Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-05-26
Robinson S
Detective Work

HHeh HedTu something ike moan
through 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 a moment.
They'll have no mercy Help me, for
Gods sake"
The words came jerkily over the
phone, cut into sentences, and were
spoken In a repressed fashion as If
the speaker were trying to conceal
them from someone. But they began
to grow louder and more charged with
emotion.
They can't be gone much longer.
think hear them on the stairs now.
Good God, they're coming! Help me!
help met They're"
1t was Randalls blatant voice that
broke in Hello" he said Hello.
Well?"
"Hans up your receiver" shouted.
This is me, Robinson. Hurry, you
idiot. Something terrible's happened"
1t took an endless time to make him
understand. The moment he did cut
off | began violently to work the re-
ceiver-holder of my phone in an effort
to attract the operators attention.
Where was snap somewhere. The
phone suddenly became absolutely
dead 1t took me some time to realize
this; then | damned 1t down on the
desk and ran to the door.
AS | opened 1t, 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 con
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 whirled and
the lights of the exchange flashed
into sight. Wait" l shouted to the
driver, as | 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 l was connected WITH" | ex-
claimed
He said the! yuldn t.
Then another resort came into my
mind. Where does the girl live? III
30 to her home"
He asked each separate girl and
none knew. was growing desperate
when the boy who did DAD 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. AS
soon as possible I changed cabs, for
the horse had been using was utterly
done up. Drive for all you are worth"
l said to my new cabby.
The words had heard over the
phone kept running through my brain:
Help me. help mel" Perhaps 1t was
100 late.
There was a growing light in the
east when We stopped before q small |
frame house. Aching in every Joint
from my hard drive, l ran up the
steps. Bur-er, went the bell There
was wait, tn patter of feet, then
the gas in the hall was lighted
shouted who / was and whom
wanted to see.
The door cracked and a head done
ap in curlpapers appeared. I'm her.
What's the troubles"
told her, clenching my hsnds, knit
ting my brows. filling my tones with
dramatic emphasis the while. She
started, slowly her eyes opened, then
asr mouth expanded into q smile. For
! moment l stood unbelieving.
But, do you understand" l cried.
This is life and death matter.
Whom was connected WITH"
me"
WHAT"
She extended a 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 go on duty; SO took the |
book along with me, and was reading
4 bit out to Mamie Moore when you
asked for a number. Listen: My God.
they'll kill me! They'll be back In q |
They'll have no mercy. Help
re for Gods sake. They can't be gone |
much longer. l think | hear them on /
the stairs now. Good God, they're COR
Ingl Help me. help mel They're
The boss came along about that time"
! turned brdsquely away. Good