Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-16
A PIECE OF
STRING
Continued from page 10


of the affair; but the thought of my boy
fingered, and l resolved to come back and get
him-abduct him, if necessary. did that,
and l will keep him if l have to kill the one
who opposes me.
tigerish ferocity of love which stops at nothing
a I conceived the plan of demanding fifty
thousand dollars of nv husband under threat
of abduction Mrs. Francis went on. My
purpose was to make 1t appear that the plot
was that of professonal-what would you call
it?-kidnappers. But did not send the letter
demanding this until l had perfected all my
plans and knew could get the boy. wanted
my husband to think it was the work OF others,
at least until we were safe IN Europe, because
even then imagined there would be long
legal fight.
AFTER l stole the boy and he recognized
me, wanted him as my own, absolutely safe
from legal action by his father. Then l wrote
to Mr. Francis, telling him had Walter, and
asking that in pity to me he legally give me
the boy by document of some sort: In that
letter told how he might signify his wiling
ness to do this; but of course would not give
my address. l placed string. the one you
saw in that tree after having tied two knots
in it. 1t was a silv, romantic means OF COM
munication he and ! used years ago IN my
girlhood when we both lived 2c@r here. 1t he
agreed that should have the child, he was to
come or send some one last night and unite
one of the two knots.
n, II.
He understood clearly. Instead of going to
the police with the second letter from his Wlfe,
Francis had gone to The Thinking Machine
The Thinking Machine sent the reporter to
unite the knot which was an answer OF Yes
to Mrs Francis's request for the child. Then
she would have written giving her address,
and there would have been a clue to the child
whereabouts. 1t was all perfectly clear now
Did you specifically mention a string IN
your letter." he asked.
7
his answer in that place, and would leave
something there by which he could SIGNIFY
Yes or No as he did years ago. The string
was one of the odd little ideas of my girlhood
| Two knots meant No; one knot meant Yes;
and if the string was found by anyone else IL
| meant nothing.
This, then, was why The Thinking Machine
did not tell him at first that he would lind a
| string and instruct him to unite one OF the
| knots in it. The scientist had seen that 1t
| might have been one of the other tokens OF the
| old romantic days.
when l met you there" Mrs. Francis re-
sumed Il believed you were an impostor-l
don't know why, just believed lt-yet your
answers were in way correct. FOR lear you
were not what YOU seemed-that you were
detective-I brought you here to keep you until
got the child's release. You know the rest
The reporter picked up the revolver and
whirled it in his fingers. The action, appar-
emily, did not disturb Mrs. Francis.
why did you remain here so long after you
got the chd?" asked Hatch.
81 believed it was safer than in city,, she
answered frankly. The steamer on which
planned to sail for Europe with my boy leaves
tomorrow l had intended going to New
York tonight to catch it; but now"
The reporter glanced down at the child
He had fallen asleep in his mothers arms. His
tiny hands chung to her. The picture was
pretty one. Hatch made up his mind.
We'll you'd better pack up" he said: IN
90 with you to New York and do all can"
1t was on the New York-bound train several
hours later that Hatch turned to Mrs. Francis
with an odd smile.
why didn't you load that revolver" he
asked.
Because / was horribly afraid some
would get hurt with it, she replied laugh
ingly.
She was gay with that gentle happiness of
possession which blesses woman for the agonies
of motherhood, and glanced from time to time
at the berth across the aisle where her baby
was asleep Looking upon it all, Hatch was
content He didn't know his exact position in
law; but that didn't matter, after all.
Hutchinson Hatch's exclusive story of the
escape to Europe of Mrs. Francis and her boy
was remarkably complete; but all the facts
were not in it. 1t was week or so later that
he detailed them to The Thinking Machine.
81 knew it," said the scientist at the end.