The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-11-25
MCKEE & co.
JeweLerS and Opticians
Established 1877

fact of that name Neil" written M
the beginning of the strange message.
Neil Baton was the first to speak
81 heard those words written on the
typewriter last night" he said SLOWLY
"and was certain she had not come In
until suddenly | heard this machine
working carefully as II she was afraid
of disturbing some one. surely
couldn't be mistaken in the sound
That north window OF mine was omen
and you see it's right under hers. If
she wasn't here herself she managed
somehow, to send that message"
"Rut MI Baton, Won surely dcn"
mean TO say that you believe in
| Mrs. Waythe hesitated,
1T makes no difference what be.
ieve," Baton returned. Here is a
fact. This appeal is her and It is ad-
dressed to me, and It seems | am the
only one who heard It written. be-
| lieve Miss Haymnn was in some
trouble at three o'clock last night"
oh It makes the shivers 80 all over
met" gasped Mrs. Waythe.
"Sit down in this chair, please"
Baton commanded gently, you must
try to be calm and answer some ques-
tionsfor me. First, tell me how long
Miss Hayman has lived here"
About a year and a half" The
frightened woman seated herself,
steadied by Baton's tone of authority,
What do you know of her home
and family?"
She began to speak and stopped.
She glanced from Baton to Barring
ton and from Darlington back to
Baton.
What l know she told me in con-
fidence," she said doubtfully Per
haps l ought to tell you, Mr. Baton,
under the circumstances, but"
Certainly, | am going" said Bar
rington stifly But want to enter
protest against raising too great
hue and cry for nothing It may be
very annoying to Miss Hayman If she
comes back all right tonight"
But his words fell on deaf ears and
the moment he was gone Baton, with
pencil and memorandum in hand,
said:
Now, Mrs Waythe."
She lived right here ever since
she left her home down in Maple
own. It's just a little place and her
father has a farm about three miles
from town. The reason she came
away in the first place was to try and
make a little money to help pay off
the mortgage on the old place. She
left home and came to the city by her
self and an uncle got her a position
in that newspaper Office. But now
that uncle has moved out west and oh
dear! Who'd have ever thought"
What newspaper Officer"
Ba on's voice brought the frightened |
woman back to the business in hand
ike a lasso and she gave him the ad-
dress.
He entered~1t In a note book.
"Oh. she's the sweetest, incest little
hing! IA anything's happened to her!
Mr.. Baton, are you going to look in
the hOspitals-or-where?
I am going to her Office first"
Baton answered slipping the memo
randum into his pocket. "Tll let you
know as soon as | can what / find
lut."
As he was facing the storm Of sleet
IN his way down town Baton suddenly
the girl in Londale,
whose picture was in a small leather
rame on his dresser. Wat would
he think of this strange message?"
But what she would think was not
he business in hand Just then Baton
cit in his pocket to make sure that the
heet of typewriter paper was safe,
nd it was.
At the office Of the newspaper he
earned that Miss Hayman had re-
eived a telegram the day before that
Ter father was i'll, and that she had
ushed off with barely time to catch
he train. Darlington had been there .
n hour earlied than Baton, 1t seemed,
nd had been told the same.
Batons normal first thought on hear
rs NA4lD NOulu nave DCGu W ICiG8I yll z
n inquiry, but under the spell of those
,ords: Neil, come to me-" there !
eemed but one thing to DO. He wait +:
d only long enough to telephone Mrs
Vaythe a reassuring word, then start
d for the railway station, and took :;
le next train for Mapletown.
1t was a slow journey, and when it I;
as ended there was a Vexatious wait !
efore he could get a conveyance to
AIRY him out to the Hayman farm !
1t was afternoon when Iva Hayman :
Dened the door to him, and impulsive- !
r held out both hands, whether in JOY &
{ establishment, Baton could not be I
ire. {
He followed her into the comfortable !
wing room, an almost her first words 4
ere:
MY father is better; he will live, 4
.e doctor assures me, and shall be +
de to go back to work in few days. I:
has come TO seem ike home tbovc