The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-03
OVER THE .PHoNE.


theater, when the thing happened.
81 am sure that number is not busy"
l assured the operator, and there fol-
lowed the usual provoking silence.
"Plague take It," ! muttered when l
heard something like a moan through
the phone.
my God they'll kill mel"
almost dropped the receiver In sur.
prise. The words, uttered in a low
tone, evidently a womans. had the
effect of coming from blank space.
The shock set me to quivering.
They'll be back in a minute. They'll
have no mercy. Help me for Gods
sake"
The words came jerkily over the
phone, cut into sentences; and were
spoken in repressed fashion as
though 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. l
think | hear them on the stairs now.
Good God, they're coming Help me,
help me! They're"
II was Randalls blatant voice that
broke in "Hello," he said.
"Hello. Well?"
"Hang up your receiver" ] shouted.
"This is me, Robinson Hurry, you
idiot. Something terribles happened"
II took an endless time to make him
understand. The moment he did cut
off began violently to work the re-
eeiverholder OF my phone in an effort
to attract the operators attention.
There was q snap somewhere. The
phone suddenly became absolutely
dead II took me some time to realize
this; then | jammed 1t down on the
desk and ran to the door.
AS | opened II cab was creeping
by Halling the driver, | jumped in.
60 like the devil" ! said and gave
him the address Of the west exchange
with which | knew my phone was
connected.
/ 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 in
to 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 my
mind Where does the girl live? III
go to her home"
He asked each separate girl, and
none knew. was growing desperate
when the boy who did odd jobs sale
he thought she lived with her aunt OF
Queen and Oak streets in the Mills
worth suburb. The next instant wal
in the cab, driving like fury. Tn,
Millsworth suburb was six miles away
II was three O'Clock when we reached
there. The girl and her aunt hat
miles from where we were. AS soon a
! possible | changed cabs, for the hors
had been using was utterly don
up "Drlve for all you are WORTH"
: said to my new cabby.
The words / heard over the 'phon
!, kept running through my brain. "Hel
, me, help me-" Perhaps it was too late
! There was a growing light in tn
, east when we stopped before a smal
frame house. Aching in every join
7 from my hard drive, ran up tn
steps. bur-r-r-r went the bell. Ther
a was a wait, the patter of feet the
8 the gas in the hall was lighted.
I shouted who was and who
I wanted TO see.
: The door racked and head done u
r In curl papers appeared. "Pm he
h What's the trouble?"
n told her, cllnching my hands. kni
u ting my brows, filling my tones wit
dramatic emphasis the while. 81
4 started slowly her eyes opened the
h her mouth expanded In broad smil
n For a moment ! stood unbelieying.
l. But do you understand" / erie
,, This is a life and death matter. WI
y was | connected withT
70 Me"
l. "What?"
She extended yellow-back volun
through the door. 81 had got to Il
third chapter, just where the prince
le had been thrown into the dungeo
D. when | had to go on duty; so l too
10 the book along with me, and W
m reading a bit out to Mamie Moo
N when you asked for a number. LlBte
le My God, they'll kill me! They'll
back In a moment. They'll have
10 mercy. Help me for Gods sake. Tn
OF can't be gone much longer. | think
o. hear them on the stairs now. Go
III God, they're coming! Help me, he
- mel They're The boss came alo
10 about that time"
ke / turned brusquely away. Go
=. | NIGHT pofd