The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-02-12
A WOMAN
AGAIN
b. JEAN Ell NBROD

| ue TuSu VI tu0 udy WIN "os
nearly over In the telephone ONCE.
Jeanette Whipple. trunk operator. fac
ing the clock. saw that In little less
than two hours her time would be up.
She wondered IL Richard were watch.
Ing the clock as impatiently as she.
Such long. long time to six O'Clock
and the happy walk home.
She glanced over at the local board.
The local girls were always busy.
Their hands few as they connected
line after line. The drops fell quick
er than they could answer them. The
chief operator (No. 25 oficialD. was
working back Of the board on the
Hayes.
The monitor walked up and down.
up and down. back Of the girls. who
hated her nearly as much as they did
their chief She had been IL years IN
the business-and showed It. She was
reported to have a soft spot In her
heart for the young. curly-headed as
sistant chief operator at the desk.
The messenger boys called him the
fellow with the pretty blue hair"
The girls called him "twelve-anda-
half" being assistant to No. rs.
! Jeanette laughed to herself Us she
thought of It. Then she turned down
Jack to see If No. 270 were still
talking to Ridgeton. Captain Henry's
big voice doomed In her ear. and she
caught a sentence.
old. been foreman OF the Electric
tall and dark, about 30 years
old, been foreman of the electric
company six years"
Mechanically she turned up the
Jack Then, as she realized what
she had heard she listened again.
Why. Richard was foreman of the
Electric company. What could have
happened!
"Oh, Lathropll die. There is no
chance. Don't know just how It hap
pened yet. Nash has always borne a
good name, though there has been
bad blood between him and Lathrop
long time, hear. Have your men
watch sharp. If he did go on that
four o'clock I'll head 1t off at Saturne.
1t gets there about 4:3O. II he got off
at Ridgeton, which | doubt. he can't
have gone far yet. think he Will
keep on toward the west. Got It all?
e feet II, dark, smooth face, we'll
built, brown suit, black derby-all
right. Goodby."
27O rang of.
jeanette took the connection down
and leaned back In her chair. The
bulletins on the board swayed up and
down with horrible. sickening &C.
ton. The noise Of falling plugs grew
faint. The hum Of voices died into
silence. The board seemed an i'm.
measurable distance away.
Then. slowly her brain cleared.
She had no trouble In realizing now
what It all meant. Richard Nash, her
Richard Nash. had killed Lathrop.
His face came up before her, clear
cut as a cameo, the wise. tender face,
the frank, steady eyes. Why. every
one had hated L.athrop, but Richard.
He had only laughed at him. It could
not be true. Some one was playing
Joke on her.
She looked swiftly down the long
line Of girls. All were working, still
and sober. The monitor paced slowly,
back and forth. No. 12h was writing
out trouble reports.
A drop fell It was 270. She took
It before the recording operator could
reach It, and plugged in on the line.
Her voice sounded strange to her as
she spoke.
TOLL line"
"Give me police station. Saturne.
Captain Briggs to the telephone. And
right away quick. too. central"
She made out the ticket slowly. Her
fingers were stiff and cold. She felt
numbed all over except her brain.
That seemed on fire. She looked down
at the small diamond on her left
hand. Whether II were true. or not,
he was Richard-yes-and she loved
him.
II Ridgeton had not been able to
get . man down to the train In time
to search It. after getting Captain
Hsnrys message. there was . small
chance for his escaps-perhaps che
could make It bigger one. II hs were
really on that train. - they thought.
Could she keep 30 from getting |
0aturne before the train passed there.
q whole half hour yetf
New York was probably ~ goal II
she could keep the train froo bsing |
searched before L soaeAea New York
b might escape ~ - across the
water.
was b thinking q tAsiR van home |
ct Tie end Of The day. now. sAe won