The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-05-13

one were IN great hurry she haSten-
ed to receive the message: THAT you.
Nora?" lit was Aunt Alice after ALL
II left my desk unlocked, and there is
large sum of money in it. AS I'm
not coming home for several hours I'd
like to feel that all is right. Call down
to Jane. tell her to lock IL and bring
you the key. Ill hold the line a min
ute to hear that she's done it,"
Nora wheeled herself to the speak
ing tube and whistled several times.
then out in the hall and called loudly.
but could hear nothing in reply. She
began to grow frightened: Jane was
a comparatively new servant, and the
two were alone In the house. How her
helplessness weighed upon her soul at
. this moment. She returned at last to
the telephone.
Aunt Alice. are you there? Well.
can't get Jane; I've called and whistled.
Something's wrong: can't you come
homer"
'I'll come at oncei" and Nora heard
her aurft ring on sharply.
After a few minutes the girl heard a
footstep in the servants room overhead
then a door opened somewhere. and
presently the front door closed with a
bang. From the window she saw the
maid go out of the gate carrying q
satchel. She followed the highway in
the direction OF q little station half a
mile down the road. where the express
trains would stop on signal. It was
clear enough that she had rified the
desk and was running on.
With trembling fingers Nora seized
her directory and turned its pages. Yesi
the station had a telephone. Quickly
she told her story. describing the ap-
pearance Of the servant. her baggage
and her dress. She asked the operator
to detain her. and he promised to have
the policeman in charge look out for
her. The girls mind was working
alertly now. and the telephone was rap
idly proving itself an able assistant She
next called up the Dalton police sta
ton. again told her story. and asked
that an officer be sent out on the ex-
press which would stop at Oakley. and
would they please be quick about It. for
the train was due there at one o'clock!
Then she leaned back In her chair
exhausted and waited. as the smoke
marked the pathway Of the express
along the valley. She saw her aunt
driving rapidly down the road: soon
she burst into the room IN a whirlwind
Of excitement: "Child, we've been
robbed! What shall we do?" and
strong Aunt Alice sat down weakly in
a rocker. actually on the verge of tears.
Nora turned to the telephones: wait,
Aunt Alice. I'll see IL she's caughti"
Mrs. Harding listened In bewilderment
to the conversation that followed. Al
though 1t was one-sided, she gathered
from II that In some manner Jane had
been apprehended before she had fairly
started. Her niece turned to her after
minute. trembling. but eager: They've
taken her. and she had lot of things
besides the money; the chief himself
came out to arrest her, and the whole
party's coming here SOS she can be
Identified"
Then Nora told the rest of the story
while her aunt leaned back on the
cushions Of the chair and tried to un-
derstand It,
Mrs Harding started to her feet as
the chief. Jane. and the operator from
Oakley. with miscellaneous party fol-
lowing, entered her front gate 81
don't know which to admire most" she
exclaimed. your presence of mind and
simple common sense, or that wonder
OF modern inventions. the telephone
but l believe I'll decide on the common
sense. Man may invent all he pleases
but only the Lord can fashion a mind
that works when the occasion demands
It," and the aunt departed to interview
her faithless servant. while Nora
through these rare words OF praise. ~.
ceived an uplift that long afterwart
bore her triumphantly through hour,
OF loneliness and pain.-Young People