The Ordway new era., 1920-03-19

thought of that and got really to
knock him or with broom ar throw
| pepper in his eyes if he tried that trick
on me. And at last felt / was safe
so long as stayed in. of course!
| All the time I'd been working. my
mind had pounded out duly the ques-
ton. what had ! better do nextT"
and the only answer seemed to he l
must get help from some one-1 had
passed the point where could play a
| lone hand in the game and save the
diamonds. had tried to telephone
several times without getting an an
swer. which Mt the moment didn't as
tonish me. 1t provoked me. though.
| that could not order something from
the grocer and the butcher for my din
ner. ! go out to dinner. but tonight,
even had | heen 50 minded, dnred
not leave the tlat.
! Outside the drizzle had settled to n
| steady downpour. II was dnrk and
gloomy and my feelings were the same
MS | opened some canned s,uf and got
as much nf meal aS could with what
was in The house. think il was the
sIimpiness of the lar,lcr Mt the time
! tiint showed me rs much as anything
else how important il 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 wny-how was to
get 1t?
Billy Rivers was. oe course. my
logical resource. He had seen the flat
the. night hefurc-he could start all
the protective machinery in the city
for me. With this resolution. went
to the telephone. 1t was 'dead"--1y
connection WAS severed! didn't need
| to he told that monsieur had cut r,y
wires,
The full magnitude of my calamity
hurst upon me am. sat down on the
nearest chair with flop. The bitter
| fact Of The whole stGation struck me
like II blow on the head-Fd let every
chance for protection or flight go by
me: the one remaining chance was II
letter entrusted TO Iny spy. Well. I'd
try that. anyway.
spent nm hour in composing mis-
sive to Billy thnt would tell him y
great dcnl and monsieur nothing-if 1t
| fell into his hands-and this is what
| came out of II:
Dear Billy: I'm ready to sell yc,I
that story promised. 1t is now near
| ly finished. hut shall need some help
from you in arranging the climax.
| Don't waste time telephoninE--the
telephone Is out Of crder--but attend
IT, II personally. This is an ambulance
culi"
II all hinged on the words "ambu-
Lance CALI and IL 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 If the let
ter fell into his haadsi That was my
rlsll-and there you are!
l made three copies. directed one
to Billy at his otlice-I inclosed one In
letter to Philadelphia to my brother
asking him TO mail 1t there--I dropped
the third, cnrelessly. into the manu-
script OF IL short story. sent to n maga
zine, hoping the editor would think II
an accident and kindly mail 1t for me-
Ii WIS half past ten and was tagged
ont My last chnnce had come. "Woult
George mail The letters?" | got quar-
ter out FOR hin-l was afraid to Civ,
him more and make him think the let
ters We're important nnd not the sort
of thing he mailed for me almost every
night.
l dragged one weary foot nficr tn,
o.ner along the hall hated TO let til,
letters out OF my hands now that
had them ready. swell, he's got TO t!t
itH' said firmly. and took hod OF tn,
door knob and the Yale latch.
turned and pulled; turned thu
other way round and pulled again.
was locked in from the outside and th'
key was in the lock ! was hard nn,
fast prisoner in my own Rat
The immediate effect on me Of th
, discovery is hard 10 describe. NJ!
head swan and the room went round
and everything was MI mixed ~, nm,
Kept rencH ing: Fire, II there's
, fire tonight III be burned like rat ii
trap"
| And with that | Went to bcd-thcr
was nothing else 10 do.
! was nearly as much astonishcd Il
the morning TO find the key gone frBr
, the lock rs had been TO lind II her,
Apparently | was free to take thn
eleven O'Clock train for Philadclphi
, | that the fake telegram from III