The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-12

tors. We've been hoping that some
day you'd be able to tell US. Can't
you tell me now, Jimmie?'
| told her all there was to tell,
mumbling around among the words
the best l 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 I had been handling a live wire;
but there were no wires at all in the
lower hall, and nothing stronger than
an incandescent 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" l queried.
Hasn't he been uD!
She shook her head and turned her
face away, and she was looking
straight out of the window at the set
ting sun when she asked, "When was
the last time you saw Mr.. Norcross
Jimmie"
I chOked a little over a 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
l did, that night, going uptown WITT
J Mr.. Ripley. Then I asked her WI!
she wanted to know.
Because nobody has seen him since
a little later that same night" sh'
2 said, saying it very softly and with
out turning her head. And then: "Mr
4 Van Britt found a letter from MI
Norcross on his desk the next morning
It was just a little typewriter note
on a Hotel Billiard letter sheet, say
Ing that he had made up his mint
that the Pioneer Short Line WASH
worth fighting for, and that ne wa
resigning and taking the midnigh
| train for the East"
| I sat straight up in bed; l shoul
! have had to do it if both arms ha
| been burnt to a crisp clear to tn
I shoulders.
1 "Resigned?-gave up and ran away
4 I don't believe that for single mir
I ute, Maisie Ann" l burst out.
! She was shaking her head agall
I still without turning her face so tina
I l could see It.
i "I-I'm afraid it's all true, Jimmie
\ There were two kilograms that cam
! TO Mr.. Norcross the night he wel
| away: one from Mr.. Chadwick and tn
\ other from Mr.. Dunton. heard M
| Van Britt telling Cousin Sheila Whf
| the messages were. He'd seen II
comics of them that they keep in I'll
telegraph office"
u # was on my tongues end to sa
that Mr.. Norcross never had seen tEoS
I two kilograms, because | had them
| my pocket and was on my way to q
liver them when got shot; but | dldn
Instead, I said: "And you think tn
was why Mr.. Norcross threw up h
hands and ran away?"
y "No; don't think anything OF Il
10 sort, I know what 1t was, ana "
y know what it was,' and at that 81
so turned around and pushed me gent
N down among the pillows.
no "Wbat was IT." I whispered, mo
# than half afraid that l was going
hear a confirmation of my own breat
Of taking conviction. And l heard IT,
Of right.
Nd ut was what I was telling v
nh about, that same evening, you reme
ber-,iown in the hall when y
~ brought the flowers for Cousin Shel
os You told him what I told you, dld'
as your?
ID mo; I didn't have a chance-r
any real chance"
49, "Then somebody else told him, il
~ mic; and that is the reason ne n
~. ~ resigned and gone away. Mr.. '
~ Britt thinks it was on account or
W. two messages from Mr.. Chadw1
~ and Mr. Dunton, and that Is why
" IN wants to talk to you about 1t. 1
ID YOU know, and l know, Jimmie, des
a. and for Cousin Sheila's sake and
,or Norcross', we must never lisp 1t &c
IN human soul. A new general mana'
no has been appointed, and he is on
' NV way out here from New York. Eve
IN thing has gone to pieces on the II
T. road, and all Of Mr.. Norcross' friel
~. are getting ready to resign. Isn't
perfectly heart-breakingr
al It was; it was so hea:t-break
nd. that just gasped once or twice
flo went off the hooks again, with MAJ
100 AIMS frightened little shrek ring
The in my ears as she tried to hold
back from slipping over the edge'
mo CHAPTER VI
Ind ~
Tho What Every Man knows-