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About The morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1899-1930 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 1907)
THE M6RNING ASTORIAN, ASTORIA; OREGON. SUNDAY, DECEMBER n, '1907. The Girl Across the Aisle. By E. H. HOUGH. Copyright, 1907. by K. H. Homh. 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 wire and their daughter, the latter eo lovely that I stared at her until my persistency provoked a keen, fierce glance from her father, whereupon I withdrew my ease, and he 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. But 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. We were to trace the absconding cash ier, described as twenty-seven years of age, tall, slender and dudlsh, heavy black mustache, smooth shaven cheeks, 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 a T tnnt in rtnimmlne 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 I 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 her 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 he was demon strating with a zeal and volume, of discordant sounds that rivaled pande monium. Instantly the girl across the aisle that was the side nearest the station platform became violently ex cited. The blood rushed to her cheeks and tears to her eyes. Touching ber 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 bpys and children!" "On, please, please, papa!" she per sisted, clasping ber hands. "I must have it! I want to see If it will sing for me. Quick, quick, before he Is gone!" As she would not be pacified and some of the passengers were looking at ber, her father smiled grimly and thrust one hand into his pocket ' "Anything to please a fool!" he mut tered. Opening the window, be 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!" Ee tossed it in the girl's lap. "See bow long that will amuse yon." As be resumed bis paper I watched the girl across the aisle with a new interest, coupled with growing mystification. ' She turned the toy over Ltid over, held It to ber cheek and lipsil er face jlnstlnct with passionate yearuing, then slowly and timidly drew the string back and forth, producing a succession of short, Jerky, rasping sounds, which she gradually tempered and softened. Finally, tiring of watching her, I re sumed my pastime of drumming with my fingers. Instantly she stopped, re garded me eagerly, then, sadly shak ing her head, dropped her crude play thing In her lap. What was the girl trying to do? A look Into her set, tense face scouted the idea of anything so trivial as a flirta tion. When I stopped drumming she resumed her performance; when I drummed she was quiet, listening in tently, but with evident disappoint ment Giving up the riddle at last, I leaned back, with folded arms. Imme diately, with a most Inexplicable look toward her father and toward me, the girl across the aisle resumed, with an air of desperate determination, the same unvarying Iteration of sounds and pauses until the performance bo came almost Intolerable. Indeed, It was getting upon my nerves, and I was contemplating an 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 begnu to follow and analyse that rhythmical succession of Bounds and pauses until I was able to recognise, distinguish and translate them. The girl across the aisle was communicating through her crude play thing telegraph messages to me! Noting my expression, sbo stopped, then flashed a significant glance to ward her father. Obeying her un spoken Injunction, I busied myself with a book, but in a moment she was at work again, and ber message read: "I am trying to speak to yon. Do you understand!" My response was to cast a bewilder ed glance at her. Instantly she turned her face from me toward the window, bat I was on the alert for the next message. "Drum with your fingers ou the arm of your Beat as you did before. I can read that Don't look at me." Here was the last link In the riddle. I rapped: "I understand you. How can I help jovlV She appeared not to notice me, sit ting with her hands relaxed, apparent ly lost In reverie. But another mes sage soon followed. "This man who pretends I am crazy Is not my father nor an old man only twenty-seven. Bead again." I rapped "Yes," keeping my eyes on my book. Then her Improvised tele graph spoke again. "He 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 IT 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 I could touch him, yet so secure In bis 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 yos. 