IPje SmitljficlD Memlk rues oxc dollar pfr teak. "TRUE 10 OURSELV ES, OUB COUNTRY AND OUR GOD." single oofih five 01*t* VOL. 20. SMITHFIELD. N. C.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 27. 1007. NO. 42 Prhe Girl j Across | the Aisle, f By E. H. HOUGH. [Copyright. 1907, by E. H. Hough.] ? RETURNING to my car as the train started, I noticed that I ?had neighbors across the aisle, apparently a well dressed, gray haired and bearded man, his wife and their daughter, the latter so lovely that I stared at her until my persistency provoked a keen, fierce glance from her father, whereupon 1 withdrew my gaze, and be resumed his newspaper. Immediately the girl across the aisle glanced around, and I intercepted a flash from a pair of dark eyes instinct with what seemed like fear or en treaty. Hut not even the beauty of my fair vis-a-vis could successfully divert my mind from the painful theme upon which it was dwelling with a con sciousness of humiliating failure. The cashier and confidential man of a large business house had absconded with half a million dollars in cash and negotiable securities, and simultane ously the only daughter of the firm's senior member had eloped with a worthless suitor. My firm was not professionally in terested in this branch of the case. M e were to trace the absconding cash ier, described as twenty-seven years of age, tall, slender and dudish, heavy ? t>iaciv rausiacne, smootn suaven cneeks, ?while certain memoranda evidently for gotten and discovered in a secret com partment of his desk seemed to render the task of overtaking him a matter of little time and ordinary skill. My assignment on the case was a high compliment, and I had been san guine of success. But most of the clews I followed ended in a "pocket;" my carefully formulated theories and hypotheses proved fruitless, and while debating as to what I should do next I received a peremptory telegram di recting my immediate return to head quarters. While ruminating thus I fell to drumming with my fingers on the arm ?of the seat. Instantly the girl across the aisle looked up, darting a keen, in quiring glance at me. Her lips moved as though repeating some formula, and as I kept on drumming her excitement visibly increased. Just then her fa ther, looking up from his paper, frown ed at her and, glancing over at me, tapped his forehead, waving his other hand toward the girl. For awhile 1 kept up my drumming, and while the girl did not appear to notice me I could see that she was listening intently; her lips moved, and lier expression varied from one of hope to the deepest depression. For the want of better occupation I continued the experiment awhile, finally ceasing altogether, whereupon she sank back against the seat, pale and inert. By and by the cars stopped again, and my attention was attracted to a boy on the platform jerking a rosined string through a drum shaped piece of cardboard?a sample of the basketful he carried and which lie was demon strating with a zeal and volume of discordant sounds that rivaled pande monium. Instantly ttye girl across the aisle?that was the side nearest the station platform?became violently ex /'itPll Tho IiIaaiI rilwliiul trt hnn nlianlrc and tears to her eyes. Touching her father's arm, she exclaimed eagerly: "Papa, papa, buy me one of those pretty, noisy playthings!" I fancied I detected a sinister gleam In the man's eye, but he answered roughly: "No; that thing is only for boys and children!" "Oh, please, please, papa!" she per sisted, clasping her hands. "I must have it! I want to see if it will sing for nie. Quick, quick, before he is gone!" As she would not be pacified and some of the passengers were looking at her, her father smiled grimly and thrust one hand into his pocket. "Anything to please a fool!" he mut tered. Opening the window, he bade the boy outside toss up one of his In fernal machines, snatched it from him, threw out a quarter and shut the win dow. "There!" lie tossed It in the girl's lap. "See how long that will amuse you." As he resumed his pa|>er I watched the girl across the aisle with a new interest, coupled with growing mystitl cation. She turned the toy over and over, held it to her check nnd Hps, her face Instinct with passionate yearning, then slowly nnd timidly drew the string back and forth, producing n succession of short, Jerky, rasping sounds, which she gradually tempered and softened. I ; >uaiij. tiring i>r Watching tier, x re j ruined my p.. time of drumming with i my fingers. In ,ant!y she stopped, re J girded me