Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-06-08

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De Spain had gone that morning ia
Medicine Bend. He got back late and
after a supper at the Mountain house
went directly to his room. The tele
phone bell was ringing when he I'm.
locked and threw open his door.
rs this Henry de Spain?" came q
voice, slowly pronounclng the words
over the wire.
"Yes."
II have message for you from Mu
sic mountain"
"Go ahead"
"The message Is like this: Take mt
away from here as soon as you cam
"Whom Is that message from"
II can't call any Names"
"Who are your"
II can't tell you that. Goodby."
"Hold on. II you're treating mi
fair-and | believe you mean to-
come over to my room minute"
mo"
"Let me come to where you arer'
"NO."
"Let me wait for you-anywheref'
mo"
"Do you think that message means
what II saysi"
II know 1t does
"Do you know what It means for me
to undertaken"
II have pretty stiff idea"
ibid you get II direct from the
party who sent itY'
" can't talk all night. Take II Of
leave 1t just where II Is"
De Spain heard him close. Ht
closed his own instrument and began
feverishly signaling central. "This Is
101. Henry de Spain talking" he sale
briskly. "You just called me. Ter
dollars for you, operator If you car
locate that call, quick!"
There was a moment of delay ut thu
central office, then the answer: II
came from 234-Tenlson's saloon"
"Give me your name, operator
Good. Now give me %, and ring thu
neck of the bell"
Lefever answered the call on No
%. The talk was quick and sharp
Messengers were instantly presset
into service from the dispatcher's Of
fee. Telephone wires hummed. ant
every man available on the specia
agents force was brought into action
Livery stables were covered, the pub
lie resorts were put under observation
horsemen clattered up and down the
street. Within an incredibly shor,
time the town was rounded up, every
outgoing trail watched, and search
was underway for anyone from Nor
gan's gap, and especially for the send
er Of the telephone message.
De Spain, after instructing kefever
hastened to Tensions. His rapit
questioning of the few habitues Of thu
place and the bartender elected Onl,
the information that man had uset
the telephone booth within few min
utes. Nobody knew him, or, II they
did know him, refused to describe
him In any but vague terms.
Outside, Bob Scott In the saddle
waited with led horse. The two mer
rode straight and hard out on tht
sinks. The sky was overcast, AM
speed was their only resource. After
two miles of riding, they refined up or
q ridge, and Scott, springing from the
! saddle, listened for sounds. He rose
from the ground. declaring he cout
hear the strides Of running horse
Again the two dashed ahead. Thu
chase was bootless. Whoever rod
before them easily eluded pursuit.
Undeterred by his failure to over
take the fugitive, De Spain rode raj
idly back to town to look for othei
clews. Nothing further was found Il
throw light on the message or mes
senger. No one had been found any
where In town from Morgan's gap
whoever had taken chance In dc
livering the message had escaped un
detected.
Even after the search had beer
abandoned the significance Of the In
cident remained to be weighed. d.
Spain was much upset. A conference
with Scott, whose Judgment In an!
affair was marked by good sense, ant
with Lefever, who, like woman
reached by intuition conclusion a
which Scott or De Spain arrived b!
process of thought only revealed thu
fact that all three, as Lefever con
fessed, were nonplused.
"It's one of two things" declared
Lefever, whose eyes were never dullet
by late hours. "Either they've sen
this to lure you INTO the gap and get
you, or else-and that's great hi
or else'-she needs you. Henry, di'
that message mean the way 1t wa
worded-sound like Nan MorganT
De Spain could hardly answer. Il
did, and 1t didn't" he said finally
But" his companions saw durini
the pause by which his lips expressed
the resolve he had finally reaches
that he was not likely to be trune'
from TT am going to act just a
II the word came from Nan and sh
does need me-"
| More than one scheme for gettin
quickly into touch with Nan was pro
posed and rejected within the mex
ten minutes. And when Lefever, afte
comforting with Scott, put up to d
Spain q proposal that the three shoul
| ride into the gan together and dc