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 sponse. "Tery good," I replied. "If In mortal power I 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!" be 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 and Saun ters reading, but I managed to engage him In conversation until we reached Rochester. Then be made a sign to bis sister, who shook Miss Osgood none too gently. "Yon alight here?" I said. "So do I. We may see more of each other." '1 think not" he answered shortly. "I stop over but a few hours." As his sister was arousing her charge I rapped one more message. "Stumble when you reach the sta tion platform. Cough If yon under stand me." A brief suspense, then Miss Osgood sat up, coughed sharply and shot a look at me. The woman fairly Jerked her to her feet and we proceeded, Saunders first, I behind Mm, 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 sill!" One officer seized Saunders, and as his sister tried to drag the girl away I caught her arm', Jerked her around and In a moment she and Miss Osgood were prisoners. After the first gasp of astonishment I and fury Saunders fought like a de mon. He plunged one band In bis pock et and shot It out toward Miss Osgood, who was close beside blm, but I struck his elbow, sending the object flying, then, springing past him, secured it It looked like a fountain pen, but proved to be a, hollow tube with a sharp me tallic tip and filled with poison. One prick of that tiny weakon on the glrl'i flesh and she would have been dead past all help. Handcuffs were finally snapped ou Saunders' wrists, and we I were all marched off to a 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 hot for awhile. I was the hero of the occasion, receiving eulogtums from my chiefs and from Mr. Osgood, all of SHOT IT OCT TOWAHD MBS OSOOOD. whom requested me to await their ar rival. That eveulng I heard Miss Os good's story. "Saunders was my father's confiden tial man." she said, "and a secret suit or for my hand. I disliked and dis trusted him. The day of the robbery he seized me ou a bystreet, put me In a carriage aud kept me somewhere, right In the city, for several days. I overheard him when he thought I slept telling that lie had written father that I had eloped with a man I had long bo fore dismissed. Finally wo left Cincin nati, and be bas passed mo off as his crazy daughter and declared that when safe from pursuit ho would force mo to marry him to preveut father from prosecuting him." "Tell no more if It pains you!" 1 urged as her Hps quivered and her eyes filled with tears. "It relieves me," she replied. "You were the first friend I found, and by that tlmo I was nearly in despair. But 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 1 thanked heaven for that knowledge!" "And I thank heaven that I took up the study when a lad, Intending at that time to fit myself for an expert telegrapher," I answered fervently. "When I am thinking deeply I fall in stinctively Into the habit of keeping tally, as It were, with my fingers. But 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 me and sus pect what I was doing." "What would be have done in that case?" I asked. "Nothing that any one would be like ly to notice. He 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. But when I caught sight of that boy with his wares I be lieved I could find the way, wblle In ducing Saunders to believe that I was temporarily demented as he evidently dld-to eaten and fix your attention un til you discovered what I was really about" "You certainly kept me guessing a good while," I said, smiling. "But It took you so long to guess right!" 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 rnln an." I stayed with Miss Osgood as late as her hostess would permit ere I bade her good night When the various In-, terested parties arrived the following day I was lauded to the skies. Mr. Osgood declared I 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 ber father ber sweet eyes con firmed his cordial invitation that ( should be bis guest at the first oppor tunity, and my chief very kindly made that opportunity an early one. Our Insurance WANTED the name and address of the man who asserts that a Standard Equitable Policy would be of no value to him. , That is the man who -needs to be seen by an enlightening EQUITABLE Agent Western tally do COMMERCIAL ST. ASTORIA, OREGON these ailments Is almost Instantly allay- ed by Chamberlain's Salve. Many savers cases have been cured by It ror tale by Frank Hart and leading