The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-01-03
Held For Ransom
By NJ QUAD
Copyright, 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

James Gilbert Of Gilbert's bank in q
town we will call Hopedale opened the
telephone In his private Office to be
greeted by a strange hummlng Of the
wires. Then two or three voices began
calling and talking. Then some one
used energetic language to central. and
she answered resentfully. Then came
a voice that gave the banker a start.
1t had been two years since he heard
It. From the Jingle Of voices he made
out the words:
Auto ran ove calf; pay $40; farmer
won't let me 60; no money; hurry up.
Hello, central; hello, hello! Oh. dearF'
The banker smiled. Two years before
while fishing from the wharf and be-
fore establishing the bank a summer
girl from the hotel on the hill had come
padding about IN her store made ca
noe. He saw at once that she was a
novice. He saw also that she hat
not yet passed her twentieth year and
was his style Of beauty. For q young
man Of twenty-four who had ashed a
full hour without a nibbie Mr.. Gilbert
was In luck.
OF course the owner Of the canoe was
bound to show of. It was only her
second voyage In the birch bark, but
she thought she knew all the canoe
tricks and was ready to resent any
| advice. She wasn't rendered any to
resent. however. The young man con-
tented himself with taking of his coat
and slipping of his shoes. When the
canoe turned turtle he was ready. he
took a long dive and came to the sur
face with the choking. struggling GIL
In his arms and reached tho shore with
her.
That evening be appeaNed at the 10
tel to be effusively thanked by Judge
Henrys, the father, and BY the CRATE
full, II ch~agrined. canoeist Several
other evenings saw him there az VOL
and between talking politics with the
| father and canoeing with Miss Kitty
the time was passed veyy pleasantly.
| Something was said about correspond,
ence when father and daughter ieft
| for their home In the city. As q mat
ter Of fact two or three letters dtd
pass, and then Uncle Sans carriers
failed to deliver. The young banker
had puzzled a BIT, as perhaps had
some one else, and now, on account OF
the crossed wires, he was hearing her
voice again. ~
What had that voice saids- It was
trying to reach some one at the hotel
ON the hin. but evidently making {
Failure Of it. The owner was ID trou:
BILE somewhere. It looked as II abe
had gone out In an auto and rundown
a calf and the farmer vas holding her
until the damages were settled. The
banker thought for q moment and then
ordered his auto around.
Which way? he had trusted to luck
NICE and would again. Out Of town
By the west highway-over the bridge
up the long hill and then straight
ahead for five miles. Far ahead he
raw an auto beside the road with two
female figures In 1t and . farmer IN
sulky attitude leaning against the
fence. The females In the auto were
Miss Henrys and a girl friend There
was handshaking and introductions.
and Miss: Kitty explained:
I'VE were coming along at about ten
miles an hour when the calf ran In
( front Of the machine. I was willing
to pay damages. but had no money;
and the man here would not take one
Of my rings" - e.
IT hain't taking no rings any more.
Teller come along here last summer
and run over my old woman and then
lett a diamond ring that turned ont to
be glass"
He was given his money by the
banker.
OF course MI. Gilbert had to call at
the summer hotel that evening to talk
the matter over. There was some
thing that the young people wanted TO
say, but they couldn't say It until after
Judge Henrys had poured. out his
thanks and remembered that he had to
meet a man In the lobby. Even after
he had departed the matter fingered.
but 1t was very soon cleared up.
Two weeks later. In the bankers
auto, Miss Kitty and Mr.. Gilbert
went spinning over the west road. So
earnest was their talk that they failed
b note that they were drawing near
| the farm where the calf accident had
occurred. They were forcibly remind
ed Of the locality. however. when q
hog suddenly rose from the waysdde
ditch In front Of the farmhouse and
reached the center Of the road Just
In time to be converted into fresh
pork. The farmer was looking on, and
be came out to say. and looking at
Miss Kitty as he said It:
"Ding my buttons, II you haven't
went and gone and done Il agtin~ .
"Of course IN pay" said the bank
er as he took out his purse. "How
much is it?' ;,
"You needn't say anything to the gal
about 1t. but III make It an even s."
"You are very generous" wal the
reply az the money vas handed over.
what was he talking about?" ask
ed the young lady as tho banker re
turned to the auto and they proceeded
"Um! He appears to be very. sen
nihln y