Lincoln High School - Lincolnian Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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THE LINCOLNIAN ZI Mary stood rooted to the spot. lt coulcln't be Donnelly, or he'd have an- swered! A flashlight blinded her, and she heard an amazed exclamation. Good Lord! A girl! It was Bob Jarvis! He lowered the flashlight an-d -spoke sharply. Who are you? What are you doing here? V h His tone suggested a new idfea-per- haps he thought she was a thief! It was too muchg Ann Mary began to cry. Bob was disconcerted. O-h, I say! Please donft! I-I hate to see -a girl cry: I won't hurt you. Really! Ann Mary forced back the tears. She was not 'frightened now, Bob would not let anyt-h-ing hurt her. 'Tm just Ann Mary Willettf' she exf plained. I -stayed after for chemis- try, and hurt my ankle, and falnted. I'm not after the money, truly. Bob started. V What do you know about the money? I heard you and Mr. Garth talking after assembly. I oouldn't help it. It's all right, isn't it? Yes, yes of course-what do you mean? The money. Oh! So far, yes. Since you know so much, you may as well know the rest. I didn't trust that new clerk, and I'm sure Donnelly isn't capable of being every-where at once, so I came down to keep watch on my own. As a proof that one night watchman isn't enough, here we are, with Donnelly not knowing that either of us is here. But what about your people? Ann Mary sighed. There's only grandfather, and he won't worryg he'lllscold. - Poor kid! Come to the ofiice and call him up. It i'sn't so bad over a. phone. She followed the circle of light on the lloor and waited until Bob nn- lock-ed the oiiice door. As he threw it open, there was a quick movement within and a' low command: Hands up! Stifling a scream, -Ann Mary shrank back into the hall as Bob reluctantly obeyed.. . Who is it? came the low voice. Bob Jarvis. Q I Anyone else? 1sNo-as Ann Mary took her cue and crouched behind the statue of Lafayette which stood in the entrance near the office. The owner of fthe voice came out, llashed a verifying light around t-he h-all, and turned back, calling to some- one inside. It's all right, Joe. He's just a kid, and alone. Better ,tie him up, though. Tie me up! exclaimed Bob. 'Look here! What are you up to, Carver? Carver! So it was the new clerk, after all, and Bob had been right in distrulsting ihim. Carver laughed, rather unpleasantly. Use your head, boy! What do you suppose Fm atiter? Going to Sunday school, of course! If Donnelly .should come, you'd- Listen tohim rave! Do you think Donnelly is roaming around, ready to upset everything at the last minute? If you do, -take another think! When work like this is afoot, night watch- men are much better off out behind the building, where they won't see what's going on. Come on, now, be- have yourself. I won't! If you try to tie me up, you'll have some job on your hands. Peering -cautiously around the statue, Ann Mary saw Bob make a. leap for the door. Carver, expecting such a. imove,gwas too quicfkffor him and, Joe coming to help, Bob was soon securely bound. Ann Mary was furious. How dared they treat Bob like that! Two against one wasn't fa-lr! Oh, if she were on-ly

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20 THE LIN Things do leak out, Mr. Garth, and one watchman isn't any over supply for a big school like Lafayette. Besides, 1've none too much faith in that new clerk in the office. I don't like the sit- nation. Mr, Garth glanced sharply at the un- usually sober face of the boy. . Look -here, Jarvis! he exclaimed. You're over-excited-. Mr. Hunter is on-t of town and can-'t be reached. He'll be back tomorrow, and the money will be banked. Donnelly can take care of it till theng so there's an end fto it! I suppose you're right: but I wish the old man -had kept his money till tomorrow or else given us a check. We do need that gymnasium, and you canlt pick a hun-dred and fifty thousand dollars off every bush. Don't worry. You'll get your gym- .nasium. Ann Mary didnlt hear Bob's answer as he entered -the office after Mr. Garth, but she had heard enough to set her rejoicing. A 'hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars! Then old Mr. Peters, an eccentric mi-llion-aire of the city, had kept his promise, and Lafayette High would have its long desired gymnasi- um. The gymnasium that Bob had wanted and worked for and talked for so long! Of course, Bob was worriedg but that was only his eagerness for the coveted