The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-01-29

the grocer and the butcher for my dim
ner. / go out to dinner, but tonight,
even had been so minded, I dared
not leave the fiat.
Outside the drizzle had settled to a
steady downpour. 1t was dark and
gloomy and my feelings were the same
as opened some canned stuff and got
as much Of meal as could with what
was in the house. think it was the
skimpiness of the larder at the time
that showed me as much as anything
else how important it was for me now
to get help--I had food enough to last
for couple of days, and after that--if
things kept on this way-how was to
get it?
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
like 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 mis-
sive to Billy that would tell him a
great deal and monsieur nothing-if it
fell into his hands-and this is what
came out of it.:
Dear Billy: I'm ready to sell you
! that story promised. 1t is now near
| ly finished, but shall need some help
from you in arranging the climax.
Don't waste time telephoning-th
telephone is out of order--but attend
to it 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 it If the let
ter fell into his hands? That was my
risk-and there you are!
/ made three copies. directed one
| to Billy at his odice-I inclosed one in
| a letter to Philadelphia to my brother
asking him to mail it there dropped
the third, carelessly, into the manu-
script of short story. sent to maya
zine, hoping the editor would think it
an accident and kindly mai it for me.
1t was half past ten and I was tagged
out. My last chance had come. Would
George mail the letters 2" got a quar-
| ter out for hin-I was afraid to give
him more and make him think the let
tiers were important and not the sort
of thing he mailed for me almost every
night.
I dragged one weary foot after the
other along the hall hated to let the
letters out Of my hands now that /
had them ready. "Well, he's got to do
i'll" said l firmly, and took hold of the
door knob and the Yale latch.
turned and pulled turned the
other way round and pulled again.
was locked in from the outside and the
key was in the lock! was hard and
fast a prisoner in my own fiatl
The immediate effect on me of this
discovery Is hard to describe. My
head swan and the room went round,
and everything was all mixed up, and
/ kept repeating: Sire! If there's a
fire tonight I'll be burned like a rat in
| a trap"
And with that went to bed-there
was nothing else to do.
| I was nearly as much astonished in
the morning to find the key gone from
the lock as had been to find it there
Apparently I was free to take that
eleven o'clock train for Philadelphia
that the fake telegram from my
brother had requested me to--I was
free to put the diamonds in my stock
| ing and step out into--the Great I'm
known! Only-I wasn't such a fool
as to do it! ] could and did, how
ever, give George my letters to mail.
One thing was now clear to meas
| long as stayed in the fiat / was COM
paratively safe--I must make my main
play that Billy had got my letter or
that somebody would carl. Though of
course George would say I was out
he was paid for that by monsieur.
In this manner Of living-afrsid to
go out and being unable to communi-
cate even with the grocer-two days
wore away; to be exact, from Tues
day night to Friday morning. And
they were enliyened by some interest
ing experiences. On the second night
was awakened by the sound OF
latchkey working at my front door, !
tiptoed into the hall and listened.
can't say was frightened. The chain
bolt was on and the only gay it could
be got Off was by first shutting the
door tight--yhich meant 1t could not
be worked back with a wire. had
seen to that when the locksmith put
1t in.
Nothing came of this attempt to al