Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-04-21
Robinson S
Detective Work

renee. L lgle take t. | muttered,
when heard something like a moan
through tha phone.
'Mj God. tboyll kill mel"
| almost dropped the receiver In
surprise. The words. uttered in a low
time, evidently a 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 depressed fashion as II
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 me! They're"
1t was Randall's blatant voice that
broke in. Hello" he said Hello.
Nell?"
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 | began violently to work The re-
ceiver-holder of my phone in an effort
to attract the operators attention
There was a snap somewhere. The
phone suddenly became absolutely
dead. 1t took me some time to realize
this; then | iammed it down on the
desk and ran to the door,
AS opened it, cab was creeping
by. Hailing the driver, l jumped in.
Go like the devil" | 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 wEirled 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 | was connected WITH" | ex-
claimed.
He said they couldn t.
Then another resort came into nv
mind. Where does the girl live? III
90 to her home"
He asked each separate girl and
lone knew. | was growing desperate
when the boy who did o4u Jobs said
lie thought she lived with her aunt on
Queen and Oak streets in the Mills 4
worth suburb. The next instant was
n the cab, driving like fury. The
dillsworth suburb was six miles
way, 1t was three o'clock when we
cached there. The girl and her aunt
lad moved back within the city fully
en- miles from where we were. AS
Don as possible l changed cabs. for
he horse had been using was utterly
one up. Drive for all you are worth"
said to my new cabby.
The words | had heard over the /
phone kept running through my brain; ]
Help me, help mel" Perhaps it was
90 late.
There was a growing light in the 1
asst when we stopped before small I
rame house. Aching in every joint ;
rom my hard drive, / ran up the
tops. Bur-er, went the bell. There l
'as wait, tn patter of feet, then s
ne gas in the hall was lighted.
| shouted who l was and whom | I
Ianted to see.
The door cracked and head done c
y in curlpapers appeared. I'm her. !
hats the trouble?" '
l told her, clenching my hands, knit. &
ng my brows, filling my tones with I
ramatic emphasis the while. She
Iarted, slowly her eyes opened, then
Ell mouth expanded into a smile For
moment | stood unbelieving.
But do you understand?" | cried /.
This is a life and death matter
7hom was l connected with?" :
Me" .
"What?" :
She extended yellow back volume @
trough the door. Il had got to the q
lird chapter, just where the princess h
ad been thrown into the dungeon. $
hen had to go on duty; so took the 8
ook along with me, and was reading {
bit out TO Mamie Moore when YOU +
;ked for a number. Listen: MY God. +
ley'll kill me! They'll be back in a !
oInent. They'll have no mercy. Help :
e for Gods sake. They can't be gone +
UGH longer. think hear them on !
e stairs now. Good God, they're com. \
g. Help me- help me- They're
he boss came along about that time"
l turned brusquely away. Good
ght," | said.
She giggled.