eagerly, then, sadly shak ing her head, dropped her crude play j thing In her lap. What was the girl trying t<(y lo? A look into her set. tense face scouted the idea of anything so tri.hu as a flirta tion. When I stopped drumming she resumed her iieri'onnauce; " hen I drummed she v. as <. .let. lisle .ing in | tently, but with evident disappoint ment. Giving up the riddle at last, I leaned hack, with folded arms. Imme diately, with a most inexplicable look toward her father and toward me, the girl across lite aisle resumed, with an nir of desperate determination, the same unvarying iteration of sounds and pauses until the performance be came almost intolerable. Indeed, it was getting upon my nerves, and I was contemplating nil appeal to her father when I stumbled into the light. Her maneuver was making Its way not up on my nerves alone, but upon an inner consciousness, slowly responding to the magic code. I began to follow and analyze that rhythmical succession of sounds and pauses until I was able to recognize, distinguish and translate them. The girl across the aisle was communicating through Iter crude play thing telegraph messages to me! Noting my expression, she stopped, then flashed a significant glance to ward her father. Obeying iter un spoken injunction, I busied myself with a book, but in a moment she was at work again, and her message read: "I am trying to speak to you. Do you understand?" My response was to cast a bewilder ed glance at her. Instantly she turned her face from me toward the window, but I was on the alert for the next message. "Drum with your fingers on the arm of your seat as you (lid before. 1 can read that. Don't look at me." Here was the last link in the riddle. I rapped: "I understand you. IIow can I help you?" She appeared not to notice me, sit ting with her band* relaxed, apparent ly lost in reverie. But another mes sage soon followed. "This man who pretends 1 am crazy is not my father nor an old man?only twenty-seven. Itead again." I rapped "Yes," keeping my eyes on my book. Then her improvised tele graph spoke again. "lie robbed my father, abducted me and will force me to marry him as soon as he is safe from capture. He threatens to kill me if I try to es cape or betray him. His name is Jere my Saunders. Have you understood?" Had I? If ever I needed nerve It was then. On my return home, de feated, baffled, I found myself by a freak of fortune hot on the trail. Across the aisle, so near that 1 could touch him, yet so secure in his disguise that he could mock me to my face, sat my quarry, while to this girl, his prisoner, had come the heaven sent Inspiration we both needed. Steadying my fingers by an effort, I rapped: "Yes. Your name next. Will aid yop with my life." "I am Almo Osgood," she responded. "The woman is Saunders' sister. We alight at Rochester, and unless help comes quickly I am lost." I consulted my time table. We would reach Rochester In an hour. "Do you fear arrest and temporary detention?" I rapped. "I fear nothing that will free me from this man," was the prompt re spouse. "Very good," I replied. "If in mortal power 1 will free you. Say no more. It is risking too much." As I rapped the last words Saunders flung down his paper. "Be done with that infernal din!" he exclaimed, "it is past all endurance!" "Yes!" said the girl wearily. "The tune won't come, and I'm sleepy!" She lay back, with closed eyes. "About time!" I ejaculated. "Will you have a cigar with me in the smok er? I'm feeling a bit dotty myself." "Thanks, no. I dare not leave the girl. This is the first outing for three weeks, and I swear it will be the last." "I don't blame you. Well, I'll have a smoke and dispose of this thing." I took the. toy gently from her lap. "So long." Passing through the train to the telegraph operator's car, I sent a code message to the Rochester authorities: "Arrest man, woman and girl alight ing from car Cumberland, train 47. Will signal. Send man who knows me. Farnham." When I returned to my section Miss Osgood was still sleeping anil Saun ders reading, but I managed to engage him in conversation until we reached Rochester. Then he made a sign to his sister, who shook Miss Osgood none too gently. "You alight here?" 1 said. "So do I. We may sec more of each other." "I think not." he answered shortly. "I stop over but a few hours." As his sister was arousing her 1 charge I rapped one more message. | "Stumble when you reach the sta- , 1 tlon platform. Cough If you under stand me." A brief susj>ense, then Miss Osgood sat up. coughed sharply nud