Putnam patriot., 1914-01-16

T s'pose so," she vouchsafed. q butted in. And now guess I've got to take my medicine"
 And" asked Mark, "do you happen to realize what that medicine is?
 "Oh, know, all right. I'll lose my job"
 Exactly. And you don't want to lose your job, do you, Miss Kelly?"
 ''No, I don't. I need the money" 'I see. Quite so. You need the money. Miss Kelly, MT. Blake has of fered you a great deal of money for a certain bit of information, hasn't he?" ''Yes. But-Oh, what's the use? You can get me fired. But l guess I can find another job!"
 Tt may not be necessary" suggest ed Mark. Miss Kelly, we don't want to harm your prospects in any way. We wish merely to show you that 1t is Blake has told you how necessary it is for us to gain the information that you alone can give us. He will pay you we'll. We have asked you to come up here tonight to find out whether you will not accept this offer"
 Well" she inquired in weary pa- tience, what is it you want me to tell you?''
 "We want you" replied Mark, "to tell us a number called up by MT. Standish early this evening""
 He paused for her answer. The oth- CTS leaned forward.
 Wanda alone was unconcerned She WAS twisting the little bracelet on her wrist and eying it with new and hap oily absorbed interest from dozen successive points of view.
 Miss Kelly" demanded Mark, Twill you tell us that number or will you not?"
 why" answered Wanda with a charmingly foolish smile of crass help lessness, T really don't think I can remember it."
 q think you can," contradicted Mark. You knew beforehand, from MT. Blake, how much depended on it. You surely remember
 That's so," acceded Wanda, seeming to grasp the strength of his argument as by inspiration. q surely must. But, you see, it's against the rules to tell. Oh, gentlemen" she cried longingly, "I'd just love to help you out Any thing I could do. Anything at all. But we're not allowed to give any informa- tion like this. Oh, how I wish-!"
 If you were allowed, then," asked Mark, you'd do it, wouldn't you?'
 "That'd be different, of course" she smiled. But you see how I'm fixed" That's too badi" unused Mark. "Of course we can't ask you to break the company's rules. But if it were not against rules, you'd do it, would your" "Oh, in a second! I'd be ever so glad to; but, you see, orders are or ders. And"
 And" chimed in Mark, Luckily we knew how faithful you are to your em- ployers. Here," taking a paper from 8 heap on the table, lis an order from your general manager, authorizing you to give us all the help in your power. Does that remove your scruples?"
 For an instant she sat genuinely dumfounded. One by one her defenses were being shorn away. With great effort she strove to rally her pitiful little forces to meet the new on- slaught.
 "Oh, then," she broke down weakly, '1 s'pose I'd better tell you"
 Her surrender snapped the tension. Blake nodded grim approval. The oth- -er listeners relaxed. Even Robertson's hard mouth softened in exultation.
 That's right" applauded Mark. You won't be sorry for it."
 Well" asked Mark. what was the number?"
 The number?" echoed Wanda ab- sently.
 Was 1t district number?" queried Mark, his face giving no sign of any thing but desire to refresh her mem- ory.
 "Oh, yes!" cried Wanda, her eyes brightening. "A district number. Yes. I remember that it was a district num- ber"
 What exchange?"
 A further futile ransacking of the mind.
 Was it Main?"
 She shook her head. .esseya
 "Cleyeland?" ssNS
 "N-no"
 "Takoma?"
 "Yes! Yes! It's all come back to me now, sir. It was Takoma. That was it. Takoma. 678 Takoma!"
 "678 Takoma," repeated Mark, while Van Dyke ran a searching finger down the list he held. You are quite sure. Miss Kelly, that it was 67S Takoma?"
 "Oh. yes. indeedi". Wanda assured him in eager triumph. "678 Takoma. I remember"
 Tt wasn't S76 Takoma?"
 "0h. no, sir, 67S."
 Mark glanced at Van Dyke. who shook his head. The cross-examiner's tone grew all at once as cold as death.
 You have been playing with us long enough. Miss Kelly" said he. T let 1t go on until was certain you meant to lead us on a wild-goose chase. Now, if you please. we'll get down to busi- nessi"
 sWhy?" asked Wanda in marveling innocence. Wasn't that number the right one, after all?"
 No. And you knew 1t was not. No such number was called from this hotel"
 "0hi Then you got the duplicate slips from central? Perhaps, if you'd let me look over them, could"
 Could send us on the wrong track I haze no dnnhf voll cr1r,Id No thank