The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-09-22
Now Is the Time
BY JOHN BROBERG
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Features.

VIRGINIA sat at her desl, Just
outside the boss's office and
filed her nails furiously to keep
from biting them. In a few minutes
that strange anonymous voice
would call her on the telephone.
The man had called every day for
TWO months, ever since her first day
on the job. He always wanted the
exact time-to the second. That was
all
Who was he? Virginia didn't have
the ghost of an idea, and her
curiosity was rapidly becoming
tlnged with fear. She was as jumpy
as a cat. It was the timing that
was responsible. The call came at
the same time each day, lust at
4:35-ilve minutes before the five
O'Clock whistle.
Virginia had once read a mys-
terry story about a man who was
driven stark mad by water falling
on his head dcCE by drop. Perhaps
the unknown was trying to drive
her crazy, even if it took a couple
OF years. At this rate, she thought
bitterly, it wouldn't take that long.
And suddenly she made up her mind
to lind out who was at the other end
OF the line, no matter what the con-
sequences.
Mr.. Harsh had warned her re-
peatedly not to ask questions. only
to answer them. He was president
OF the plant and hated gossips. But,
Virginia argued, what if the
strange caller was a saboteur? The
thought frightened her. She had
been over all this before. Once she
even dreamed it had happened. All
the buildings, with their precious
war output, their peacetime produc-
ton plans, were flying in the air
through pink glares of fire and lurid
puffs of smoke. She, her desk and
her typewriter were tumbling in the
sky in a clutter of lunch buckets,
workers and machines. And Mr.
Harsh was there, too, sitting on his
desk shaking his fist angrily at her.
1t was all her fault. She had re-
turned to earth with a Jolt,
cNSrAG4lCQ III q IlIlIIGl.
Suddenly she knew what to do
She would tell Mr.. Harsh and let
him worry about it. Then, if some
day the plant was blown up at 4:55,
she wouldn't be to blame.
She put her nail file in her desk
drawer, showed back her chair and
marched resolutely up to the door
marked PRESIDENT. For a mo-
ment she hesitated, then knocked
loudly. A voice doomed, "Yes?"
And she walked in.
Mr.. Harsh glowered at her.
eyes, Miss Black?" he said impa-
tiently.
Virginia bolstered her courage
with a deep breath. The story came
out in a rush At first Mr.. Harsh
seemed bored, then he sat up
straight. We'll" he said, chewing
his cigar, that's very interesting.
Same time each day, huh? Tell
you what. When he rings up today,
if he does, let me speak to him.
Transfer the call to me-"
Virginia was greatly relieved. She
felt very patriotic when she sat
down at her desk and looked at the
clock. 1t was 4:50-fve minutes to
go. The hands had never moved so
slowly. She had work to do, but she
just couldn't put her mind on it. She
watched the clock-and waited.
The hands crept on slowly, in
eXorably. And just as the minute
hand touched 4:55 the bell rang
shrilly. Never before had it sound
ed so loud. Virginia's hand trembled
as she lifted the receiver.
''Mr. Harshs Office" she said,
her voice sounding to her ears like
the screech of a terrified bird. At
the other end the deep masculine
voice with an alien accent asked the
same question it had asked for
two months. ''Say-What time is it
by your clock?"
Quickly, without answering, she
pressed button-kept the receiver
at her ear.
She heard the click in Mr.. Harsh's
office, and then his voice. Hello"
he said calmly.
The man repeated, "Say-what
time is it by your clock?"
'Who the devil is this?" Mr..
Harsh roared.
This is the power plant. ] call
every day at this time to check with
your clock so that 1 can blow the
whistle at the right time My watch
amt too accurate"
Mr.. Harsh groaned Virginia
went limp. Then her boss began to
laugh. She could hear him through
the partition as she put the HAND
set back on it's cradle. Then the
door marked PRESIDENT opened
and Mr. Harsh appeared, his face
red as the sun. Virginia." he in
CURED politely, trying hard to keep
his face straight, rs our clock right
today?"
Virginia went crimson to the
roots of her hair. She had never felt
quite so foolish in all her life. 81
think so, Mr. Harsh" she STAN
mered. "You see I've always
checked it by the five O'Clock
whistle"