The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-10-26
A Woman
s
copyright. 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate.)
BY JEAN ELGINBROD


than two hours her time would be up.
she wondered if Richard was watch
ing the clock as impatiently as she.
Sucn long, long time to six o'clock
and the happy walk home.
She glanced over the local board.
The local girls were always busy.
Their hands few as they connected
line after line. The drops fell quick
er than they could answer them. The
chief operator (No. Is officially was
working back of the board on the
Hayes.
The monitor walked up and down,
up and down, back of the girls, who
mated her nearly as much as they did
xneir chief. She had been Is years In
the business-and showed it. She was
reported to have soft spot in her
heart for the young, curly-headed as
sistant chief operator at the desk.
The messenger boys called him the
Fellow with the pretty blue hair" The
girls called him "121z," being assist
ant to No. Is.
jeanette laughed to herself as she
thought Of 1t. Then she turned down
n jack to see If No. 27O was still talk
ang to Ridgeton. Captain Henry's big
voice doomed in her ear, and she
caught the sentence:
tall and dark, about thirty years
old, been foreman of the Electric COM
pany six years."
Mechanically she turned up the
Jack. Then as she realized what she
had heard she listened again. Why,
Richard was foreman of the Electric
company. What could have hap
pened7
"Oh, Lathrop1l die. There is no
chance. Don't know just how it hap
pened yet. Nash has always borne a
good name, though there has been bad
blood between him and Lathrop long
time, hear. Have your men watch
sharp. If he did 60 on that four o'clock
TIL head it of at Saturne. It gets there
about four-thirty. If he got off at
Ridgeton, which I doubt. he can't have
gone far yet. / think he will keep on
toward the vest. Got 1t all?-fve
feet eleven, dark, smooth face, well
BUILT, brown suit, black derby-all
right. Good-by."
30 rang off.
Jeanette took the connection down
and leaned back In her chair. The
bulletins on the board swayed up and
down with horrible, sickening action
The noise of falling plugs grew faint
The hum of voices died into silence
The board seemed an immeasurablt
distance away.
Then slowly her brain cleared. Sht
had no trouble in realizing now whal
II all meant. Richard Nash, her Rich
and Nash, had killed Lathrop.
His face came up before her, cleal
eut as a cameo, the wise, tender face
fi,e frank, steady eyes. Why, ever!
one had hated Lathrop but Richard
He had only laughed ut him 1t couit
mot be true. Some one was playing
Joke on her.
She looked swiftly down the lonl
aine of girls. All were working, still
and sober. The monitor paced slowly
hack and forth. No. 1914 was writin'
out trouble reports. !.
A drop fell. 1t was 270. She took
before the recording operator coul'
reach II. and plugged in on the Hns
Her voice sounded strange to her a
ahe spoke.
ssToll line"
aGiye me police station. Saturne
Captain Briggs to the telephone. AM
right away quick, to central
SHE made out the ticket slowly. He
fingers were stiff and cold. She fei
numbed all over except her brain. Tina
seemed on fire. She looked down
ltha small diamond on her left hand
yUbethereit were true or not, he wa
Richard-yes-and she loved him.
If Ridgeton had not been able to ge
m man down to the train In time t
search 1t, after getting Captain Henry
message, there was small chance TO
his escape-perhaps she could make
a bigger one, If he were really on tina
train, as she thought. Could she kee
270 from getting Saturne before tn
train passed there, a whole hall hou
yet7
New York was probably his goal. ]
she could keep the train from bein
searched before 1t reached New Yorh
ne might escape West, or across tn
water.
was he thinking Of their walk horn
ats the end Of the day. now she won
Aered. remOrses and fear fghtin
within him. Or had he had no tim
10 think Of her YETI
40 was calling again.
sCan't you get Saturnes Central
what ig the matterT
SWfre Is busy. I win call you" sh
answered clearly. II was only qnarfe
ef I'VE now.
She cast furtive look at the nor
sfcr. who was coming toward her. Sh
answered two other calls. and mad
auick connections. The monito
glanced at her bDard, then wakes
slowIy away again. Time seemed T.
I stnnd still. 4:5T-4 :5S-
30 called again.
Captain lIenry,s voice BODIED trouble
for somebody.
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