The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-01-08

you" AS he resumed his paper !
watched the girl across the aisle with
q new interest, coupled with growing
mystifcation
She turned the toy over and over.
held it to her cheek and lips. her face
instinct with passionate yearning. then
slowly and timidly drew the string
back and forth. producing succession
Of short, jerky, rasping sounds. which
she gradually tempered and softened.
Finally. firing of watching her. / re-
sumed my pastime of drumming with
my fingers. Instantly she stopped. re-
garded me eagerly, then, sadly shak-
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 trivial as fiirta-
ton. When stopped drumming she
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 Imme-
toward her father and toward me. the
girl across the aisle resumed. with an
air of desperate determination, the
same unvarying iteration of sounds
and pauses until the performance be-
came almost intolerable. Indeed. it
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
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 book. but in a moment she was
at work again, and her message read:
81 am trying to speak to you. Do
you understand"
My 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 next
message.
'Drum with your fingers on the arm
Of your seat as you did before. | can
read that Don't look at me-"
Here was the last link in the riddle
raped:
81 understand you. How can help
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-seven. Read again."
l raped YES" keeping my eyes or
my book. Then her improvised tele
graph spoke again.
HE robbed my father, abducted me
and will force me to marry him as
soon as he is safe from capture. He
threatens to kill me if l try to es
cape or betray him. His name is Jere
my Saunders. Have you understood"
Had +? If ever / needed nerve il
was then. On my return home, de
feated, baffied, l found m. self by &
freak of fortune hot on the trail. Across
| the aisle, so near that / could touch
him, yet so secure in his disguise tina
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 ait
you with my life"
Il am Almo Osgood," she responded
'The woman is Saunders sister. W.
alight at Rochester, and unless hell
| comes quickly | am lost"
consulted my time table. We would
reach Rochester in an hour.
"Do you fear arrest and temporar.
detention?" I raped.
81 fear nothing that will free mi
from this man." was the prompt re
Spouse.
Every good" replied. IF in morta
power will free you Say no more
1t is risking too much"
! AS raped the last words Saunder
flung down his paper.
BE done with that Internal DIM" b
exclaimed 1T is past all endurance!
I. "Yesv' said the girl YEARLY. 9TH
tune won't come, and I'm sleepyw Sh
lay back. with closed eyes.
about timer | calculated. evil
you have cigar with me in the smok
err? I'm feeling bit dotty myself"
Thanks, no. / dare not leave tn
girl. This is the first outing for tire
weeks, and swear it will be the last.
Il don't blame you. Well, I'll hav
a smoke and dispose Of this thing"
took the toy gently from her lap. rs
long
Passing through the train to th
telegram oDaratOr'S car. / sent a cod