Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-09-29


fusing to be terrified into a quick and
thoughtless answer.
This afternoon" he said, harshly,
you stole from me the Maitland
jewels. Where are they?"
81 shall not tell"
He bent swiftly forward and took
one of her hands in his. Instinctively
she clenched it; and he wrapped his
strong hard fingers around the small
white fist, then deliberately inserted
| a hard finger joint between her Sec
ond and third knuckles, slowly in
creasing the pressure. And watched
with absolute indifference the lines of
agony grave themselves upon her
smooth unwrinkled forehead, and the
color leave her cheeks, as the pain
| grew too exquisite. Then, suddenly dis
continuing the pressure, but retain
ing her hand, he laughed shortly.
will you speak, my lady, or will
you have more?"
Don't" she gasped, please"
Where are the jewels? Will you?"
NO"
Have you given them to Maitland?"
mo"
where are they?''
| 81 don't know"
"Stop that nonsense unless Where
did you leave them?"
II won't tell won't. All, please,
pleased"
| Tell mel"
Never. Ah-h!"
| oh, hoy
ing at the outer door forced him to
leave off. He dropped her hand with
an oath and springing to his feet drew
his revolver; then, with glance at
the girl, who was silently weeping,
tears of pain rolling down her cheeks,
mouth set in thin pale line of de-
termination, strobe out and shut the
door after him.
AS it closed the girl leaped to her
feet, maddened with torture, wild eyes
casting about the room for weapon
of some sort, of offense or defense; for
she could not have endured the tor
ture an instant longer. If forced to it,
to fight, fight she would. If only she had
something, a stick of wood, to defend
|
nothing at all.
The room was typical Office, well
but severely furnished. The rug that
covered the tile floor was of rich
quality and rare design. The neutral
tinted walls were bare, but for a
couple of steel engravings in heavy
wooden frames. There were three
heavily upholstered leather arm-chairs
and one revolving desk-chair; roll
top desk, against the partition wall
waste-paper basket, and flat-topped
desk, or table. And that was all.
Or not quite all, else the Office equip
ment had not been complete. There
was the telephone!
But he would hear! Or was the par
tition sound-proof?
AS if in contradiction of the sugges
ton, there came to her ears very clear
ly the sound of the hall door creakins
on it's hinges, and then a mans voice
shrill with anger and anxiety.
You fool! Do you want to ruiz
US both? What do you mean"
The door crashed to, interruptins
the protest and drowning Anisty'.
reply.
Il was passing" the new voice tool
up it's plaintive remonstrance, "ant
the Waterman called me in and sait
that you were telephoning for me"
Damn the interfering fool" inter
rupted Anisty.
But what's this insanity, Anisty
|
The newcomers tones assembled higl
scale of fright and rage.
Lower your voice, you asst" thu
burglar responded, sternly. "And-"
He took his own advice; and for
little time the conference was con
, Quoted in guarded tones that did no
, penetrate the dividing wall save as ;
: deep rumbling alternating with an i'm
: FASHIONED squeak.
, ! But long ere this had come to pas
the girl was risking all at the tele
phone. Receiver to ear she was i'm
, ploring central to connect her will
Ninety-eight-nine Madison. If only sh'
might get Maitland, tell him where thu
jewels were hidden, warn him to re
move them-then she could escap,
further suffering by open confession
What NUMBER" came central's Ian
guild query, after a space. Did yol
say nine-ought-nine-eigh
!. mo, no. central Nine-o-eight-nin,
+ Madison, please, and hurry-hurry!
5 "Ah, I'm ringin' 'em. They ain
answered yet. Gimme time. Their
~ oh
e Hello, helloi"
+ "Pwhat is ut?"
:. Her heart sank; O'Hagan's voic
= meant that Maitland was out.
"O'Hagan-is that you? Tell MI
a Maitland"
/ Hes GAVIN out for the noight an
e Tell him, please"
Y But he's out. Ring up in tn
}. marnin'."
i But can't you take this messag