Spray courier. (Spray, Or.) 1???-19??, 1916-02-17
ATELEPHONE
CALL
BY WILLIAM CHANDLER

80 Nhs III nn cnby cbn1r Ia my bedroom
reading and smoking when I heard
q ring at tho telephone bell In the hail
Going there, took up the receiver an,
plnced II at my ear I heard a re
n morkabIe confusion OF sounds. Tn,
speaker at tho phone wns a woman
but thcrc were others In tho room, ono
c OF whom. man. was shouting wildly
u was difficult 70 distinguish what the
woman at tho receiver wns saying on
account OF the other voices. especially
tho shoutcr. Will give my dialogue
over tho phone as well an can, with
Its Interruptions:
Voice at Transmitter--oh. my good.
ness gracious! He's slnshing right and
left! He's going 20 kill us all
Voico OF tho Madman-Giv 'em the
bayonet! Ttout 'cm out Of the trench!
Hold on thcrol Save that guni Goodl
Never mind
asked again and again for an ad.
dress and finally got Ito Wash
Mans Voice mot at transmitter)-
Remember. men. that you arc Cana
dinns, and what You do today
Voice at Tnnsmitter-Do comei
VIII is delirious. He fnncies that he
is lending his company into
woman's Voice mot nt transmitter,--
oh. heavens! He's got his swordl
i-Nevcr min6 who am Give me
your street and number.
Voice nt Transmitter- horrors!
Ihung up tho receiver. waited few
seconds. took II up again and called
cnh-to come IN hurry. Then went
downstairs and out. walking In the
direction from which I expected Il.
Seeing vehicle coming at gallop, I
headed II OF. got In and told the driver
to take mo TO 175 Washington avenue
There was Washington street In tho
city. but the voices I had heard came
from refined persons, aud Washington
street was mostly taken up with shops
and saloons.
] had some distance 70 60 and shout
ed 20 the cabman 10 move faster. He
came to sudden stop. and I heard
him speaking with policeman. who
had stopped him. ] opened the door
and told the policeman TO get In with
me. explaining why wanted him. But
he got on tho box. permitting the driv-
er 20 60 an fast as he could get the
horse 10 move.
making the distance. As soon as we
reached the house told the policeman
that bc would be expected to tackle IN
armed lunatic. He demurred. saying
thnt he must telephone for assistance.
md went or to call box. did not
propose 10 wait for him and. going up
tho steps OF a stone front house, rang
tho bell.
While waited for assistance heard
sounds IN the second story as had
heard them over the phone and above
the din the lunatic's voice shouting:
Lime up there. men! Come ON. you
fellows. and fll these gaps! Now al
together! Forwardr'
The front door was opened. and q
young woman as white as a cloth ap-
pearcd.
I'm the party you got on tho
Ny explanation was interrupted by /
sounds Of steel slashing wood and the
shrieks OF women above. The girl.
without word. led me upstairs. While
ascending determined upon plan OF
action. Whether II would avail any
thing did not know. On reaching the
upper hall found a girl crouching
The door Of bedroom was wide open,
aud q man was inside hacking post
bcdgtcad. His back was to me. SO
he did not see me.
"Retrcatw shouted. ",rhe general
orders retreat We are. fiankedr'
The lunatic ceased TO hack the bed
posts and backed through the door into
my arms. seized both Of his, taking
his sword arm nt the wrist This l /,
held us In wise, for was stronger
than he.
And here the girl who had admitted
mel learned afterward that she was
The one who had talked to me over
he telephone-showed great presence
II mind as well as pluck. Taking in
he situation, at the risk OF being stab
bed she ran forward, clinched the luna
les ist and dealt him blow on the
back Of the hand holding the sword. :
rhe weapon dropped to the door. The
,irl stopped. picked 1t up and. running
o window, threw II out.
now got my arms over both the
mans, pinning them to his side. ! be.
ieved could hold him till the arrival
4 the police. but It was not pleasant
OBJ. and II he got away from me he
night yet do some damage. I asked
he girls II they could get rope. and
ne Of them went downstairs and
'rought up clotheslinc. She tried to
ct 1t around the mans legs. but he
licked 30 thnt It was impossible. While
70 We're struggling we heard a patrol
wagon dash up at the door. and In an
ther minute the lunatic was secured
There were in the house his moth.
r, an old woman. and two young Ia.
les, his sisters. He had been fighting
4 Belgium, in command Of his com.
any. and had been wounded In the
cad.
Since that time he had acted strange
: and had been invalided home. For
while after his arrival he had behaved
ute normally. but during the past
atu davo hud roIopcad uto nathan