Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-12-27

1NN-~
INSTANTLY TIE GIRL ACROSS TIE AISLE
LOOKED UP.
cited. The blood rushed 10 her cheeks |
and tears to her eyes. Touching her |
fathers arm, she exclaimed eagerly:
Papa, papa, buy me one Of those
pretty, noisy playthings"
fanciei detected sinister CLEAN
in the mans eye. but he answered
NO; that thing is only for boys and
children"
"Oh. please. please. papar she per-
sisted, clasping her hands. Il must
have 1t! want 10 see II II will sing
for NE. Quick, quick. before be is
gone"
As she would not he pncifed and
some IF the passengers were looking at
her. her father smiled grim!y and
thrust one hand into his pocket
Anything 10 please fool he NUT
tered. Opening the window, he babe
the boy outside toss up one Of his In
ferna machines snatched II from him.
threw out u quarter and shut the win
dow.
There" He tossed It in the girls
lap. See how long that will am,lse
You" As he resumed his paper |
watched the girl across the aisle With
a New interest. coupled with growing
justification.
She turned the toy over and over.
he'd il to her cheek ana lips. her face
instinct with passionate yearning, then
slowly and tinidly drew the string
back and forth, producing succession
of short. irrhy. raSpiIg sounds, which
she gradually tempered and saftened.
Finally. iifiGs Of watching her. re-
sumc.i my paSti'ne of drumming with
my tAglgs. Instantly she stopped, re-
garded me eagerly. then, sadly shaE-
ing her head dropped her crude play
thing in her lap.
What was the girl trying TO do? A
look into her set. tense face secuted the
idea of anything so trivia! us tirta-
ton. When | stopped drumming she
resumed her performance; when |
drummed She was quiet, listening In
tently. but with evident disappolnt
ment. Giving up the riddle at last. |
leaned back, with folded arms. lmme-
diately. with most inexplicable look
toward her father and toward me. the
girl across the aisle resumed, with all
air of desperate determination. the
same unvaryiug iteration OF sounds
and pauses until the performance be
came almost intoIerable. Indeed. II
| was gslting upon my nerves. and was
/ contemplating an appeal To her father
/ when | stumbled into the light Her
! maneuver was making Its way not up
/ on my nerves alone. but upon an inner
consciousness, slowly responding to
/ the magic code. began to follow and
( anayZe that rhythmical succession Of
: sounds and pauses until | was able to
recognize, distinguish and translate
them. The girl across the aisle was
| communicating through her crude play
thing telegraph messages to me.
-NOtlIE tAIItSSIbll, sue blOIltt,
then flashed a significant glance to.
ward her father. Obeyng her IN
| spoken injunction, busted myself
with i book. but in a moment she was
at work again and her message read:
II am trying TO speak to you. Dc
you understands
Ny response was to cast bewilder'
ed glance at her. Instantly she turned
her face from me toward the window
but | was on the alert for the mex,
message,
Drum with your fingers on the arm
OF your seat as you did before. car
read that. Don't look at me-"
Here was the last link in the riddle
l raped:
Il understand you. How can | helI
you?"
She appeared not to notice me. sit
ting with her hands relaxed, apparent
ly lost in reverie. But another mes
sage soon followed.
This man who pretends | am crazy
is not my father nor an old man-only
twenty-seyen. Read again"
| raped Yes" keeping my eyes OF
my book Then her improvised tele
graph spoke again.
HE robbed my father. abducted N,
and will force me to marry him al
soon as be is safe from capture. II,
threatens to kill me II try TO es
cape or betray him. His name is Jere
my Saunders. Have you understood? :
Hal |? If ever ! needed nerve
was then. On my return home. de
feated. baff,ed. found myself by ,
freak of fortune hot on the trail. AcrOs
the aisle, SO near that could toucl
him, yet SO secure In his disguise tina
be could mock me to my face. sat ID.
quarry. while to this girl, his prisoner
had come the heaven sent inspiration
we both needed.
Steadying my fingers by an effort,
raped:
Yes. Your name next. VIII al,
yop with my life"
Il am Almo Osgood." she responded
The woman is Saunders sister. W
alight at Rochester. and unless he'll
comes quickly am lost"
| consulted my time table. We woul,
reach Rochester In an hour.
DO you fear arrest and temporar
detentionT raped.
Il fear nothing that will free N
from this man." was the prompt RI
Spouse.