The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-16

! lava Ii6Htiy lIldl evening.
Afterward with his knife he ripped
up the registered mail bag. Here dis.
appointment met him; he had not cal.
cuiated that it was the day before
pay day, and that the mail would be
light. He thrust bundle of the more
promising looking letters into his
pockets. Meanwhile, evidently COM
plely cowed and frightened. the girl
lay back in the chair, watching him
with wide-open. Mortified eyes. Men
zies anticipated no trouble from her.
he rose; he was going to put the TEL
egraph and telephone out of commits.
sion. The former enterprise he had
already accomplished with q small
fire ak which lay conveniently near
to hand; but as he approached the
latter instrument, considering where
to begin. the girl spoke for the first
time:
Won't you do something for me
first?" she asked piteously
Sure. MISS" answered Menzies,
grinning. Except put back them
bills.
No. no. It isn't that" she answered
hastily. ITS my father He'll lose
his position for this and he's too old
10 get employment anywhere else"
Menzies leered at her amiably.
Sorry to get him fired from his job"
ne said. "Whatcher want ME to do!
Get him another"
No, but
Wish | could help the old gentle.
man." pursued Menzies But | got
to skip"
lie isn't Old" returned the girl
angrily. But he's served the com.
pany for twenty-five years, and to-
night the superintendent sent for him
to offer him the post at Rowland
junction. He'll be accused of having
stolen this money!"
We'll. what kin do" Menzies
growled ''Diyvy up with him."
No. ! want you to leave mes
saae saying that you took the money.
Hill write 1t for you on my type
writer" she added with trembling
lips. while her heart Logan beating
furionsly. III won't take a moment.
And It's his position"
Menzes was tichled by the idea.
As a tramp he had acquired the habit
OF leaving impndcnt messages on the
walls of hostile farm buildings; this
struck him as humorous BESIDES, no.
body knew his scrawl Sure, MISS"
he answered, only. you see. my ed.
dicatlon was rather neglected after l
left college. and | amt a frst-class
speller."
Il only want you to put your name
to it," answered the girl. May 60
to the typewriter"
AS Menzles watched her suspicious
ly, she rose and drew her chair to the
front of the machine, In which she
inserted sheet OF telegraph paper.
The telephone on which Menzies fixed
his eye. ready in case Of treachery,
stood on a movable arm, placed there
for the person at the desk. SO that 1t
could be swung back, this obviating
the necessity of rising and going to
the box on the wall From the top
Of the desk projected a pile Of led
gers. form books and paper; the
girls eye had quickly noticed that. in
pushing back the telephone arm. the
hook OF the receiver would brush this.
BY deft manipulation
She pushed II petulantly away, and.
as she had hoped. the pile Of books
caught the hook. SO that the receiver
was not resting squarely In 1t. To one
Impractical In the use of the instru.
ment the difference would not have
been noticeable: nevertheless the ef-
feet was to summon the person at
the other end to his receiver. And
thus, three miles away. the bell was
sounding In Harry Grants wayside
office. He hurried TO the receiver.
Hello" he called rs that you
Edna" lie repeated his call twice;
and then. in sudden apprehension,
listening intentiy, he heard the faint
click-click of the girls typewriter.
Meanwhile the girl had begun to
write her message.
This is TO certify" she wrote. and
read. that III" she looked up in
quiringly.
MY monaker. Miss Menzies-
Hard Luck Menzies is what they calls
me. I guess well let 1t 90 at that"
That |. Hard Luck Menzies, have
robbed this office of all the bills that
we're IN the desk. and have likewise
stolen the registered mail. during Mr..
keyes' absence. She breathed a
huge sigh Of relief Now at all cost
she must detain him a few moments.
THAT means ten years for interior
Ing with the government mails" she
said, half incoherently
He'll" answered Menzies irrever-
/, entity. lis that all! Go on And III
meet you all in-heaven Now gimme
the pen and Ill put my tag to it."
He signed and then, snatching the
nrs AZ. with few we'll directed
blows put the telephone out Of com.
mission and, buttoning his coat
round him. leaped through the win
dow.
A. the typewriter ceased ana ~.