Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-07-07
she could marry tho boss. wish !

she could marry the boss! Wish
was : matohmaksr. Whet1l DOR
This was @ to the letter. Danny
decided he would think things over be.
fore he said anything about It. Then
came the crisis Of Danny's life. and
the "Blunderheadr Of the ONCE situa-
ton became a star character and
hero 81
Danny earned only four dollars Z
week and had to pay some. board ut
home ct that This did not admit Of
any banquets. The week before he
had bought q small bunch Of violets
to place on the desk Of Miss Deane.
She had scolded him severely. but
Danny was proud to think he could
spend 30 cents to show his devotion
to the kindest friend he had ever
known.
For the present week. therefore.
Danny was wont to take his meals at
. cheap beanery. There were items
on the bill Of fare that ran from four
to seven cents. One evening he had
to remain at the ONCE overtime to
stamp some mail. Six o'clock found
him hungry with one-haK an hours
work still undone. Danny went out
for a bite. AS he passed down .
court running along the side Of the
building where the office was located,
he noticed that the light In the room
of the boss had been extinguished and
the boss himself was just approach
ing his automobile. the only one In
the solitary court.
Then there occurred something that
made Danny think of a rapid moving
picture show, 1t was all done so quick.
~. Three men had suddenly leaped
from dusk doorway. One sprang to
the chauffeur's seat. Two others adj
vanced upon Mr.. Ransom. They threw
q long coat over his head. lifted him
into the machine. stifled his cries and
away dashed the auto.
Kidnapped! Just like In the
movies!" gasped the petrified Danny.
In fash he was after the speeding
machine. As he ran an inspiration
came to him. He drew out his big
jackknife that was his constant COM
panion. caught at the knob Of the bag
gage box and chung there.
The automobile followed the court
then an alley and then curved into .
public street. It was here that Danny
got ready for business.
He made desperate lunge at the
nearest rear wheel. Blade-deep
through outer and inner sheathings Of
rubber went the knife. There was q
hiss, then frightful report. The
chauffeur caught the warning sound.
The auto sided on menacing slant.
Danny sprang free. yelled for the po-
lice. the car was surrounded and the
boss" was rescued
Mr.. Ransom took Danny back to the
ONCE with him after the police had re-
cured the kidnapers. who 1t appeared
had set In motion the first section OF .
deep blackmailing plot
There's something else. said
Danny, when the greater part Of his
story had been told there's Sweetie"
All! what about Miss Deane, now"
questioned the young business man.
with every token~of deep interest.
And Danny produced the letter |
sheet. His eye sparkled ~ he knew
what he had long hoped-that Miss |
Deane cared particularly for him. And
then rather amusedly he read the
scrawled words Danny had written:
Look before you leap"
Mr.. Ransom" observed Danny fer.
vently. that's my motto. but you
don't have to look before you leap II
you're thinking about Sweetie. She's
Ill gold. just like YOURSELF"
Copyright. 1914. BY W. q. Chapman.)