Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-07-03
SILVER CROSS GIRL
Why FarnsWorth Justin Sent the
0bIiging Office Boy Ten
Dollars.
BY IzoLA FORESTER.

He had stayed late at the Office on
purpose to be undisturbed. But the
pounding was insistent and II came
from across the wide air we'll.
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 SO?
Just then she caught sight Of Mr..
Justin and waved to him frantically.
Mr.. Justin waved back mechanically
as he would have answered the hail
OF a shipwrecked mariner. He raised
his own window. and called across
the twenty-foot space.
What's up:"
I'm locked in she called to him.
IT was working In here. and the boy
didn't know 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 live"
"Oh, dear. don't know"
Don't be alarmed" protested Mr..
Justin. kindly. Il am right here and
- Ill get you out"
Il knew you would. That's why l
pounded on the window. l can al
ways see you at your desk over
there"
Il think can rouse the janitor 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 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 wheSe de cleaners go
in" said the boy.
Gould you go in for me. and ask
about a lady who is locked in on the
tenth floor?"
The situations possibilities ap'
pealed 70 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 large
building before, but he tramped care
fully before the boy to the engineers
quarters.
The superintendent gone home"
said the big.coalgrimed party
smoking over an evening paper under
an electric light. And the ianitor'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
go 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 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. WHIP
ing her dripping, swollen hands she
took him up to the tenth floor.
(which room Is IT." she asked. and
he could not tell her. Moreover 1t
was horribly silent on the tenth floor.
No sound of knocking at all.
Call her by NAME" advised the
woman.
"I don't know her name" said MT.
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"
- The woman had started of on her
own responsibility and was knocking
on door after door. but there was no
answer.
'Tu bet a nickel she's tumbled
over." said the boy. They all faint"
Justin felt utterly wretched and
ont OF place Here he was hunting
for A woman and a total stranger
At half past eight in the evening in
a deserted building.
Il shall shout for her." he declared.
desperately she is certainly here"
swat a minute" said the scrub
woman, bending down to one key
hole. Il hear something"
Justin's fists we're tightly shut As
the. door was flung open. he pushed
matt the boy into the inner office. On
the taoor by the open window lay the
gIrl her face like a gardenia in color.
Juatiu lifted her in bis arms, and
told the boy to hurry for . taxi. He
another back the heavy wavy hair
gently. and felt her wrist for the
faint pulsation.
sIts too bad you don't know her
-