The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1913-08-21
SILVER CROSS GIRL.
Why Farnsworth Justin Sent the
0bIigtng Office Boy Ten
i ~, Dollars. ),
BY lzoLA FORESTER

i ia, Dollars. 49,:
sy lzoLA FoRREsrER.
| Mr.. Justin heard the pounding fol
several minutes before It reused hia
attention from the stack Of papers on
the desk. Vaguely, 1t annoyed him.
He had stayed late at the once on
purpose to be undisturbed. But the
pounding was insistent and It came
from across the wide air we'll. s.
He looked from his windows and
saw girl trying to raise the one
across the way. She did not seem
excited. but why did she pound 30?
Just then she caught sight Of Mr..
Justin and waved to him frantically.
Mr.. Justin waved back mechanically
AZ he would have answered the hail
Of . 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 the boy
didn't know I had stayed late.
don't know what to do"
who has the keys?'
Jimmie, the boy. He comes early
and opens up"
where does he Mve?"
"Oh, dear, I don't know-"
Don't be alarmed" protested Mr..
Justin, kindly. Il am right here and
I'll. get you out"
Il knew you would. That's why I
pounded on the window. I can al.
ways see you at your desk over
there"
Il think I can rouse the janitor or
engineer Of your building" he called
over to her. "Well 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 fig
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 where de cleaners go
in" said the boy.
Gould you 60 in for me, and ask
about lady who is locked in on the
tenth foor?"
The situations possibilities ap.
pealed to the son Of Mercury. He
would, for a 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 a large
building before. but he tramped care
fully before the boy to the engineers
quarters.
"Ths superintendent gone home.
said the big-coalgrimed party
smoking over an evening paper under
an, electric light. "And the janitor'a
: 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 ash
them"
It was totally new experience tc
Farnsworth Justin feeling his way uI
the grimy stairs. into the bare, silent
rotunda. The messenger boy kept
him company for another quarter
and made the rounds of each floor az
they assembled. seeking the scrubwo
men. The building seemed strange
and unfamiliar with this spell Of uttel
silence over 1t, and only light here
and there in the corridors.
On the eighth floor they came on 8
brigade of scrubbers down on theil
knees on mats. washing up the mar
BILE halls. Justin removed his hat al
he addressed the leader Yes, she
had pass key to the offices. Wip
ing her dripping, swollen hands she
took him up to the tenth floor.
, (Which room is it," she asked, ant
he could not tell her. Moreover Il
was horribly silent on the tenth floor
No sound of knocking at all.
Call her by name." advised tn,
woman.
Il don't know her name," said Mr.
Justin obviously. The messenger DO,
eyed him. 1T must be about in tn,
middle Of the west side Of the hall
The far hall, I mean, and it faces OF
the air we'll. My ONCE is opposite.
The woman had started of on he
own responsibility and was knocking
on door after door. but there was n,
answer.
I'll bet a nickel she's tumble.
over" said the boy. '.rhey all faint
Justin felt utterly wretched an,
out Of place. Here he was huntin,
for a woman and q total strange
at half past eight In the evening 1,
. deserted building.
Il shall shout for her." he declared
desperately. "she is certainly here.
wait minute" said the scrut
woman, bending down to one key
hole. Il hear something"
| Justin's fists were tightly shut. A
the door was flung open, he pushe
past the boy into the inner office. o.
the floor by the open window lay tn
girl. her face like gardenia in colo,
Justin lifted her in his arms an