The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-12-01

she turned the TOY over ana over.
held it to her cheek and lips, her face
instinct with passionate yearning. then
slowly and ti.nidly drew the string
back and forth. producing Il succession
of short. jerky. rasping sounds. which
she gradually tempered and softeneI
Finally firing of watching her. | re
sumed my pastime of drumming with
my fingers Instantly she stopped, re-
ga.de1 me eagerly. then, sadly shak-
ing hcr head dropped her crude play
thing in her lap
What was the girl trying to Go? :
look into her set. tense face secuted the
idea of anything 50 trivial as a tiirta-
ton. When | stopped drumming Size
resumed her performance: when
drummed she was quiet, listening in
tently. but With evident disappoint-
ment Giving up the riddle at last,
leaned back. with folded arms. Inm2-
diately With Il most ineXplicable loOl:
toward her father and toward NE, the
girl across the aisle resumed. with an
air of desperate determination. the
same unyarying iteration of sounds
and pauSes until the performance be
came almost intolerable. Indeed, il
was getting upon my nerves, and wa
contemplating an appeal to her fathe"
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
analyze 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.
Noting my expression, she stopped
then flashed a significant glance to-
ward her father, Obeying her I'M
| spoken Injunction. busted myself
with a book, but liz a moment she was
at work again, and her message read:
Il am trying to speak to you, Do
you understand
My response was to cast a beWi!del-
| ed glance at her. Instantly she turned
| her face from me toward the window,
but was on the alert for the next
message.
Drum with your fingers Oh the arm
of your seat as you did before. | can
read that Don't look 1t me-
Here was the last link in the riddle.
raped:
Il understand you. How can | help
you?"
She appeared not TO notice me, sit
ting with her hands relaxed. apparent
ly lost in reyerie But another mes
sage soon followed.
This man who pretends | am crazy
is not my father nor an old Enan-ori.'
| twenty-seyen. Read again"
l raped Yes" keeping my eyes on
| my book Then her improvised teie-
graph spoke again.
He robbed my father, abducted me
and will force me- to marry him as
soon as he is safe from capture. lie
threatens TO kill me if | try to es-
cape or betray him. His name is .Iere-
my Saunders. Have you understood:
Had |? If ever | needed nerve 1t
was then. On my return home. De
feated. battled. | found myself by Il
freq K of fortune hot on the trail Across
the aisle. so near that | could touch
him, yet SO secure in his disguise that
he could mock me to my face. sat my
quarry. while to this girl, his prisoner
had come the heaven sent inspiration
we both needed.
Steadying my fingers by an effort.
raped:
Eyes. Your name next. Will aid
yop with my life
Il am Almo Osgood." she responded
The woman is Saunders sister. We
alight at Rochester. and unless help
comes quickly l am lost"
consulted my time table. We would
reach Rochester in an hour.
do you fear arrest and temporary
detention" rap. Il.
Il fear nothing that will free me
from this man." was the prompt re-
Spouse.
very good replied. IF in mortal
power l will free you. Say no more
1t is risking too much"
AS raped the last words Saunders
flung down his paper.
BE done with that Internal din he
exclaimed. 1T is past all endurance
''Yesr' said the girl YEARLY. The
tune won't come. and I'm sleepy" She
lay back, with closed eyes.
About time | calculated. will
you have cigar with me in the smok-
er? I'm feeling bit dotty myself"
Thanks. no. | dare not leave the
girl This is the first outing for three
weeks. and swear it will be the last ,
81 don't blame you. Well, I'll have
smoke and dispose of this thing"
took the toy gently from her lap. sc
long"
Passing through the train to The
telegraph operators car, sent code
message to the Rochester authorities:
Arrest man. woman and girl alight
ing from car Cumberland. train A.
Will signal. Send man who knows me
Farnham."