The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-07-14
silver CROSS GIRL
Why FarnsWorth Justin Sent the
0b|iging Office Boy Ten
Dollars.
By lola FORESTER.

Mr.. Justin heard the pounding FOR
several minutes before 1t reused his
attention from the stack of papers on
the desk Vaguely, 1t annoyed him.
He had stayed late at the office on
purpose to be undisturbed. But the
pounding was insistent and 1t came
from across the wide air well.
He looked from his windows and
saw a girl trying to raise the one
across the way. She did not seem
excited, but why did she pound 80?
Just then she caught sight Of Mr..
Justin and waved to him frantically.
Mr.. Justin waved back mechanically
40 he would have answered the hail
Of a shipwrecked mariner. He raised
his own window, and called across
the twenty.foot space.
Whats up?"
I'm locked in,' she called to him.
II was working in here, and tho boy
didn't know had stayed late.
don't know what to do"
who has the keysr'
Jimmie, the boy He comes early
and opens up"
Where does he live!"
"Oh, dear, I don't know"
Don't be alarmed" protested Mr..
Justin. kindly. "I am right here and
I'll get you out"
Il knew you would. That's Why
pounded on the window. can al.
ways see you at your desk over
there"
Il think I can rouse the jan1tor or
engineer Of your building" he called
over to her. We'll be right up"
/ But he had forgotten to ascertain
her number. and when he reached
the opposite street, the great sombre
fronts Of rock defied detection. There
seemed to be six in the block. He
tried pacing from the corner to flg-
ure how far his own Office was from
the street line, but lost his bearings.
Finally he stopped messenger boy
and asked how to reach the engineer
Of the buildings.
Basement whe.e de cleaners go
in," said the boy
could you go in for me, and ask
about lady who Is locked In on the
tenth floor"
The situations possibilities ap
pealed to the son of Mercury. He
would. for quarter Justin waited
anxiously outside for him while he
tried one building after another
Finally the boy came out and beck
oned him to follow He had never
been down in the basement of large
building before, but he tramped care
fully before the boy to the engineers
quarters,
"The superintendent gone home"
said the big coal.grimed party
smoking over an evening paper under
an electric light. And the janitor's
on the top floor In his own place, eat
ing dinner The elevator amt run.
ming, either And amt got any keys.
but the scrub women have. You can
60 up the basement stairs and ask
them"
It was a totally new experience to
Farnsworth Justin feeling his way up
the grimy stairs into the bare, silent
rotunda. The messenger boy kept
him company for another quarter,
and made the rounds Of each floor as
they assembled, seeking the scrubwo-
men. The building seemed strange
and unfamiliar with this spell Of utter
silence over it. and only a light here
and there in the corridors.
On the eighth floor they came on a
brigade of scrubbers down on their
knees on mats. washing up the mar
BILE halls. Justin removed his hat as
he addressed the leader. Yes, she
had a pass key to the offices. Wip-
ing her dripping, swollen hands she
took him up to the tenth floor
(Which room Is ~" she asked, and
he could not tell her Moreover It
was horribly silent on the tenth floor.
No sound Of knocking at all.
Call her by name," advised the
woman.
~ don't know her name" said Mr..
Justin obviously. The messenger boy
eyed him. 1T must be about In the
middle of the west side Of the hall.
The far hall, mean, and 1t faces on
the air we'll. My office is opposite. F."
The woman had started off on her
own responsibility and was knocking
on door after door. but there was no
answer.
"I'll bet a nickel she's tumbled
over" said the boy. They all faint"
Justin felt utterly wretched and
out Of place. Here he was hunting
for a woman and total stranger
at half past eight In the evening in
q deserted building.
'I shall shout for her." he declared,
desperately. "She is certainly here"
"Wait a minute" said the scrub
woman, bending down to one key.
hole. II hear something"
Justin's fists were tightly shut As
the door was flung open. he pushed
past the boy into the inner Office. On
the floor by the open window lay the
girl, her face like gardenia In color.
Justin lifted her In his arms, and