The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-27
sy M. }. PHILLIPS,
Ssepyright, ieit, by Associated Liter
nsN Press

<tepyright, 1911, by Associated Liter
AIRY Press
& spai:
A rpugh March wind. which had
somehow ssrayed over into April, hurl-
led piece of paper squarely into
George Herriek's face. Al the same
moment his car changed just below
the corner, and he started to sprint
BUT one cannot run when his eyes
arc effeetually hlipdfolded. So he
eiawed the paper away, crumpled 1t
af,sentmindeGly. and thrust IT into his
pocket In the diversion Of board
ing the trolley and reading the morn
ing papers he forget all about II until
We reached the office
There he smoothed it on his desk.
and read. With growing excitement and
Indignation.
ST. don't dare leave the house. FOR
I feel he il always lying in wait for
me. Last night l went to the front
gate. for the. first time in fotn weeks,
and was enjoying the sweet spring air.
never saw or heard him TIN he leap
ed at me. ! screamed at the top of
my voice Mother came out and he
ran away with a sort OF snari | don't
take a step outside the door
Ii was part Of letter. ia a feminine
hand, on thick. creamy paper. The
raiffiAn wind had snatched IL away even
rs IL was being written. for the last
few words were hlotted. and there was
q little spio1ch of ink on Herrick's
ciseis where they had struck.
Whatever business the real estate
arm of Herriek d Holman did that
particular morning was transacted by
sts jutiier partner The senior mem
Der opened the mail and dictated
few replies, hat most Of the time he
spent porinE over that square Of
3.nosepapsr and the unconscious cry
for help which II voiced
Here is Ii girl unused iIerrick
Int lunch. whittier lac had gone alone
egs purpose 10 ponder on the message
the wink had brought him, who Is
being prosecuted 10y an internal
scounsrei. First. how do | know it's
n girl? Wen. the note il in woman's
Handwriting: and that's modern pen.
lnanship. They began teaching that
particular slant after ] left the high
ecbool. She must be younger than ],
considerably she was young
wkeal they Taught it. or she wouldn't
have learned SO perfectly I'm twenty
six. she can't be In1se than nineteen
or twenty.
She must be pretty or she wouldn't
be prosecuted. She is In great terror
az hiin-~whN, she hasn't left the
house for four weeks And she has
no male protector. or she wouldn't be
forced to stand such treatment. She
speaks Of her mother Probably her
father is dead. and she has no
brother.
Here Herrick was interrupted by a
smoker from the waitress. He had
put salt IN his coffee and sugar on his
oYniet. With rebukmg dignity. he
ordered another cup of coffee and took
sp his reflections again.
.tHer prosecutor is not an ordinary.
normal man. IL he were IA rejected
lover. gay and had any pride, he
wouldn't be prowiing around so. Per
haIs ITS crazy man No. he can't be
crazy, They would complain and have
him locked up. 1t must be a foreigner
whom she doesn't know at all.
.'Fsat why doesn't she report this
affair 10 the police
He pondered on tlat during the
rest OF the meal. and finally built w
this theory. she lis refined and SEN
sitise and hates notoriety--in short
she's lady. The police would peddls
N aac story to the newspapers, and
there would be snapshots OF her and
her mother and her home in every
gheet in the city
Heryjtk by this time was quite As
Indignant against the newspapers az
against the prowler, Back at his
desk. after locking the door TO in
sure uninterrupted thought, he tool
up the next phase. THE question is
what am ] going 10 do about it
Here is a wofnan--a grim distress
In actual danger. Shall | turn thi:
note over 10 the police? No. She
doesn't trust the police. II she die
she'd have called on them four weeks
ago. George Herricks. it's up to you'
AS a result of hrs decision. yount
MIR Herrick spent s3.so In tnsertin,
the following in the lost and found
column of every city paper;
'Found--Near the corner OF Il ant
Fifty-fifth streets. a letter. Owner
+, ran be assured OF it's return and tbs
finders help by writing q. H., thi'
pfiice.''
George put in the afternoon walk
ing around the blocks adjoining th'
corner Of l. and Fifty fifth streets. i
Was a suburban neighborhood or pref
ty thoroughfares. shade trees. houses
set In comfortable yards and nea
wooden fences and gates. The da,
WAS warm for April. and he perspiret
sarofnseiy. But he saa no signs of i'm
pending tragedy and met no yoiint
woman who looked charming enough