Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-04
CHAPTER XII.

In the paling afternoon, with pearl-mist
Of fine rain thinly shrouding the city,
Frances Gambler waited for Durkin impa-
| tiently, with her watch open before her.
AS the frail steel hand, implacable as fate,
sank away toward the half-hour mark her
own spirits sank with it. 1t was not often
Durkih was late. Another ten minutes
would make him forever too late. She de-
bated within herself whether or not she
should risk her own voice over the wire to
Ottenheimer's office. while there was yet
time, or wait it out to the last. Then she
remembered, to her sudden horror, that the
transmitter still stood in its perfectly-ad-
justed and normal condition. that there
could be no muf1ing. incompetent mechan-
ism to disguise the tones of her voice.
She was still beating despairingly through
tangle of dubious possibilities when the
reassuring two-three ring of the door-bell
sounded out. through the quiet of the lonely
twilight, with startling clearness. A min
ute later Durhin came painting into the
room. He was clean-shaven, silk-hatted,
immaculate, and most painfully out of
breath.
"Is there timer. he gasped putting down
heavy suit case and peeling off his frock
coat as he spoke.
ITS twenty-one minutes after s. If
minutes
BY this time Durkin had the suit case
casing Off the transmitter. Then a deft
turn or two with his screwdriver, a tenta-
tive touch or two on the electrode, and in
another half minute the casing was re-
stored. and he was gently tapping on the
diaphragm of the transmitter, with the re-
ceiver at his ear, testing the sound
Just minute, now, till cool down. and
get my breath! l had endless trouble get
ting my drill apparatus-at one time l
thought I'd have to take dentists tooth
driller, or some such thing. But got what
wanted-that's what kept me. Anything
new?
He turned with the receiver still at his
ear, and for the first time looked at her
closely. Her face seemed pale, and a little
weary-looking. against her black street
gown; the shadowy wistfulness about her
eyes seemed more marked than ever.
Yes" she was laughing back at him,
however. something most prodigious has
happened. 1 have an order for one dozen
cotllon favors, to be done in velvet and
afternoon
Durkin himself laughed shortly, and faced
the telephone once more, asking her how
time was.
You haven't second to lose!
His own face was little, paler than usual
as he stood before the transmitter, while
Frances, with Ter watch in her hand. went
on saying that. if Phipps was punctual he
would be out and away in one minutes
time.
Durkin took a last look around. said under
MS Dreatn, well. mere goes. ana placed
the receiver to his ear.
The next minute the bell tinkled out
briskly, authoritatively, with a metallic and
dispassionate pereinptorness. For a mo-
ment. too, the woman. watching him. with
half-parted lips, was haunted with the sud
den impression that she had lived through
the scene before. that each move and sound
was in some way secondhand to her inner
consciousness, older than time itself.
blurred and dateless photograph on the
plates of memory.
Hello! Hello! Is that you, Phipps?' she
heard him say, and his voice sounded thin.
and far away. There was pause-it seem
ed endless pause-and he repeated the
query. louder.
This is Ottenhelmer Yes. something
wrong with the phone. Don't cabl Teet-
eel say don't cable Teetzel. about those
canary diamonds. until you see me. Yes,
Teetzel. Did you get that? Weller
what the devils our safe combination? Yes,
yes, Ottenheimer!'
"Slower-slower, JIM" grOaned the girl,
behind him.
.'Combnations slipped my mind. Phipps.
Yes; after dinner: want TO run down and
look the books. Louder, please; 1
can't hear. Yes, that's better. TO the
right three times. to sevonty-four-back
thirty-on eighty-two-back one hundred
and eight-and on seven. Yes. It's the sec
ond last figure slipped me. Better close up
now. Better close UP, | say. All right
good-bye"'
The bell tinl.ed and grew still. The las,
minute vibration ebbed out of the transmit
ters tingling diaphragm; but still neither