New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-06-10

Il don't know anything about a door
but the night that they found you al
burnt and crippled, lying at the foot
of your office stairs, was three days
ago. You have been out of your head
nearly all the time ever since"
Burnt and crippled? What hap
pened to me, Maisie ANN"
Nobody knows; not ever the doc
tors. We've been hoping that some
day you'd be able to tell us. CAM
you tell me now, Jimmie?"
told her all there was to tell
mumbling around among the words
the best | could. Then she told me
how the headquarters Waterman had
found me about midnight; with my
right hand scOrched black and the
rest Of me apparently dead and ready
to be buried. The ambulance surgeon
had insisted, and was still insisting,
that had been handling a live wire
hut there were no wires at all In the
lower hall, and nothing stronger than
an i~ncandescent light current In the
entire office building.
And you say I've been here hang
ing on by my eyelashes for three days?
What has been going on In all that
time, Maisie Ann? Hasn't anybody
been here to see me?"
She gave a little nod. Everybody,
nearly. Mr.. Van Britt has been up
every day, and sometimes twice a day.
He has been awfully anxious for you
to come alive"
But Mr.. Norcross" | queried.
Hasn't he been up?"
She shook her head and turned her
face away, and she was looking
ting sun when she asked, "When was
the last time you saw Mr.. Norcross,
Jimmie?"
| choked a little over n big scare
that seemed to rush up out of the
bed-clothes to smother me. But |
made out TO answer her question, tell
ing her how Mr.. NorcroSs had left the
office maybe half an hour or so before
did, that night, going uptown with
Mr.. Ripley. Then | asked her why
she wanted to know.
Because nobody has seen him since
a little later that same night" she
said, saying it very softly and with
out turning her head. And then: "Mr.
Van Britt found n letter from Mr..
NorcrOss on his desk the next morning.
1t was just a little typewriter note,
on n Hotel Billiard letter sheet. say
ing that he had made up his mind
that the Pioneer Short Line wasn't
worth fighting for, and that he was
resigning and taking the midnight
train for the East"
| sat straight up in bed; | should
have mad to do II If both arms had
burnt to n crisp clear to the
shoulders.
"Resigned?-gave up and ran away?
| don't believe that for a single min
ute, Malsie Ann" | burst out.
She was shaking her head again,
still without turning her face SO that
| could see it.
'l-I'm afraid It's all true, Jimmie.
There were two kilograms that came
to Mr.. Norcross the night he went
away one from Mr.. Chadwick and the
other from Mr.. DuntOn. | heard Mr..
the messages were. He'd seer the
of them that they keep In the
telegraph Office"
1t was on my tongues end 10 say
hat Mr.. NOrcross never had seer those
kilograms. because | had them In
my pocket and was on my way TO de-
liver them when ! got shot; but | didn't.
| said: "And you think that
vas why Mr.. Norcross threw up his
lands and ran away"
NO; ! don't think anything of the
'ort. | know what it was. and you
know what il was" and at that she
urned around and pushed me gently
among the pillows.
what was IT," ! whispered, more
han half afraid that | was going to
a confirmation of my own breath
aking conviction. And | heard IL, all
light.
at was what I was telling you
bout. that same evening, you remem-
,er-iown in the hall when you
rought the flowers for Cousin Sheila.
told him what | told you, didn't
NO; / didn't have a chance-not
ny real chance"
Then somebody else told him. jim
lie; and that is the reason he has
and gone away. Mr.. Van
thinks 1t was on account of the
vo messages from Mr.. Chadwick
nd Mr.. Dunton, and hat is why he
ants to talk to you about 1t. But
on know, and ] know, Jimmie. dear;
nd for Cousin Sheila's sake and Mr..
'orcross', we must never lisp 1t to a
uman soul. A new general manager
as been appointed, and he Is on his
-ay out here from New York. Every
ling has gone TO pieces on the rail-
,ad, and all of Mr.. Norcross' friends
re getting ready to resign. Isn't 1t I
heart-breaklngg" |
Ii was; II was so h~eart-breaking
lat | just gasped once or twice and |
off the hooks again, with Malsie
ms frightened little shrek ringing
my ears as she tried to hold me
lex from slipping over the edge.
CHAPTER VI