The Jasper news., 1919-12-18

SteiuS uOWnpOur. III was DARK ana
gloomy and my feelings were the same
as l opened some canned stuff and got
rs much of meal as could with what
was In the house. think 1t was the
sklinplness of the larder at the time
that showed me as much as anything
else how important 1t was for me now
to get help-1 had food enough to last
for a couple of days. and after that-if
! things kept on this way--how was to
get It?
Billy Rivers was. of course, my
logical resource. He had seen the fiat
the night before-he could start all
the protective machinery in the city
for me. With this resolution, / went
to the telephone. 1t was "dead"-my
connection was severed didn't need
to be told that monsieur had cut my
wires!
The full magnitude of my calamity
burst upon me and sat down on the
nearest chair with flop. The bitter
fact of the whole situation struck me
IKE a blow on the head-Id let every
chance for protection or flight go by
me; the one remaining chance was a
letter entrusted to my spy. Well, I'd
try that. anyway.
] spent an hour in composing a mis-.
sive to Billy that would tell him a
great deal and monsieur nothlng-if It
| fell into his hands-nnd this is what
came out OF It:
Dear Billy: I'm ready to sell you
that story promised. 1t is now near
y finished, but shall need some help
from you In arranging the climax.
Don't waste time telephonlng-the
telephone Is out Of order-but attend
to 1t personally. This is an ambulance
call"
1t all hinged on the words "ambu-
lance call" and If Billy would read
them "hurry up" and then, taking
them in connection with what he'd
seen Of the fiat robbery, read, my life
is in danger"
And would monsieur see 1t II the let.
ter fell into his handsf That was my
rtsk-and there you are!
I made three copies. directed one
n letter to Philadelphia to my brother
asking him TO mail 1t there-I dropped
the third, carelessly, into the manu-
script OF short story, sent to a maga
zine, hoping the editor would think II
nm accident and kindly mail 1t for me.
1t was halfpast ten and was tagged
out. My last chance had come. "Woult
George mail the letters?" got a quar-
ter out for him-I was afraid to Civ,
him more and make him think the let
ters were important and not the sor
of thing he mailed for me almost ever,
night.
dragged one weary foot after tn,
other along the hall hated to let tn,
letters out of my hands now that
had them ready. "Well, he's got to d.
tt" said firmly, and took hold of tn,
door knob and the Yale latch.
turned and pulled; turned th,
other way round and pulled again.
was locked In from the outside and tn
key was In the lock! was hard an,
fast prisoner In my own fiat!
The immediate effect on me of thi
discovery is hard to describe. NJ.
, head swan and the room went round
, and everything was all mixed I'D, an,
: kept repeating: Fire II there's
: fire tonight I'll be burned like a rat Il
trap"
: And with that went to bed-ther
was nothing else to do.
l was nearly as much astonished #
I the morning to find the key gone fror
I the lock as had been to find II there
, Apparently was free to take tina
e eleven o'clock train for Philadelphi
e that the fake telegram from m
: brother had requested me to-l wa
: free to put the diamonds in my stocl
+, ing and step out into-the Great UI
q known! Only-l wasn't such a foe
: as to do 1t could and did. how
, ever, give George my letters to mai
One thing was now clear to me--a
long as l stayed In the fiat was con
\ paratively safe-I must make my mai