Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-08-28

his desk. It gave q little and flew up
with a metallic click. Like fash the
thought Of how he had in idle mo-
ments sat there and with his pencil
shaft on the lock licked off Morse code
messages to nowhere, joined with the
memory of what the high voice had
said as to it's owners telegraphic &C
Quirements, and the two ideas Goa
lesced in a well defined hope. AS an
operator the Junior partner was some
what rusty, and as an instrument the
spring lock was only fair tonal iml-
tation. But it was a chance-the best
one in sight and as such to be seized.
Franklin seized it.
At the first accidental click the fun
bling at the door had ceased.
There's somebody in there" grOwled
Evidently it's owner was in tremu-
lous state Of mind. There was nothing
tremulous about his partner.
'In your mind" he snarled. IF there
Is, I've got bullet for him-and my
knife for you, you sniveling whelp, If
you don't brace up" he added in a
frenzied squeaL
Don't" gasped the other. "I'l go
on. I'll"-
"Tick-tick, thick; tick-tick, thick;
tick-tick, Tick" sounded clear through
the darkness
"Therew chartered the man who was
working on the door. Did you-did
you Wha-at was it?"
There was period Of silence, broken
only by the sharp clicking.
Its a telegraph call; that's what it
is. | don't have to be a operator to
know that" The quavering voice was
answering its own question.
1T couldn't be-" There was not the
fierce assurance in the piping voice
now that there had been. ut don't
sound like any instrument l ever
heard. Oh, l know" Relief was evil
dent in the tone, and correspondingly
sickening feeling rose In the junior
partners chest. Its one of those
stock tickers working overtime. You
amt going to let a thing like that
you said you'd cut the wires,' -
growled the other voice. you lied to
me. l amt goin' to stay. Agrrh!
Leggo my throatv' The growl had
suddenly been compressed to Wheel
ing squeak.
open up that door or I'll strange
your The piping voice had wild
beast note in it now.
The fumbling at the door was re-
sumed. Franklin could hear the lock
sliding. Doggedly he kept on with his
pencil, spelling out his faxed message.
''Tick-tick-tick, tick, ti-ick-tick, thick
tick-tick Tick tick tick tick-ti
Its message" The high voice was
shriller than ever. Send h-e-send
helpv' A high pitched, savage oath
rang in the air. Cut it, Dutch. He's
got private wire there
The junior partner got to his feet,
pressed a button and leaped upon his
turned on he could see over the parti-
ton a tall, thckset fellow leading q
little, wiry, redheaded man in q race
to the outer door. There the little man,
half turning, saw him.
"Ah, you wouldv' he screamed furi-
Ously. Take thatr'
His revolver spurted flame There
was crash of glass, and Franklin
jumped to the floor unhurt. Across the
office he raced. threw up window and
sent his voice ringing out between the
nigh buildings of the street
around in Broad street, he called
! as trampling feet answered his shouts
and the dark figures of two policemen
appeared.
Then he went back, closed the safe,
| seated himself at his desk and wrote
busily. When the detectives from the
police station came in, breathless, he
handed a slip of paper to each.
There's the best description l can
| give of the men, he said. You can
| read it as you run"
/ H.