Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-07-13
Help!
There Was Mystery In the Call,
but It Was Revealed at Last
By ALAN HINSDALE

was ANlhB al uOuh6 WulCu bLOOu
alone, though In a city. There was
but one other house on the block BY
block 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 ! 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 single.
All day l 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 1t.
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 a hall bedroom In the
house nave described. was board.
ing at the time and sat down by tho
window. 1t vas springtime, and,
though 1t was @ 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.
noticed that the window shutters on
the third story were all closed, while
those on the lower floors were open.
While l looked square, white sub
stance--it was cardboard-was slipped
between the Stats and exposed to view
There appeared to be something writ.
ten on 1t. but 1t was too far distant
for me to see what 1t was But l had
pair Of opera glasses In my bureau
drawer, and, getting them, brought
them to bear on the writing. There
was the single word:
"HelpH'
had no sooner lowered my glasses
than the cardboard was withdrawn.
From this | Inferred that some one
had seen me at my window and had
put out the message for me to see. But
who this person was l had no knowl-
edge.
Nevertheless l felt 1t incumbent on
me to respond. But how? l could not
communicate with the unknown. He
or she could put out a message or q
signal for me without its being seen
by any one except me. IL put one
out 1t could be seen by any one In the
nf tha A.
would not have been thus displayed
unless some one was In trouble. II
held 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 l concluded
to 60 to the house with something b
sell. could at least see who would
come to the door. With a 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 It was not
inviting, but repellant, with a bit of
suspicion In It 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 II occurred to me
that | was rather too well dressed for
one reduced to such a 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 a wrong, have al
ways had fancy for minding my own
business But lawyers business is
other persons affairs, and 1t struck
me that this matter might lead to pro
fessionaI work SO concluded to fol
low 1t up
Being young and inexperienced, 1t
first occurred to me to break into the
house legally-that Is, armed with q
search warrant or some other docu-
ment issued by court, but was de-
TERED from this by fear of making q
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 appear II interferedi No; |
must first learn something Of the con-
ditions.
resolved to go about It as II II |
had 1t been a 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 bis services
and had plenty Of time to make the
investigations myself began by TAX
ing position near the house In question
and waiting for delivery wagon to
leave supplies there. Half day was
consumed at 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 mum.
Der.
Going to my office, / called Kroeger
& Co., the meat market firm, and asked
II they would give me the name Of
their customer who lived at 40 Elm
street They replied after much delay
that they had not been Informed OF
the party's name; the transactions had
all been cash. Then 1t occurred to me
= .