The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-05-13

The thoughts formed themseSe
mechanically in her mind. Her eye
sought the ball which had come crash
ing into the room. There was III
once more In her pulses. She fount
a scrap of paper and a pencil in he
pocket. With trembling fingers sh,
wrote a few words:
Police headquarters. am Sanford
Quests assistant, abducted and i'm
prisoned here in the room where the
ball has fallen. Help! I am goint
mad"
She twisted the paper, looked
around the room vainly for string, and
finally tore a thin piece of ribbon
from her bosom. She tied the mes
sage round the ball, set her teeth and
threw it at the empty skylight. The
1;st time she was not successful and
the ball came back. The second time
1t passed through the center Of the
opening. She heard II strike the sound
portion OF the glass outside, heard ii
rumble down the roof. A few seconds
OF breathless silence! Her heart al.
most stopped beating. Had 1t rested
In some ledge or fallen into the street
below? Then she heard the boys
voice:
Gee! Here's the ball come back
again."
A new light shone into the room.
She seemed to be breathing a different
atmosphere-the atmosphere Of hope.
She listened no longer with horror
for a creaking upon the stairs. She
walked backwards and forwards until
she was exhausted. Curiously
enough, when the end came she was
asleep, crouched upon the bed and
dreaming wildly. She sprang up to
find Inspector French, with a police
behind him, standing upon the
threshold.
Inspector" she cried, rushing to-
wards him. "Mr. French! Oh, thank
Her feelings carried her away. She
threw herself at his feet. She was
laughing and crying and talking inco-
herently. all at the same time. The
inspector assisted her to a chair.
Say. what's all this mean?" he de-
manded.
She told him her story, i%ncoherent-
ly, In broken phrases. French listened
with puzzled frown.
Then he realized that she was on
the point Of a nervous breakdown
and in no condition for interrogations.
"Thatll do" he said. "Tll take care
OF you for a time, young lady, and III
ask you a few questions later on My
are searching the house. You
and | will be getting on, If you can
tear yourself away"
The plain-clothes man, who was
lounging in Quests most comfortable
easy chair and smoking one Of his
best cigars, suddenly laid down his
paper. He moved to the window. A
large, empty automobile stood in the
outside, from which the occu-
pants had presumably just descend
ed. He fastened towards the door,
which was opened, however, before he
was halfway across the room. The
cigar slipped from his fingers. It was
Sanford Quest, who stood there, fol-
lowed by the sherin of Bethel, two
country policemen and Red Gallagher
and his mate, heavily h~andcuffed.
Say. aren't you wanted down yon-
der, Mr.. Quest?" the man inquired.
That's all right now" Quest told
him. I'm ringing up Inspector French
You'd better stand by the
other fellows there and keep your
BYE on Red Gallagher and his mate"
." guess Mr.. Quest is all right" the
sheriff interviewed. Were ringing up
headquarters ourselves, anyway"
The plain-clothes man did as he was
.old. Quest took up the receiver from
MS telephone instrument and arranged
he p~hototelesme.
Police station No. /. central" he
satd-through to Mr.. French's Of
ice. II you please. Mr.. Quest
wants to speak to him. Yes, SAM
ord Quest. No need to get excited!
. All right I'm through. am I!
Hello, Inspector"
A rare expression of Joy suddenly
Quests face. He was
downward into the little mir
,or.
you've found Lenora. thcn. In
'pector?" he exclaimed. .Bully for
7oui What do ! meant What
sayt You forget that I am I sci
,ntiilc man. French. No end Of APP
here you haven't had time
o look 1t. I can zee you sitting there.
md Lsnora and Laura looking a.
hough you had them on the rack. You
A drop that. French. I've got Red
3allagher ana his mate. got them
leFe With the sheriff Of Bethel. They
ysnt "a With my auto and sold IL
Vefve got that. Also. ~ less than
minnteo nj ohau1ceur will ~
-. ~ - ling = : farmhouse