Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-08-26

| OF rooms. They would be so located
that there would be little difficulty for
them to devise mysterious sounds for
terrifying the people in the apart
ments below. Il recalled that In ev-
cry case the voices and the footsteps
seemed to come from somewhere up
near the ceiling. OF course 1t seemed
preposterous that a criminal band
would find lodging in a luxurious
apartment house like this, yet, why
not? Tenants in these buildings knew
| little about each other and cared less.
There was no exchange of neighborly
visits. Once having gained access to
such a building by forged references,
so long as they paid their rent prompt
ly, no one in the building would both
err his head about the character of any
of the other tenents.
This last theory seemed the most
plausible. Besides 1t was the easiest
to work on. 1t ought not to be diff
cult to ascertain who lived in the two
apartments above. Undoubtedly my
| best source of information would be
Nellie Kelly, the telephone operator.
Perhaps, too, she might be able to in
form me of my great-uncle's where
abouts. More than likely he had left
a forwarding address for his mail with
her.
With letter I had written to my
mother, l descended to the main floor
and began q conversation with Miss
Kelly by asking where was the near
est place that 1 could buy stamps. AS
we chatted / began complaining how
lonely it was in the apartment and
wound up by inviting her to dine with
me that evening.
l had anticipated a ready acceptance
of my invitation and was amazed to
find it firmly refused. In a much con-
fused manner she advanced a dozen
reasons, or rather pretexts. She did
not 60 out with the people of the
house. Her mother would not like it.
She did not know me well enough
Mr.. Wick would discharge her if he
heard about it.
none the less unwelcome, | found an
ally. Mr.. Wick himself bobbed up
from somewhere, apparently having
overheard enough Of our conversation
to know what it was abut.
"Why, Of course, Mr.. Nelson" he
began in an ingratiating manner that
was most repellent to me, Miss
Kelly'll be glad to go 20 dinner with
you. It's part of her business to make
things pleasant for the tenants"
It seemed to me that the girls eyes
flashed defiance at him and that she
was still inclined to refuse, and l was
about to explain resentfully that my
invitation was not issued on bust
ness basis, when into Wick's face
came an ugly look, something almost
threatening.
"Of course Miss Kelly will be glad
to go with you" he repeated sharply.
Certainly" said the girl quickly,
before l had a chance to speak, IF
Mr.. Wick thinks 1t is all right, l will
be glad to CO."
Her acceptance did not ring true.
I was convinced that it was unwilling
Nv given under some sort of COM
pulsion from the odiOus Wick.
l met her, at her suggestion, In the
parlor of one Of the less pretentious
hotels In the hour that had elapsed
since she left the apartment, she had
exchanged her neat black working
suit for more modish clothes. After
one quick glance at her transformed
appearance my mind was quickly
made up as to what sort of restau-
rant to take her. 1t was manifest that
she was of the type that would enjoy
to the utmost the costly whirl Of the
fashionable cafe of the msment. 1t
was my purpose to give her such a
delightful evening that she would be
wishing to spend others in the same
way, for l felt certain that she, per-
haps better than anyone else, could
supply me the information l wanted
about the tenants in the building.
was sure it would be well worth my
while to win her good graces, cost
what it may. Calling taxi, l babe
the chauffeur take US to the white
ROOM" the very latest fashion in res
taurants, where hordes of hectic pur-
suers of pleasure were wont to assem-
BILE to dine and dance. l observed the
CLEAN of satisfaction that came into
her eyes as she heard me mention our
destination.
At first we talked, in Broadway
fashion, of the theaters and restau-
rants, Of the place we were in, of the
people at the tables about us, but
gradually I led the conversation to
Miss Kelly herself and to her work
in the apartment.
at was funny, wasn't It," l sara,
"about Mr. Wick insisting on your
coming with me? had a notion he
didn't like me-"
Hitherto my companion had been
most vlvaclous, chatting merrily, flash
ing back at my sallies with clever bits
of that slangy repartee of which most
of the metropolitan business girls are
such clever mlstresses. At my last re-
mark a quick change came over her