The Detroit times., 1913-04-08
CHAPTER III.
The Moving Finger Writes.

| The condition OF affairs in the Al
las building lasted long enough TO
carry the matter up TO the experts IN
the employ OF the companies. that is
20 say, until about O'Clock the fol-
! lowing morning Then, without rea-
son. and all at once. the whole build
/ ing from top 10 bottom was a blaze
of incandescent light
One OF the men. stepping 10 the
nearest telephone, unlocked the re-
ceiver To his ear came the low busy
! hum of a live wire. Somebody touch
( ed a bell button. and the head janitor,
running joyfully, two steps az a time
! from his lair cried out that his bell
/ had rung
I The little group OF workmen and
experts nodded in competent and
satisfied manner. and began lefsurely
10 pack their tools as though al the
successful completion of long and
difficult job.
But every man jack OF. theIpA knew
perfectly well that the electrical APP
paratus OF the building was now in
exactly the same condition as 1t had
been the evening before. No repair
work had followed futile investiga.
ton.
AS the group moved toward the
outer air. the head repair man quietly
dropped behind. Surreptitiously he
applied the slender cords OF his peck
ct ammeter to the zinc and carbon OF
the dead batteries concerning whose
freshness he and his assistant mad
argued The delicate needle leaped
forward, quivered like snakes
tongue, and lowered over a number.
Fifteen" read the repair man; and
then, after moment; He'll,
The daily business. therefore. open
ed normally. The elevators shot from
floor 10 floor the telephones rang;
the call-bells buzzed. and all was well
At 6 O'Clock came the scrubwoman {:
ut 1880 the ONCE boys: at 8 the
clerks a little later some OF the
heads; and precisely at 2. Malachi
Mccarthy, as was his invariable habit
AS the bulky form OF the political
boss pushed around the leaves OF the
revolving door, the elevator starter
glanced at his watch. This was not
70 determine II Mccarthy was on
time, but to see II the watch was
right.
Mccarthy had recovered his good
! humor. He threw Joke al the Negro
polishing the brass, and paused gent
ally 10 exchange a word with the ele-
vator starter
Worked until about o'clock" the
latter answered a question. Got II
fixed all right No, they didn't say
what was the matter. Something TO
do with the wires, | suppose
Most like" agreed Mccarthy.
At this moment an elevator dropped
from above and came TO rest, like a
swift bird alightiny. The doors part
ed 10 let out young man wearing
the cap of the United Wireless.
Good morning Mr.. Mccarthy"
this young man remarked in passing
Aren't going into the sign-painting
business, are you?" He laughed
What We givin' us, Nike de-
manded Mccarthy.
The young man wheeled 10 include
the elevator starter in the Joke.
Air was full OF dope most OF last
night from some merry little jester
working 10Y. home made He just
kept repeating the same thing-some-
thing about Mccarthy. at six o'clock
you shall have sign given unto yeu
1t works. over and over all night.
Some new advertising dodge. | reck-
on Didn't know but you were the
Mccarthy and were getting present
from some admiring constituent"
He threw back--his head and
laughed. but McCarthy's ready anger
rose,
Where lid the stun come from"
out Of the fresh air, replied the
operator. From most anywhere in
side the zone of communication"
Couldn't You tell who sent in
NO way II wasn't signed Come
from quite distance, though"
How can you tell that"
"You can tell by the way II sounds.
Say. they ought 10 be a law about
these amatoors cluttcring up the air
this way Sometimes got to pick
my own dope out OF dozen or fr-
teen messages all ticking away In my
headpiece at once.
II know the crazy slob what sent
EN-. all right, all right. growled Nc
Carthy Hes nutty for fair"
Well. IL he's nutty. ! wish you'd
hurry his little trip TO Matteawan.
NOHp'aihtH t'"N 'P''o'O'' '''"'S
away.
The boss went to his Office. where
he established himself behind his
tabletop desk There all day he con-
Quoted leisurely business OF mysteri-
Gus import, sitting where the cool au-
tumn breeze from the river brought
it's refreshment His desk top held
no papers: the writing materials lay
undisturbed. Sometimes the office
contained half a dozen people. Some
times II was quite empty, and McCar-
thy sat drumming his blunt fingers on
the window.sill. chewing cigar. ana
gazing out over the city he owned.
There were two other inner. offices
10 McCarthy's establishment. In which
sat a private secretary and an office
boy. Occasionally Mccarthy, with
some especial visitor. retired TO one
OF these for more confidential con-
versation. The secretary seemed al
ways very busy; the Office boy was
often in the street At noon McCar-
thy took lunch at a small round table
In the cafe below When he reap
peared al the elevator shaft. the ele-
vator starter again verified his watch
Malachi Mccarthy had but the one
virtue OF accuracy. and that had to
do with matters OF time. At five min
utes OF six he reached for his hat: AZ
three minutes OF six he boarded tho
elevator