shot a look at me. The woman fairly jerked her to her feet, and we proceeded, Saunders first, 1 behind hint, and the others following. Glancing through the end window, I spied three men, scanning the cars. On the platform Miss Osgood stumbled, falling heavily against me. Instantly I caught Saun ders by the shoulder, exclaiming: "Here they are! Take all!" One officer seized Saunders, and as his sister tried to drag the girl away I caught her arm, jerked her around und In a moment she and Miss Osgood were prisoners. After the first gasp of astonishment and fury Saunders fought like a de mon. He plunged one hand in his pock | et and shot it out toward Miss Osgood, who was close beside him 'mt I struck j his elbow, sending the reject flying, j then, springing past him, secured it. It looked like a fountain pen, but proved to be n hollow tube with a sharp me tallic tip and filled with poison. One 1 prick of that tiny weakon on the girl's j flesh and she would have been dead past all help. Handcuffs were finally snapped on Saunders' wrists, and we were all marched off to n vehicle in waiting. Committing Miss Osgood to the care of the prison matron, who took her to her own comfortable home, we kept telegraph and long distance telephones I hot for awhile. 1 was the hero of the occasion, receiving euloglums from my chiefs and from Mr. Osgood, all of j whom requested me to await their ar rival. That evening I heard Miss Os good's story. "Saunders was my fnflier's ennflden tial man," she salil, "and a secret suit or for my hand. I disliked and dis trusted him. The day of the robbery he seized me on a bystreet, put me in a carriage and kept me somewhere, right in the city, for several days. I overheard him when he thought I slept telling that he had written father that I had eloped with a man I had long be fore dismissed. Finally we left Cincin nati, and he lias passed me off as his crazy daughter and declared that when safe from pursuit he would force me to marry him to prevent father from prosecuting him." "Tell no more if it pains you!" I urged as her lips quivered and her eyes filled with tears. "It relieves me," she replied. "You were the first friend I found, and by that time I was nearly in despair. Itut from the moment I looked into your face I felt that I could trust you. I had studied telegraphy as a pastime, so of course I recognized your tappings Immediately. How I thanked heaven for that knowledge!" "And 1 thank lieaveu that I took tip ! the study when a lad, Intending at that time to tit myself for an expert telegrapher," I nuswered fervently. "When 1 am thinking deeply 1 fall in stinctively into the habit of keeping tally, as it were, with my lingers. Hut why did you not try to open communi cation with me in the same way?" "I was afraid to risk it for fear Saunders would notice mo and sus pect what I was doing." "What would he have done in that case?" I asked. "Nothing that any one would be like ly to notice. lie would simply have pressed a tiny needle point into my arm, and I should have fallen back dead, while, as he took care to warn me beforehand, the only verdict would be heart disease. Hut when 1 caught sight of that boy with his wares I be lieved I could tind the way, while in ducing Saunders to believe that I was temporarily demented?as he evidently did?to catch and fix your attention un til you discovered what I was really aixmt." "Vou certainly kept me guessing a good while," I said, smiling. "But it took you so long to guess righti" she rejoined, with a sigh. "But, really, the greatest risk was when you began to reply," said Miss Osgood aft er a pause. "I feared that one of us might make some unlucky slip or ges ture that would betray us and ruin all." I stayed with Miss Osgood as late as her hostess would permit ere 1 bade her good night. When the various In terested parties arrived the following day I was iauded to the skies. Mr. Osgood declared 1 had made him my debtor for life. Morning brought the news that the prisoners had made a simultaneous and almost successful at tempt at suicide, but they were dis covered in time and subsequently tried, convicted and sent to long terms of Imprisonment. When I bade Miss Osgood farewell two days later as she left Rochester with her father her sweet eyes con firmed his cordial invitation that I should l>e his guest at the first oppor tunity, and my chief very kindly made that opportunity an early one. "What would her folks do if she went on tlie stage? "Probably stay away from the 1 show."