druggists. For That Dull Feeling After Eating I have used Chamhwiain's Stomach and liver Tablets for some time, and can testify that they have done me more good than any tablets I have ever used. Mt trouble was a hear dull feeling after eating. David Freeman, Kempt, Nova Scotia. These tablets strengthen the stiomach and improve the digestion. The also regulate the liver and bowels. They are far superior to pills but cost no more. Get a free sample at Frame Hart, the Leading Druggist, and . tee wihat a splendid medicine it is. For Eczema, Tetter and Salt Rheum. The Intense itching characteristic of O SPICES, rf COFFEE.TEA, DAIflMO POWDER, rUOKKGEXTRACTS Ataluhfciiry, firvast flavor, CL0SSET6DEYE35 - PORTLAND OREGON. J The Secret of Beautiful Face Ilea in keeping the skin pro tecteduwellascleanscd. Just washing li not enoughthat only leave the delicate surface more exposed to the Irritation of dust and germs to merci less attacks of sun and weather. After wtshlnf, ap ply Robertlne and experience its delightful refreshment. You wuTadmire the line-leas softness it Imparts to bee, neck and arms. It sot only stimulates a radiant glow, but protects the skin from becora- l ing coarse. Prevents Dura tog, tan ana irecsucs. OjUtmrDnaUM Am Mil mtd-nr mm TIMB CARD Astoria & Columbia River, R. R. Co. Effective, Monday, September a, 1907 Psdfle Time, Mt so 1 1 to p&JM ilea 3 X 1.16 sat! t:m; 8 4ft l.4i S 40 I 66 Kg 35 kl IS SA p.m 7 7 7 R I I t.i s.ao ... 1 loi... i.np s ... 6 Uf... at... . ... as .. a.m. SOU 17 (SVIO K lauo .Ml 10 l .1S 10 IN i.rolio sol a.m. .m. a. sol 7 1 1.n 7. aw EI!! 10 ti II 40 1I.4M U0M tv. .ItlltTt.ANDt... Ar. WW II SI U 4W II 4(i 0. as. 1 4.VS 66,9 MI.JI Ail 71. t 76.7 WJ . 106.1 IIAMMOM Ar IT. HTKVKNH tv Lv IT. HTKVKNH Ar HAMMOND...... Ar WAKKKNTON . I.v K3 !mmmrzxi Lv Ooltl.Kt ,..rr K AI N I EHt. MAVOfK W.ATKJfNIK JUNCTION.. ' nut IX .11 -r ....M iH'.ni'.ll-'.MMWWIMtl vLI'TUN Ar ASTORIA! :i,v Lv AMIOHIA Af Ar. W AKKBKTON Lv IMS ts&y 116.7 IIM l)J GKARHART.., lltAHlDHt Ar. 1IUU.ADAY Lv F nv p.m. tTm t 16 10 00 10 Ms S 40 10 04 I 36 10 16 lift 7 7 ti I est Mt I Hi 47 ( 404 IS I IV I in 4 I7.i ii 11 4 4 t 4 10 0.0 10 06 t 91 1.16 I I 16 T I ! it a 7 IB 7.041 tj 6 0 1 46 7.66i i.ttl 1V T.6i 7.46 7.4 7.41 7 M f.sN la?i t.46 H.ITI 6 r 6 00 4.B6 ML I lots st 1 csuosl 1 00 10 n U SMO GS ti 10 IJ 10,10 u 11 10 6J I . 10.4J.I .41 10 SI, Ml ,m.(sjH. Nos. 20 and 28 run from Astoria to Clatsop Beach via Ft Btevsns. No. U runs from Portland to Astoria and Clatsop Beach direct. No. 24 runs Cross Portland to Astoria on!. No. 30 runs from Astoria to Clatsop Beach dirt. No. 21, 25 and 29 run via Ft. 8tevens, No. 23 runs from Clatsop Beach Is Astoria and Portland direct Additional train will be run from Astoria to Ft Stevens and return on Sundays, leaving Astoria lltSO a. bu, arrive Ft Steveas 12:24 p. m. Returning leaves Ft Steveas 2:00 p. m., arrives Astoria 2:49 p. av Trains marked run dailv; t Telenraph stations. CONNECTIONS At Portland, with all transoatUMatal lints. At Gobi, with Nortnero Pad do Railway Co, At Astoria with steamers for 8a Francises and Tillamook and Hwaco Railway k Navigation Cc's boat and railway. Through tickets sold to and from all points In the Bast and Europe. Fee further particulars apply to, R. JL JENKINS, Gen. Ft el Passngr. Agt, ASTORIA. OREGON. TRA5SP0RTATI0W. PASSENGERS. H FREIGHT. The Kn Line Steamer - Lurline Night BoatTor Portland and Way Landings. Leaves Astoria daily except Sunday at 1. ' : 7 p.m. " Leaves Portland Daily except Sunday at j a. m. Quick Service Excellent Meals Good Berths, Landing Astoria Flavel Wharf. ' Landing Portland Foot Taylor St 0. B. BLESSING, Agent Phone Main 37S1. .00 $58 itTOni New York via 6. R. a N. And connecting lines, the Oregon Short Line and Union Pacific, through Omaha or Kansas City and Ohloago. Commencing December 1st, 1907, AND COHTmunrG DAILY 30 DAYS. This rate will entitle passengers' to only. Berth In tourist sleeper from Chicago . . . tourist accommodations Portland $7.Q0 THROUGH TOURIST SLEEPERS Leave Portland .dally for Chicago without change via the Oregon Short Line, Union Paciflo and Chicago and Northwestern. Accom modations equal to the best. The Shortest and quickest route be tween Portland and the East. Through tickets to and from all points In Europe. ' 0. W. ROBERTS, Agent 0. R. ft N. Dock. jTHE TRENTON j - t essisBSSSssssSBSBiSBsssBsijsisssss ---! First-Class Liquors and Cigars Boa Commercial Street X Corner Commercial and 14th. . ASTORIA, OBEGOJf I HtMHHIMMHHH MHIIIMMtmemmt