Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-06-02
Robinson S
Detective Work

AhtnANls hiAA4 ihN tiililE ildIDVhNAs
q am sure that number is not
busy" | assured the operator, and
there followed the usual provoking ST.
ience. 'PlaE1 take it," | muttered,
when ! heard something like a moan
throug' the phone.
My God, they'll kill mel"
| almost dropped the receiver in
surprise. The wurds, uttered in low
time, evidently woman's had the
effect Of coming from blank space.
The shock set me to quivering.
They'll be back in moment
They'll have no mercy Help me, for
Gods sake"
The words came ierkily over the
phone cut into sentences, and were
spoken IN q replasse4 fashion as If
the speaker were trying TO conceal
them from someone. But they began
70 grow louder and more charged with
emotion
"They cant be gone much longer.
link ! hear them on the stairs now
Good God. they're coming! Help me!
help mel They're
It was Rsndals blatant voice that
broke IN. Hello he said Hello
Weu?"
Hang up your receiver shouted,
"This is me, Robinson Hurry, you
idiot. Something terribles happened"
1t took an endless time to make him
understand. The moment he did cut
off l began violently to work the re-
ceiver-holder of my phone in an effort
to attract tie operators attention.
There was a snap somewhere. The
ph%ne suddenly became absolutely
dead, 1t took me some time to realize
this; then | damned it down on the
desk and ran to the door.
AS ! opened it, a cab was creeping
by. Hailing the driver, | jumped in.
go like the devil" l said, and gave
him the address of the west exchange
with which knew my phone was coz
nected.
! fairly gnawed my nails to the
quick as the driver whipped his horse
along at top speed. The words were
ringing in my ears: Help me! Help
mel" What had happened?
Around the corner we whirIed and
the lights of the exchange flashed
into sight Wait" l shouted to the
driver, as I leaped out and dashed up
the stairs A girl pointed out to me
the manager.
THE forces have just been
changed" he said The operator on
your line has gone home
But can't anyone else tell me what
phone was connected WITH" l ex-
claimed.
He said thel >uldn t.
Then another resort came into my
mind where does the girl live? IN
20 to her home"
He asked each separate girl and
none knew. l was growing desperate
when the boy who did o4d Jobs said
be thought she lived with her aunt on
Queen and Oak streets in the Mills.
worth suburb. The next instant was
In the cab. driving like fury. The
Millsworth suburb was six miles
away. It was three o'clock when we
reached there. The girl and her aunt
had moved back within the city fully
ten miles from where we were. Az
soon as possible I changed cabs, for
the morse had been using was utterly
done up. Drive for all you are worth"
ST. d to my new cabby.
/. The words had heard over the
phc kept running through my brain:
<Heip me, help mel" Perhaps it was
300 late.
There was growing light in the
sast when we stopped before q small
frame house. Aching in every joint
from my hard drive, ran up the
steps. Bur-er, went the bell. There
was wait, tn Datter of feet, then
the gas in the hall was lighted.
l shouted who l was aud whom
wanted to see.
The door cracked and a head done
up in curl-papers appeared. I'm her.
What's the trouble?"
told her, clenching my hands, knit
ting my brows, filling my tones with
dramatic emphasis the while. She
started, slowly her eyes opened, then
her mouth expanded into a smile. For
a moment | stood unbelieving.
But, do you understand" l cried.
This is a life and death matter.
Whom was connected with?"
ME"
WHAT"
She extended yellow-back volume
through the door. Il had got to the
third chapter, just where the princess
had been thrown into the dungeon,
when had to 90 on duty; so took the
book along with me, and was reading
q bit out to Mamie Moore when you
asked for number. Listen: My God,
they'll kill me! They'll be back In a
moment. They'll have no mercy. Help
zoe for Gods sake. They can't be gone
much longer. / think / hear them on
the stairs now. Good God, they're cor,
ing! Help me, help me, They're
The boss came along about that time"
turned brdsquely away. Good
wight" ! said.