The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-03-22

"Yes. 1 am if the powers and Pete
Shattuck II let me-"
you were going to drive over? May
1 go with you? I'm very anxious to
get to South Denboro tonight. 1 have
some very important business there.
and want to complete it and get away
tomorrow. I must be back in New
York by the morning following"
'Well, 1 don't know, Mr.
"Graves is my name"
Il don't know, Mr.. Graves. This
amt goin' to be a pleasure cruise ex-
actly. You might get pretty Wet
Il don't care. 1 can get dry again
when 1 get there. OF course I shall
share the expense Of the livery. l shall
be greatly obliged if / may go with
you. If not, must try for rig my
SELF
"Oh, If you feel that way about it,
why, come ahead and welcome. was
only warnin' you, that's all. However,
with me aboard for ballast, guess we
won't blow away. Wait jiffy till
get after Pete"
He entered the ticket Office and rails
ed big hand to the little crank Of the
telephone bell.
Lets see, Caleb" he called, whats
Shattuck's number?'
-Four long and two short" answered
the station master.
Graves, wondering vaguely what sort
of telephone system was in use on
Cape Cod, heard his prospective pilot
ring the instrument for a full two sec.
onds, repeating the ring four times al.
together This he followed with two
sharp tinkles. Then came series OF
shouted "Hellos !" and at last fragments
of one-half Of dialogue.
"That you, Shattuck? Know who
this is. don't you? Yes, that's right.
Say, how many folks listen every time
a bell rings on this line? I've heard
no less'n eight receivers come down SO
far. Two of 'em went up then. Did
you hear 'em? Sartin. l want to hire
a team to 60 over home with. Tonight
-sartin 1 don't care. Yes, you will
too. Yes, you will. Send my man
back with it tomorrow. l don't care
what it is, so it's got four legs and
| wheels"
And so on for at least five minutes
Then the captain hung up the receiver
and came back to the waiting room.
Bargains made. Mr.. Graves" he an
nounced. "Petell have some sort of a
turnout alongside soon's he can get it
harnessed. If you've got any extra
storm duds in that satchel Of yours I'd
advise you to put 'em on. We're goin
to have a rough passage
Just how rough it was likely to be.
Graves realized when he emerged from
the station to board the Shattuck bug
gy. Pete himself had driven the
equipage over from the livery stable.
81 wouldn't do this for anybody but
you. cap'n," he vouchsafed in what
might be called reproachful shout. .
"Wouldn't do what?" replied the cap
tain. looking first at the ancient horse
and then at the battered buggy.
"Let this horse out a night like this"
"Humph! 1 should think night
would be the only time you would let
him out There, there! Never mind.
Get aboard, Mr.. Graves. Put your
satchel on the floor between your feet.
Here, let me hist that boot for you"
The boot" was a rubber curtain
buttoned across the front of the buggy,
extending from the dashboard to just
below the level of the drivers eyes.
The lawyer clambered in behind 1t,
The captain followed, the end Of the
reins was passed through a slit in the
boot, Mr.. Shuttock, after inquiring if
they were "all taut," gave the COM
mand "Gid-dap" and horse and buggy
moved around the corner of the station
out into darkness.
The view ahead, over the boot, was
blackness, bordered by spidery trees,
and branches whipping in the wind.
Occasionally they passed houses sit
ting we'll back from the road, lighted
window cleaning cozily. And ever,
as they moved, the storm seemed to
gather force.
"It is blowing worse than ever. isn't
it?" yelled the nervous Graves.
Hey? No; just about the same. It's
the woods, that's all. Up on those bare
hills we catch the full force of it right
off the sound Be there pretty soon
now If this Old Hundred Of a horse
would quit walkin' in his sleep and
really move. Them lights ahead are
South Denboro."
The lights were clustered at the foot
of long and rather steep hill Down
the declivity bounced and rocked the
buggy The horses hoofs sounded hol-
low on the planks of q bridge The
road narrowed and became a village
street, bordered and arched by tall trees
which groaned and thrashcd in the hur-
ricane. The rain, as it beat in over the
boot. had, so the lawyer fancied, a
salty taste
The captain bent down. Say, mis-
ter" he shouted, where was it you
wanted to stop? Who is it you're look
in for?'
What"
81 say-Heavens to Betsy-how that
wind does screech! I say, whereabouts
shall I land you? This is South Den
boro. Whose house do you want to
go to-"
I'm looking for one of your leading
citizens. Elisha Warren is his name"
WHAT"
"Elisha Warren r.
He was interrupted. There Gas
sharp crack overhead, followed by
tremendous rattle and crash. Then
down upon the buggy descended what
to Graves appeared to be an avalanche
Of scratching. tearing twigs and branch
es They ripped away the boot and
laprobe and jammed him back against
the seat, their sharp points against his
breast. The buggy was jerked for
ward a few feet and stopped short.
He heard the clatter of hoofs and
shouts Of Whoa" and Stand still"
He tried to rise, but the tangle of twiss
before him seemed impenetrable, SO he