The Argosy, January 1906 — page 123: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WHEN THE TELEPHONE FAILED. been placed in the sitting-room so as to be near father’s desk. How horrible it would be if I were to get frightened and be obliged to leave the safety of the lighted room to summon help! Ten minutes passed. Five more now and my father should be at home. The sharp ringing of the telephone bell made me start, so intently was I listening for the familiar footfall. “Hello! Is that you, Katherine? ” How pleasantly the wholesome, mascu- line voice sounded in the room. ‘The gloom and rain were forgotten. “Yes. I have not started home yet, however. No. Osborne has _ been here = The words tailed off into a meaning- less jumble, and then into a most pro- voking silence. “Yes, I am still here. What in -the world is wrong with the telephone, Katherine? ” “Oh!” as I -attempted to explain. “Well, that is all right. You can hear me now, of course? “All right then. I am leaving the office now, Katherine, but I will have to see Jadwin before I come home. So [ will go around by his place. Is every- thing all right—house locked up and everything? Very well. You are not afraid, are you, Katherine?” “No,” I said faintly in a tone which I sincerely hope the recording angel failed to catch. As I hung up the receiver I heard a low knock at the hall door. “Who is that?” I called out~in a trembling, scared voice which I strove in vain to make steady. “It’s only me—Jim Carroll, you know—Miss Watson.” The voice was quite unknown to me, but that stood for very little. Most voices in Rosston were unknown to me. “Your pa told me to bring a box down to the house before 1 quit work. If you will open the door $3 My momentary hesitation was gone. It was hardly likely that burglars would come to the front door and call for ad- mittance in a loud voice. However, I thought of the money in my care, and was wise enough to flatten my nose against the window before the door was opened. SA 805 Two men were standing outside on the veranda. One of them held a lghted lantern, and the other was shaking rain- drops from his clothing like a good- natured dog. | Beyond them the flare of the lantern fell upon the outlines of a vehicle of some kind, and a horse rattled his har-— ness impatiently. The rain still fell. I opened the door. “What is in the box? ” I asked. “ And where did father say that it was to be placed?” : My mind was quite at ease now, al- though both of the men were unknown to me. * Books, I think,” said the man with the lantern; “and the box was to be left in the settin’-room.” They were drawing the box from the wagon now and the horse was rattling his harness more disgustedly than ever. Their burden was large and heavy, for the two men swayed a little under the weight of it. I drew back to allow them to precede me, but I did not take my eyes from them a single moment. They placed the box down carefully near the desk, and then the younger one—the man who had carried the lantern—leaned famil- larly upon the desk and looked at me in a way that I did not half like. | “Your pa ain’t come yet, I know,” he said coarsely. “ Are you sure you ain't afeard to stay here all by yourself —especially in tax-collecting time?” he added with a wink. “T am not alone,” I said coldly, al- though my heart beat slow with dread. “Jack is with me. Jack!” I ealled, and again I prayed devoutly that the recording angel might not hear me. “Jack?” said the man suspiciously. ¢ Jack?” “A gentleman from—Little Rock,” I explained a trifle hurriedly. “ My— cousin, you know. He is not very well, and he is inclined to be fractious when he is annoyed. He may be asleep, but the least sound 2 The younger man—the one who had — leaned upon the desk—had been drink ing. J detected the oaor of liquor on his breath. But the elder man had baeked out into the hall, and the other now followed him. com chook (ele) nt bite vied Loi ah Ay ei Anh fy) ‘ee Se. m ts fief yea!