Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-19
THE RED BUTTON

Ito me, Now come on said Rosalie
LIE Grange, breaking into his medita-
lions.
The two city detectives and the one
police matron were waiting silently in
| Rosalie LIE Oranges room. AS the
inspector entered a change came over
them. None rose or shifted positlon'
| but their bodies took on an appear
ance of alert stiffness, their faces a
look of attention. Salutes, square
| shoulders. all the frills and decora-
| tons of military etiquette, were I'M
necessary among these four to prove
the strictness of the inspectors COM
mand.
MCGEE locked the door behind him.
Rosalie closed the transom.
rs this place safe for talk, now!
! Perfect" said Rosalie. rive trleo
! it; but talk low, to be sure.
| The Inspector opened the bag.
There's your felt shoes" he said.
"Now listen, boys-and you, Mrs.
Leary. This here lady is running this
thing, until l tell you different Got
your notes and pencils, Kennedy
| Al rlBQJ. MIS-. Lo Gidh5St ~ sS~~
'en just what you want
When Rosalie had rehearsed her
| drama, with careful provision for
Unforeseen emergencies, when her
forces had scattered-Hunter to the
basement, Kennedy to Miss Hard
| ing's room, Mrs. Leary, impersonat-
| ing the maid, to the front door
Resale stood alone with Inspector
| MCGEE.
well. everythings ready" said
| the Inspector. ''and times precious.
Yes, I'm goin' In a minute" she
responded; but her voice was dead.
IT feel--like l was going to be oper-
ated on. That's how I feel"
law, brace up!" said Martin Nc
Gee.
Rosalie did not answer at once. Her
eyes, sweeping the room to avoid
direct gaze lighted on the, dresser,
where stood a photograph of Con-
stance Hanska--a solicited gift. She
| fixed her gaze on that, and the fallen
lines of her face lifted with deter
mination.
YES" she said, I'm goin' to brace
up
She started upstairs, then, to that
room on the third floor back, the
centre of the sinister web which she
had made of this, her dwelling-place,
so strangely acquired. so strangely
used. In that web struggled half
blind, half distracted fly, toward
which she, the spider, was now creep
ing. Some such comparison may have
struck Resale, for she shuddered
twice in her slow progress, and these
were not the assumed shudders which
announced her false control"
Resale knocked at Miss Estrilla' s
door.
Come I'M" cried the invalid, more
eagerly than her wont, and as Rosa
Rlie entered, "Oh, l was expecting you!
Can you-will you-today?"
i've been putin all the power
l have into this thing" said Rosalie
lie Grange; you've no idea how I've
tried. / was awake half the night,
just gettin' into touch"
I'm sure I'm grateful fer that
replied Miss Estrilla.
I'm pretty sure I'll be strong
pursued Resale, but I'm just as
sure that 1T will be weeks an weeks
before l can ever do it again. This
is my last sittin' with you for ever
| so long, Miss Estril1a. I can feel 1t
goin' When I'm playin' for all my
power. as I've got to now, conditions
must be right. You wouldn't mind,
| would you, If l darkened this room
complete7 An let's have a little
more air.
There was window. which opened
upon the fire-escape, at the foot of
Miss Estrilla's bed. This window Ro-
sale darkened last OF all; but first
she raised the sash a foot.
That curtain will blow an disturb
me-" she said. I'm goin' to pin it
down"
Had Miss Estrillas soul held any
emotions. in that moment, but grief
and eagerness-had she been capable
just then of suspicion-she might
have noted a tiny but significant
sound. The fire-escape had creaked
| a little. as though a weight had been
imposed at the bottom. 1t creaked
again at intervals for the next five
Zen the roar of a passing Ninth
avenue elevated train drowned all
| slighter sounds.
Now I'm reday to try" said Ro-
sale, settling down at the foot OF
| the couch. Dear, you do look
| anxious! Don't try to crowd the
| spirits-that's always the best way
| but remember again-that is about
the last control that's in me for a
month. Be quiet. dearfe." Her eyes
sought the distances, her body shook.
hen came the change which Miss
| Estrilla had watched SO often, and
| with such a fascinated eagerness'
| Rosalie's body relaxed and fell back
ward in the Morris chair. Her lids
| gradually closed. She breathed as
| though asleep.
"Oh, sad lady again." babbled
Laughing-Eyes. quite suddenly. She
could hear Miss Estrilla shift eagerly
| on her couch. II can't stay long.
John speaks. He says he wants you
| quick. John Is big and strong.
| Good-by, sad lady"
Rosalies. breath came hard; her
body wrenched; a masculine voice
followed-the voice which Resale al