The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-03-26
The Mystery of the Phone Call

hand was gloyed as though he had
Just come in. There was in his face
and manner a befuddled and desper-
ate amazement, look of urbane in
toxication suddenly confronted with
a crisis--a shock that is like a slap
in the face.
He read and reread, with a silent
movement of the lips, sheet of writ
ing paper. 1t looked like q woman s
note. When he had finished the in
ner page-reading it at right angles,
as one must with such epistles-he
would turn back to the beginning and
start all over again. And then, with
sudden spasmodic force the fingers
of his ungloved hand closed over the
sheet, crushing it into a ball. His
head sank forward on the crook Of
his arm and something like sob
escaped him. He was quite sober,
now.
For minute or so he remained
thus. Then he sprang to his feet and
pulled himself together. | could see
his jaw set and his hands clench
themselves. He walked quite steadily
to the buffet and poured himself a
glass of liquor. Returning to the
table, he rummaged about in the
drawers impatiently, found what he
sought, and laid it on the table-a
revolver.
Next he brought a decanter and
glass, which he set down beside the
weapon, and resumed his chair. Very
deliberately he removed his glove, felt
,, in his left trousers pocket and pro-
duced silver coin. For the first
time he spoke.
Heads for him and tails for me-"
he cried with sort of nervous ex-
uberance. Heads for him and tails
for me-"
He tossed the coin. 1t fell with a
musical tinkle against the decanter,
wobbled moment and then fell flat.
Heads, he said. saw him look
at the revolver with a savage relish
that seemed to bode i'll for some one.
He took another drink.
Again he flipped the coin. It fel,
with solid thwack and he grimaced
a bit as he read its meaning.
Tails" he exclaimed. Tails
that's me-"
Once more he refilled his glass and
gulped it. This time he held the coin
on the end of his finger as though
loath to let it go. He laid 1t down
finally and picked up the ball of
paper. Carefully he Strengthened out
the sheet and reperused it. Once
more he picked up the coin.
BEST two out of three" he said
with a wry little laugh. Here goes. -
He spun the coin and for an intol-
erable time 1t seemed to rotate, dying
down gradually in its motion and set
ting itself with an odd little flap
just beyond the muzzle of the re-
volver. The man did not speak, but
| saw from his face the verdict 1t
was death
edged around the door at that
and jumped for him just as he got
the gun to his head. We scuffled a
bit and the bullet went into the cell
ing. The noise of 1t startled us both.
His fingers relaxed and | took the
gun from him easily enough. Or
dinarily he could have thrown me
out of the window without much
trouble, but the inertia OF reaction
was upon him. He leaned half list
lessly against the mantel and sur
veyed me in astonishment.
who the devil are you?" he asked.
My name Is of no consequence" )"
told him. "My presence I shall try
to explain, assume that you are
John Bradley"
yes" he said, gravely, 81 am
John Bradley. But I'm not in the
habit of receiving unknown callers at
midnight"
Nor are you in the habit OF at
tempting suicide, dare say"
Whoever you are he said. "you
have saved my life. That it Is worth
less does not lessen the decency of
your action. thank you-and beg
your pardon"
Whatever | did you are welcome
to" l told him. II came here to res
cue a woman in danger"
His eyes narrowed. "A woman in
danger" he repeated slowly. what
are you-an evangelism"
stared at him. Was his mind un-
settled?
We'll, no natter he continued,
"in any event you're too late"
Do you meant that she's-dead?"
cried, aghast.
II wish it might have been that"