The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-03-09
Help!
There Was Mystery In the Call,
but 1t Was Revealed at Last
BY ALAN H1NsDALE

block I mean the area inclosed by four
streets. The streets in this case had
been laid out paved and curbed, but
thus far there was but little building
on them. The other house that have
mentioned faced on the street running
parallel to the one ON which l lived,
and the rear part Of the two houses
were exposed to each other.
had recently been admitted to the
bar and had swung out my shingle.
All day / sat In my office waiting for
clients. but clients did not come. A
young lawyer is more apt to hit upon
clients outside his office than in It
was destined to do so myself. but the
way my first client came to me was by
no means usual.
had come to my room after business
hours-it was hall bedroom In the
house l have described. ! was board
ing at the time and sat down by the
window. It was springtime. and,
though 1t was 9 o'clock. the sun was
still high. The day was warm, and the
window sash was thrown up
The view was not attractive. In
deed, there was nothing for me to look
at except the house on the other street.
and | could only see the rear OF that.
I noticed that the window shutters on
the third story were all closed, while
those ON the lower floors were open.
yVhlin 7 lnnlxa1 n onuo m tyhita ouh-
stance-it was cardboard-was slipped
between the Stats and exposed to view.
There appeared TO be something writ
ten ON 1t, but II was too far distant
for me to see what 1t was. But had
pair OF opera glasses in my bureau
drawer. and. getting them. brought
them to bear ON the writing. There
was the single word:
Help
had no sooner lowered my glasses
than tho ca.,aoard was withdrawn.
From this inforred that some one
had seen me at my window and had
put out the message for me to sec. But
who this person was had no knowl-
edge.
Nevertheless l felt 1t incumbent OH
me TO respond. But how? l could not
communicate with the unknown. He
or she could put out message or a
signal for me without fits being seen
by any one except me. If put one
out 1t could be seen by any one In the
rear Of tho other house. The card
would not have been thus displayed
unless some one was in trouble. II
held a prisoner or Ill treated there
must be others who were responsible
for this. Surely 1t would not do for
me to act openly In the matter
By way OF reconnoiter concluded
to go to tho house with something to
sell could at least see who would
come to the door With few pack
ages OF court plaster rang the door
bell A woman. not servant, answer
ed the call. She had a disagreeable
look ON her face. Certainly 1t was not
inviting. but repellant. with bit of
suspicion In 1t. asked her II could
sell her some court plaster. and she
declined very sharply. at the same
time taking me In with her eyes from
head to foot. Then 1t occurred to me
that was rather too well dressed for
one reduced to such beggarly occu-
patton. However, the interview was
cut short by her shutting the door In
my face.
This tended to confirm my belief that
some one was held under duress In the
house While / would not refuse to
attempt to right wrong, l have al
ways had fancy for Winding my own
business But lawyers business Is
other persons affairs, and 1t struck
me that this matter might lead to pro
fessional work. So / concluded to fol-
low II up.
Being young and inexperienced, It
first occurred to me to break into the
house legally-that is, armed with a
search warrant or some other docu-
ment issued by court, but was de-
TERED from this by fear of making a
fool of myself Suppose my suspicious
were incorrect, suppose some half wit
ted person was held In the house In
stead Of being sent TO an asylum, how
would l appear If interfered? No;
| must first learn something of the con-
ditions.
I resolved to go about 1t as II 1t
had It been case Of law. Some de
tective work must first be done, and
I would have employed detective ex-
cept for two reasons-I had no money
with which to pay him for his services
and had plenty OF time to make the
Investigations myself. l began by TAX
ing position near the house In question
and waiting for delivery wagon to
leave supplies there. Half day was
consumed ut this before meat market
wagon stopped at the house. Irefrain-
ed from asking the young man who
took In the goods who lived there, for
could not do so without being seen
by those in the house, and that would
excite suspicion. But noted the name
ON the wagon and the telephone num-
Der.
Going to my office, l called Kroeger
& Co., the meat market firm, and asked
II they would give me the name Of
their customer who lived at ITO elm
street. They replied after much delay
| that they had not been informed Of
tho party's name; the transactions had
I'll been cnsh. Then It occurred to mo