The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-09
Was 1t Supernatural or a
Scientific Novelty?
By F. A. Mitchell

WOEhnuS utT typeWFueT a uOTluedSt-
er was blowing in from the ocean. and
the waves as they rolled under the
dock shook the structure built on it.
There was telephone instrument
screwed against the wall, and sudden.
ly there came a sharp ring. Whether
the electric current was stronger than
usual or that Mary was Influenced by
the terror of the storm, the bell SEEM
ed to call her to hear some bad news.
She hurried to the instrument and, I'M
hooking the receiver. held 1t to her
ear.
MARY" came the voice of John Tai
bot, to whom Mary was betrothed and
who she supposed was coming up
from Florida in coast steamer of
which he was third mate, take up
board in the northwest corner of my
room at home
There was a click, and Mary knew
that communication was shut off. She
waited for it to be renewed, then rat
tied the hook that held the receiver,
called did everything she could think
of to attract attention, but could not
break the silence. At last, impressed
by feeling Of awe, she hung up the
receiver and. trembling. returned to
her seat.
The George Brewster, in which John
Talbot was coming north, was not due
to arrive till the next day. Had she
put into some port on the coast below?
She might have done SO to avoid the
storm, for she was an old vessel and
not considered very seaworthy. But
what did this fragmentary message
mean? Take up board In the north
west corner of my room at home"
Mary and John were to be married
soon after his return from this voyage.
Could the message have anything to
do with the preparations that were
being made for the wedding?
The next morning news was publish.
ed Of the loss of the George Brewster
and all on board. She had foundered
at sea of Cape Hatteras. Wreckage
had been washed ashore Identifying
her.
Mary Richards when she began to re-
cover from the shock Of her loss re-
membered her telephone message.
How had her betrothed been able to
communicate with her while at sea?
There was no wireless telegraph ap.
paratus on the Brewster by which he
could communicate with the shore.
Besides, the voice she had heard was
his, and he addressed her direct.
John Talbot's mother had died when
be was little boy, and his father had
married a woman who had made life
miserable for her husband and her
stepson. AS soon as John was old
enough to earn any money she insisted
that he should 60 to work and forced
him to bring all he earned to her. This
continued till he grew to manhood.
when he began to retain his earnings.
He had told Mary that he had accu-
mulated several thousand dollars and
before leaving on his last voyage had
taken the precaution to make a will
leaving It to her But he had not told
her where either the will or the proper
! ty was to be found
Mrs. Talbot was aware that John
was saving money, and as soon as
news came OF his death ut sea she be-
gan to hunt for It. or. rather. evidence
| Of II. She believed that John had in.
vested his savings in stocks or bonds
and that he had kept his securities at
home instead Of placing them In
safety deposit company: but. although
she hunted high and low for anything
that would represent money. she found
nothing.
Mary for long while was SO crush
ed by her loss that she thought moth
ing of the matter of her lovers pos
| sessions One day she met Mrs Tai
bot. who said to her with view to
learning something about the missing
property:
81 suppose John turned over his saw
ings to you before he went to sea the
| last time"
Mary replied that he had not done
so. and that was all that was said on
the subject between them. But Mrs.
Talbot's words and manner set Mary
to thinking. In this connection she re.
membered the telephone message
take up board In the northwest cor.
ner of my room at home"
Wherever the message had come
from. whether transmitted by natural
or supernatural means, Mary now con-
nected II with the missing property.
After deliberation she concluded to go
to a lawyer and ask his advice as to
what to do. He agreed to send some
one to the Talbot house. watch an op-
portunity to take up without Mrs. Tai
bots knowledge the board In the floor
In the northwest corner of Johns
room. This duty was assigned detec-
tive. who employed a confederate to
decoy the stepmother away while the
detective went into the room desig-
mated and removed the board.
One morning Mary received a mes
sage from her attorney to call at his
office. and on arriving there he showed
her will executed by John Talbot.
leaving all his property to her, and
H.. L. l. n