?Cleveland Plain Dealer. I II Fun For I the 1 I Staff. ? By WILL 5. G1DLEY, [Copyright, 1307, by Will S. Gtdley.] ON that ila.v the Argus staff had had au unusually tryiug time of It. To begin with, the press dispatches had consisted chief ly of Kussian war news, which had been pouring iu steadily all day, filled with an unusual ami most discourag ing quantity of unpronounceable and uuspelluble names?that is, to any one except an expert in Russian and Asiat ic nomenclature. To an ordinary ed itor, proofreader or typesetter they were simply so many jugged mountain chains of consonants, with an occa sional vowel throw if In for good meas ure. To cap the climax one of the hand set columns got knocked into pi just as the paper was about ready for the press, which made a great improve ment iu the spelling of some of the names, but ruined tlio article In other respects, so that k was necessary to reset It, which was done, putting all hands on the work and rushing It through at race horse speed iu order not to delay the edition more than could be helped. iiiu iwun ? us?wen, Ilit; Aigus gui out about on time, but as managing editor of the paper Barney Blake had no reason to feel proud of that par ticular column of war news as It ap peared In print. Some of It was still pi, but it came out all right la the second edition, also In the third and fourth. Blake saw to that personally, 1 as he expected Colonel Starbuck, the proprietor of the Daily Argus, In some time during the afternoon, and, know ing him to be of an excitable tempera ment?the colonel often swore the Ar gus with its blunders would lie the death of him?he did not care partic ularly to have him see that dispatch ns originally printed. The colonel failed to show up at the usual hour, however, and Barney was \ ratlier glad than otherwise that he ] didn't. What he needed in fact, what the , entire Argus staff needed just then? ' was a little wholesome recreation In- j stead of an Interview with or a lecture from Colonel Starbuck?something to , take off the tension instead of screw- j ing it up tighter. It is no wonder, then, that when an ( unexpected opportunity for innocent fun presented Itself Barney joyfully ( and eagerly seized upon it and made the most of It. The opportunity In question came in , the shape of a caller?one of the oddest | looking fish that had drifted into the ( Argus office In many moons. One quick glance at the linen duster j which hung loosely about his robust j ( form and the last year's straw hat perched ou the back of his head, and j ] Barney had sized him up for a horny | handed agriculturist?probably one of [ the country subscribers coming in, as ( they frequently did, to look over thfe | Argus establishment and see the mo- j f dus operandi of getting out a daily ; newspaper. "Ilello, Uncle Horace! Looking for any one In particular?" saluted Blake j as the man with airy toga and out of date headgenr paused Inside the door way and glanced Inquiringly around the room. "How did you happen to light on to my cog-no-men liefore 1 even opened j my trapdoor?" queried the caller whim- j slcally. "I nlwaj-s heard the Argus had a mighty smart staff, and now I know it. Beckon you must l>e the?er?sas slety editor, eh?" "No; I'm only the managing editor," explained Barney. "The society editor is the chap lu the corner with the chrysanthemum hair and a rose In his j huttonhole. You will also recognize liim by the diamond ring that flashes on his 'write' hand as he dashes off his elo quent and Sparkling society bontuots and his fascinating descriptions of Mrs. Brown's coloninl ball, Mrs. O'liRCfer ty's French fete, Mrs. Bobinson's Ital ian inusicale or Mrs. John Q. Smith's Japanese lawn party. Oh, he's a gen ius?our society editor." "You don't say!" "Y'es. The paper simply couldn't ex ist without him." "That so? Queer Colonel Starbuck never told me anything about him," mused the caller. "Oh, you know the colonel, do you?" asked Blake. I "Y'es, we're what I might call slight ly acquainted. 