
seventh house to the left watching
window of the third house to the right.
Presently beautiful girl appeared and
waved her handkerchief to him.
l am not curious at all. My brother
Bob SAYS am inordinately so, but I'm
not. Nevertheless, 1t being plain that
the wave Of the handkerchief was
signal, q sign, a message or something
Of the kind. naturally wondered what
it could be. I wished that 1t had ap-
peared later in the day. for was
obliged to keep watch at the window
all the afternoon and evening for fear
of missing the next message. Nothing
appeared till after dark. when can
die was left burning on the Sill OF the
younc lady's window-I shall call this
No. 8 and the other house No. for
half an hour. 1t went out suddenly.
and I went to bed.
The first signal had passed about 3
o'clock. Therefore the next morning
began my watch a few minutes be-
fore 0. AS the clock struck the hour
the gentleman and the lady appeared
at their respective windows. She looked
troubled and held up piece OF paste
board on which was written In large
letters:
Tark at II p. m.
This was surely the time and place
of an elopement. The man as soon as
he saw the message looked serious. but
an elopement Is serious matter, and
I was not surprised that this young
couple appreciated the Importance OF
the step they were about to take. l
did not expect any more messages, but
for fear Of missing one kept my place
at my window all day. After dark
was about to give 1t up when red
light was put in the girls window.
That means that something has hap
pened to prevent the elopement tonight.
Red is q danger signal. l shall look
anxiously for another cipher message
in the morning.
I Law awake half the night wondering
what had happened. | wished that l
could help them. 1t might be they
needed a confidant to make arrange
ments they could not make themselves.
I resolved that if they did not carry
out their plans the next day would 60
into No. 8. call for the girl and offer
my services. In the morning she held
up sign:
Tark 6. Haze o.
They're going to try it again. They
will meet at some place at 6 this even
ing designated by the word "Tark."
But what does Haze o" mean? Why,
that the danger which threatened them
before has been eliminated. How stu
pid of me not to see it at once! Tonight
will tell. I'm sure the window Will
show light
Twas not mistaken. The window did
show q light-not one, but two. and
they were both red.
In tie morning l awaited the cipher
message anxiously. 1t came later than
usual, and the poor girl looked dread
fully worried when she gave It On the
pasteboard were the words:
Tark TO-
The man, too, looked worried, but
made a motion for the girl to wait.
Then, disappearing from the window,
he returned presently and held up
placard:
O. x. this end; tonight sure.
could stand this no longer. Putting
ON nv hat and wraps l went around
the corner and rang the bell at No.
8. The girl who had been displaying
cipher messages came to the door.
MAY I speak with you momentT
I asked.
Certainly. Come in"
We went into q drawing room, and
I mustered courage to open the dell
cate subject :,
"Pardon ME If I seem of1cious," !
said, "but I have reason to believe that
YOU love a gentleman who lives In
one of the houses whose rear faces
yours"
She didn't blush at all. "You are
right" she said. Her sensible way or
coming right out helped me.
"You need a friend. I am that
friend. I have observed your signals,
your appointments and your disap-
pointments."
Excuse me-" she interrupted. "Have
you had the measles"
'.The measles? Why, no. What has
that to do with the matter"
"Only that my two children are
down with it, and if you should take
it it might 60 hard with you. 1t al
ways does with elderly people"
"And the signalsT gasped.
"They were to keep my husband,
who remained at home with our other
children, informed. We took this
house that we might separate the sick
| from the we'll"
Then she explained the signals. The
smile and the handkerchief merely
meant encouragement; 'Tark at IL
D. M" that their boy Harrington, who
had not surely shown the disease, had
broken out at II p. m. The white and
red lights were the only signals that
could be given at night to say bet
ter" or "worse." "Tark 6, Haze o.
meant that, according to the scale