Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

VOICES. side wire chief and get him to make a volt- meter test on the two lines in this house.” Boyden whistled, then nodded approv- ingly. ‘“T see what you mean,” he announced. ‘“‘ Gosh, mebbe that’s the answer!” “T doubt it, Seth, but we can’t afford to overlook it. The next thing for you to do is to arrange with the operators at Will- mer’s office to let you sit in at the switch- board. Listen in on all calls for Willmer’s personal extension. If any of them appear to involve our mysterious foes, endeavor to trace them. That ought to keep you busy all day. Ill be here at the house most of the time, but will keep in touch with you if can. Now, let’s get a few hours’ sleep, or we won’t be fit in the morning.” ‘“ Right,”’ agreed the little man, jumping from the bed and making for the door. “Oh, Seth!” shouted Fenwick. “ How about the telephone in this room? Is the cord up connecting it with one of the trunks?” “Took keer o’ that a little while ago,” announced Boyden proudly. “ You’re up on one trunk and the station in my room is plugged for the other one. If any one calls this house in the next few hours, no one’s going to know it but Charlie Fenwick an’ yours truly!” On the heels of this announcement came the faintest imaginable tinkle of the tele- phone bell. Both men stood silent and mo- tionless, as if awaiting a further and decided signal, but none came. ‘What was that?’ whispered Boyden. “ That was the condenser discharging,” advised Charlie. ‘Some one has pulled out the plug, and we are no longer con- nected with central!” He hurried to the telephone stand and lifted the receiver to verify~the fact. A short examination assured him that his diagnosis was correct. “Try the extension in your room, Seth,” he directed; and Seth darted out of the room. In a moment he returned. “Not connected,” he reported; “ and just as I came out of my room some one slipped into a room down the corridor. I didn’t see who it was—just saw the door close.”’ 519 “Which room?” queried Fenwick. “The third from this one. I don’t know whose room it is, but whoever left it must have gone down to the switchboard to make @ call.” “I doubt it,” observed Charlie. He re- turned to the telephone and again lifted the receiver and listened. “You’re wrong, Seth,’’ he announced as he replaced the receiver. “ Any one en- deavoring to make a telephone call would have had to remove the plug from either your extension or mine, Upon completion of the call our extension would undoubtedly have been reconnected with the trunk. The person who went downstairs did so with the express purpose of shutting us off from communication with the outside.” | ‘““T guess you’re right, Charlie. Who- ever ‘twas must have been readin’ the sev- enteenth chapter o’ Leviticus.” Somewhat amused, Fenwick waited. So did Seth, until he could wait no longer. vs Well, ain’t ye gonna ask me what Le- viticus says?” he demanded impatiently. “What does it say, Seth?” “Tt says: ‘I will cut him off.’ How’s that? Purty good one that time, eh?” “Pretty good, Seth. Now run along downstairs and connect our stations with central once more. Then go to bed. We need sleep.” “J need more sleep than you do,” ad- vised Boyden. ‘““ How is that?” inquired Charlie. “Oh, I do ’most everything slower than you do, an’ I reckon I sleep slower than you, too. G’ night, Charlie!” “ Good night, Seth,” chuckled Fenwick, and he snapped off the lights, jumped into bed, and immediately fell asleep. Three hours later he was awakened by a knock at his door. Without a word he slipped from the bed, released the catch and threw the door wide open. Boyden, fully clothed and fresh and cheerful, greet- ed him with a smile. “It’s seven thirty, Charlie,” he an- nounced. “ Thought you'd like to get an early start to-day.” “All right, Seth,” he yawned, vexed at the commonplace summons that . had aroused him. ‘ Ill be down shortly.” Gomichbooks;com