1 had a little business transaction with him the other day." j cjuiu you n goiu t?n? u, 1 suppose," I nnd Barney winked humorously at the rest of the staff. "Don't know yet whether It will turn out to lie a i;oltl brick or uot. Reckon 1 shan't worry any If It does. I've In vested In gold bricks before, and the way 1 figure It It's nobody's business but my own If I do It again." "Oh. I see," said ltarney smoothly. "A trltle touchy on the gold brick ques tion, eh, Mr.?or? Ila.vseed, Is It?" "Not quite. Ilayden happens to be my name. Didn't make quite as slick a guess as you did on the Hornce. But go ahead and cull me Hayseed If you like. You can remember that name better than Ilayden probably, nnd I guess It fits me about as well as the other, anyhow. Don't It strike you that way?" "Oh, no, you're no hayseed! You're right from t'hieugo or New York city ?anybody could tell that front the cut of your Jib!" And Barney again pass ed the wink to the others, who all felt In duty Itound to roar at the managing editor's wit. "Nice, genial staff you've got. Chuck full of fun, ain't they? I hope they're not laughing at me. Hain't got a Tlease Kick Me' sign pinned to my back, have I?" "That's all right. Uncle Horace," purred Barney. "Don't go to getting excited. The lioys nre just spoiling for a little fun?been working under steam pressure today?but none of them would ever be guilty of?er?by George, they have, just the same! Rut it doesn't read 'Please Kick Me;' It says 'We're Prom the Farm.' And If I only knew the deep dyed villain who pinned It on you I'd discharge him this Instant?yes, sir, this very in stant?and I'd tell hint not to come around again until tomorrow inorn ing," lie added In n stage whisper as he stepped around behind 'the rural looking visitor and removed tho of fending sign, deftly replacing it by an other handed him by one of the crowd, reading, "Turnips For Sale!" "There; that looks lietter," observed Barney, at which everybody roared promptly once more. "Not quite so much levity, boys," said Barney reprovingly. "I am going to show our friend here through the Argus establishment, nnd I want to see how well you can behave while"? Biff! A big wad of paper came sailing across the office and caromed on tho far of the caller. "That was our baseball editor who :'.id that," explained Iinrney coolly. "Force of habit, I suppose. Ho prob ably imagined he was throwing a ball it first base. Don't let that happen again, lliggins." "All right, sir," glibly responded the roung man who had thrown tho pa per. "Mistake, anyhow. I was aim tig nt the wastebasket." "Well, seeing you've apologized, it Is til right," said Barney, with mock solemnity. "Now, Mr. Hayseed?I should say [fayden?you have nlrendy been intro luced to our baseball and society edi ors, and if you will east your optics aver the rest of the collection of gen iuses before you I will enlighten you is to their duties, so that when you go tack to the f irm you will understand :he secret of the Argus' success in gathering and disseminating the daily lews of the entire world, including the ?ity and county of Boomopolis. "The exceedingly tall, thin young nan with the short hair and promi nent ears is Mr. Perkins, our secret service reporter and war correspond ent. His build, as you will notice, fits lim admirably for the position. He is so thin he can crawl over a transom ivlthout the slightest difficulty." "V/111 onvt" "Fact, I assure you. And that Is ivhy n thin man has a marked advan age over a 200 pounder. It requires ess gas to carry him, and If he falls 'rom a balloon It doesn't muss him up >o much as It would a fat man, there by effecting a big saving In doctors' Mils for repairing broken ribs, etc." "I see. Quite an Idea, that." "Yes, and, besides, a thin man oc cupies less space and leaves more room n the basket of the balloon for the ivlreless message apparatus. You see, is fast as the war correspondent in a )alloon gets a message ready to send n to the paper he gr'nds It out on a ivlreless sending machine, something ike a phonograph, and It goes flying iff into space until It strikes the Aerial iVlreless Telegraph line, over which it ivhlszos through the air with almost Ightnlng speed until It reaches the Vrgus office. It would do you good to iec our office boy catching the mes lages In a wire basket as they come lying in at tiie window." "Well, well:" "Oh, I tell you there Is n pile to earn about the newspn]>er business vhcn a fellow once sets aboutlt. Now, rather lmn tine you've* learned a few hings in thai line today, Mr. Hayseed -I mean '.layden?that yon never mew liefore ' "I reckon I have picked up Just a ew stray hi its about the newspaper aislness," driwled the man In the bu rn duster, and then he suddenly if,."' im. Q1113 ,tho ouliU/uls? countryman of a moment tie fore wan transformed Into something quite dif ferent us he went on In erlsp, business like tones: "Exceedingly valuable ones, too, most of them. Now, seeing I havs been running a newspaper myself for the past fifteen years, I had a glimmer ing sort of an Idea when I drifted In here today tIAt possibly