Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Click in the Hall.
[origlnal.l

was twenty-five years old received
flattering offer to go to Italy to in
struct a corps of operators for new
line then building. From Italy 1 was
called to Sicily on similar business,
where remained several months.
One day a ship came in from Ameri-
ca with passengers who were mostly
pleasure or health seekers, among
them an American gentleman, Mr.. Es-
ten and his daughter Alice. Alice Els
| ten was in delicate health, and this
| was the reason for their making the
| trip. Mr.. Esten was wealthy and spent
| his money lavishly. He took the best
rooms in the hotel and had all the
servants at his beck, each striving to
win the coins he kept in his pocket to
| secure their attention. l made his ac-
quaintance one evening, and when he
| learned that l was a telegrapher he
told me that he had been an operator
himself; had secured an interest in Il
telegraph line which had afterward
! been sold out to Il combination for so
much money that his share had made
him rich.
He was very unwise in not conceal
| ing his wealth, for the Sicilian brigands
are noted for kidnapping rich people
and holding them for ransom. They
soon spotted Mr.. Esten and one day
when he was climbing an ascent back
of the hotel alone took him in charge.
When he did not return for dinner
search was made, and he was not to
be found within a distance of dozen
miles. Then it was determined that
he had fallen into the hands of brig
andS
The landlord commissioned me to
break the news to Alice Esten, and
1 confess l found ii a difficult mat
ter. she cast her large blue eyes, full
OF tears and pleading, at me and beg
ged me to save her father from being
murdered. 1t was impossible 10 avoid
seeming to acquiesce, and 1 told her
| that l would start at once in search
of him. l was to go into the interior
on business, but had not the faintest
expectation of being of any service to
Mr.. Esten. Indeed, his case was in
his own hands. Probably at first he
might not defer to the demands of his
captorS, but after awhile, with death
staring him in the face, he would be
obliged to yield.
l did not forget either the father or
daughter and tried to get wind of the
| former. l opened telegraph offices
and often in communicating with the
coast asked If any news had come
! from the captive. \ reply finally came
| that it was reported that the demands
of the bandits, who thought he was
| fabulously rich, We're so enormous that
he could not pay them. At least this
was the assumption from what the
bandits had permitted to be known.
| worked across the island, then back
| again. One night 1 stopped at n sta
ton in the mountains where there was
| only one building in which 4 stranger
| could be accommodated, but its owner
and the people l saw about the place
were so villianous looking that 1
| feared to stay there. However, there
was no choice, and. leaving what
money 1 possessed at the station, L
took up my quarters in this uninviting
! abode.
The head of my bed was against a
wall. and before going to sleep 1 heard
| what at first l took to be n houses
| Cnawing. though the wall was of stone
and mice do not try to work their way
| through masonry. My surroundings
were so disagreeable that l did not
! get to sleep easily, and this continued
| click in the wall did not add to my
ability to do so. Finally it occurred
| to me that there was, to speak para
| logically, an irregular regularity about
| the clicks. Besides, they would stop
| and be resumed at intervals which
were about equal. They began to in
terest me. After silence, when they
were resumed again 1 listened atten-
! lively. Almost any telegrapher from
force of habit will attempt to find let
tiers in such sounds, and soon found
myself trying to do so. What was
my establishment the moment l began
| to read:
ANY one procuring his release"
| With a beating heart 1 waited for the
tapping which ended with the word
release to recommence. When 1t did
1 followed the words.
can American gentleman is impris-
oned here by bandits. He will give n
large sum to any one procuring his re-
| lease"
The moment the message was fin
lSucu Oul VI ONoB eSONA - AeAA So
knife from my trousers pocket anu
with the handle telegraphed on the
wall:
"Are you Mr.. EstenT"
Eyes. Thank God for the question:
81 am the operator you met at the
hotel"
1t was determined between us that
we should wait till morning, when l
would telegraph for a force to come
| up and release him. We chatted half
the night, however, and 1 didn't sleep
q wink. He had been sending his mes
sages at intervals ever since he had
| been captured.
The next morning 1 sauntered care
lessly out of the house, sent my mes
sage. and that night troops surround
ed the place and captured every one
on it. Mr.. Esten and returned to the