The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-07-25

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Madge Receives and Recognizes a
Token"

M Y mother n-law listened intent
wi ly while. in response to her i'm
- pcrious request, related 10
her the tale OF the taNicab crush on
Fifth avenue in which ! had met the
eyes of the foreign-lookin man in the
next taNi.-rcad startled recognition in
them, and felt a haunting sense OF their
familiarity TO me.
also told her Of the swathed invalid
in the taxi who had been pushed back
SO impcrlously by the other occupant
And then determined TO keep nothing
back, told Of Mrs. Durkcc's answer
to the advertisement for a house, and
her description OF the man who had
taken it in so strange a manner. a de
scrIption that tailed so closely with
my own remembrance Of the man in
the taxi that | was sure the two per
sonalities were identical,
"Of course my mother-in-law com
mentcd caustically when had fin
ishcd ANY fool could tell that. And
it's plain to be seen that those two
men over there know you well, your
habits. everything about YOU They ar
ranged that advertisement SO that some
one in Marvin would be sure TO bite,
and you can bet they were overjoyed
when they found they could get right
next door But that throws no light
on the question OF their motives. OF
course, thi, rubbish they have sent you
mcans nothing But yon might as well
finish it,.
! took the hint and the letter at the
same time,
"No Need for Signatures"
I'VE have information not to be
disregardcd that your life is endln-
gered every time you leave your home"
the letter went on. Therefore we
command you--and we have the right
OF command-that for the next week
you stay within the boundaries Of your
own grounds. You are well protected
there and we are always watching. II
is when you go away that we ate I'M
able TO guard YOU adequately
zone other thing You do not know
us, YOU probably never will And yet
it may be necessary some time for us
to see YOU In order to assure YOU of
our right to command your obedience
wc are enclosing a token which YOU
will probably recognize When We send
you a similar one by any agency, it
will mean an immediate summons to
the house next to yours Do not fail
to come-the results would be disas-
trous.
There is no need for signatures to
this letter. You would not recognize
them il We gave them So, dear
Madame Graham we remain simply,
THE MEN NEXT DOOR"
raised my eyes to my mother-in-
laws and for a moment we stared at
each other in blank astonishmcut Then
she put back her head and laughed
heartily, a performance SO unexpected
in her that | was startled.
Just Tiny Coin.
"Of all the mclodramatic baldcr.
dash" she said at last, wiping hei
eyes "Of course. its nothing To he
laughed at either, for they're dangerous
cnemic, Still | don't believe they're
very dangerous, either They couldn't
be and have the kind Of brain that
could write a fool letter like that 1t
sounds like the old dime novels that
| used to burn mp when ! caught Rich
ard reading them"
The whimsical idea crossed my mind
that TO be so familiar with their style
she must have surrcptitiouyly read some
OF the novels before she burned them
but | knew better than to voice the
thought.
Lets have a look at this token
they're so brash about" my mother in
law continued It's probably the
sawcd-oif half of a ring or something
They probably have done it in regula-
tlon Diamond Dick style"
Her voice expressed contemptuous
rldlculc raised to tn nth power. My
Sommon sense agreed with her, but
from the depths OF my nature little
prcmouitary voice OF warning sounded
told me that there was something be
hind this bizarre proceeding which |
did not understand, and which | must
treat most warilv
1t was one OF the almost psychic lit
tie prcmunitionS which frequently
have, and that ! have found it behooyes
me to heed
The knowledge Of it made my fingers
trcmble as | undid the tiny tissue pa