I knew some thing about the laislness, but I And I was mistaken. I'm only a jibbering Idiot in the newspaper business, front the Argus standpoint, and, having bought the paper, I've got to start In nt the Isittom and learn the trade all over again from Its highly accomplish ed and courteous staff. Hood Joke on Uie, Mr. Blake, Isn't It?" Barney?not to mention the rest of the Argus staff?looked as If It would lie n great relief to him at that mo ment If the earth were to open and twallow up the entire establishment. "W-why?er?who?who are you?" he stammered uneasily. "I? Oh, I'hi nobody much. I'm only Uncle Horace, the old hayseed that dropped in on you a few minutes ago to take lessons in journalism and the art of entertaining callers. But here comes Colonel Starbuck. l'erhaps I can get him to Introduce me. How are you, colonel? A trifle late In keeping your appointment, aren't you?" "Why, how d'ye do, major?" exclaim ed Colonel Starbuck cordially. "I am sorry I've kept you waiting, but It has given you u chance to learn something about the Argus establishment and the staff." "Yes, It has," Interposed the caller dryly. ??rretty bright looking crowd, major, aren't they? Boys, this Is Major Ilay deu, the former owner and editor of the Centerville Courier. lie has bought out my interests in the Argus, taking possession at once, and I trust the new relationship between you as employer and? "Hello! What has licen going on here? What is that sign you are carry ing around on your back, major? Ilere, let me remove it. 'Turnips For Sale,' eh? I surely hope that miserable at tempt at wit was not placed on your back by any one connected with this establishment." "I am afraid it was, colonel," was the calm reply. "You see, the boys mis took me for one of your rural subscrib ers, and they have been having some amusement at my expense. But I see they are pretty well worked up over it, so perhaps we had better finish our In terview in your private oflice and give our humorous friends a chance to think the matter over quietly by themselves." Half an hogr later when the new proprietor of the Argus emerged from the inner sanctum lie found a rather solemn looking crowd awaiting ills ap pearance, and Barney Blake's erst while smiling countenance was the most sepuh hrally solemn of them all as lie stopi>ed forward and gravely handed him a folded document. Opening it, Mr. Ilayden read as fol lows: Major Hay den: Dear Sir?We have had oar Innings, and It Is now your turn. As the future pro prietor of the Dally Argus you doubtless will not care to retain In your employ the staff of long eared, unmitigated donkeys now connected with the paper, and we herewith hand you our resignations, to take effect Immediately, together with our apologies for the unpardonable treatment received by you at our hands this after noon. This note was signed by Managing Editor Blake and the other members of tlie Argus staff, and below the sig natures was the following postscript: P. S?The boys were bound to share the blame equally with myself and hand in their resignations with mine, but as I am the head of the office and the others took their cue from me I feel that X alone should shoulder the responsibility for what occurred, and as an act of justice to my fellow employees I ask that my resignation alone be accepted and that no one else shall be made to suffer for my fault. The rest of the boys are a pretty good lot. They will serve you faithfully and redeem themselves In your eyes. I am sure. If you will give them a chtnce. Yours respectfully, BARNEY BLAKE. "Resignations declined with thanks! You ure all goiug to stick right to your Jobs until 1 tell you different," an nounced Major Hayden bluntly as he finished reading the nbove communica tion and, tearing it into strips, dropped it into the wastebasket. "You've had your lesson, boys, and I guess there isn't much danger of auy more such exhibitions as we have had here this afternoon. I'm willing to try you any how. "But I'm glad you added that post script, Mr. Blake." he concluded, reach ing over and giving Barney's hand a hearty shake. "It has a manly ring to It, and I reckon we'll get along to gether nil right." Won a Ride. Francois was going to market in his cart. "III!" called a neighbor. "Are you going into the town?" "Yes." "Could you take a blouse for me?" "Certainly, if you will let me know where to leave it." "Oh, that's all right!" said his friend, jumping into the cart. "I'm Inside It now."?Nos Lolslrs

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