building. It would be all right -she was sure of it! Just tfhen she slipped on a bit of orange peel that some careless 'student had dropped on fthe stairs. When .she picked herself up at the bottom, she was well shaken up and bruised and her ankle pained sharply. She would have liked to cry .in someone's arms: but waiting for Bob had made her late, and there was no one inthe hall. So she choked back the tears and limped up the stairs to her class, not .stop- piing 'to 'consider that perhaps her ankle needed attention. After school, she went into the chem- COLNIAN istry laboratory to Work out an experi- ment that had given her trouble in the morning. The inst-ructor was called away, but Ann Mary stayed, becoming so absorbed in the experiment that she did not notice the janitor until he knocked over a test tube with his broom. Although he apologized, he could not remedy matters, and .she had to start the experiment again. By the time she reach-ed a. satisfactory conclu- sion, it was growing dark, and she hastily put away her -materials and apparatus. As she turned to leave the -room, she twisted her -injured ankle. When An-n Mary cam-e to herself, she sat up in the d-ark and wondered where .she was and what had happened. Then she remembered-a hurt ankle, weari- niess, a. sudden twist, blackness, a fall, half-unconsciousness, and then over- powering -drowsiness. How long had she slept? She rose to her feet and carefully tried 'her ankle. It hurt, but she could use it. She felt her way to the switch and turned on the lights. Ten o'clock! She had not been afraid before, but now the lateness of the hour, the thought of what her grand- father wou-ld say wh-en she .reached home, and the awful stillness of the night swept over her, .and she caught her breath in a frightened sob. Don- nelly! She must find him-he would take care of her! She ran to the door, -then had to cling to the wall, dizzy with the pain- in her ankle. Slowly she crept through -the hall, dimly lighted- by the glow from the laboratory. Where could Donnelly be? As she turned into the main hall, leav- ing the friendly glow, .the utter black- ness and silence of the familiar place terrified her. A light flashed near the office. She' tried to call, and could not. A second attempt, and shef recoiled from her own voice a it echoed back. Mr. Donnelly! Mr. Donnelly! A long pause as 'she waited. Then guarded footsteps approached, and Ann

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22 TI-IE LINCOLNIAN a man! If Donnelly were only there! Perhaps--oh, perhaps he COULD be there, if she could only slip by with- out being no-ticed. She listened! So you're a thief, Carver? Well, I suspected something of the kind. Now that you're here, and Ilm here, what are you going to do? How are you go- ing to get the money? 'Tm going to give you just five min- utes zto tell me the combinfation of the safe. I could work it out, but I'd rather have you give it to me. And if I don't? This gat isn't empty, threatened Carver. Ann Mary held her breath, terrified. I-Ie couldn't mean it! This was La- fayette High in nineteen-tw-enty-one, not a bandlt's den in the midd-le ages. What would Bob do? He answered steadily: You wouldn't shoot-an-d I won't tell. There are four persons who know the combination of that safe. You are not one of them, and s-hall not be. You'll not tell? I will not. We'll see-in live minutes. Five minutes! How brave Bob was! Something must be done-she was the only one to do it-she must get Don- nelly-she must run-but they would 'hear her running-not if she were in -stocking feet. Quickly she took oft her shoes and crept from her hiding place. Free of the statue, she ran through the dark hall. thankful that she knew the building so wen. Her ankle hurt, but she paid -no attention to lit. Slhe must save Bob! Down to the lower floor she sped. and to the door at the back. It open-ed from the inside, and she stopped a moment to flx the catch that would hold lt open. Carver had probably taken Donnel1y's keys. But where was Donnelly? Somewhere back of the building! Could she find him in time? She called softly. A Mr. Donnelly! Mr, Donnelly! ' No answer. Hurrying farther along the walk, she called again. This time she -heard 'his voice. Who is it? Never mind. Vlfhere are you? By th-e drinkin' fountain. In an instant she was beside him, feeling for the knots in his bonds and explaining matters swiftly. Oh, we must. hurry! Have you a knife? She which ropes. Go quickly! He said only flve min- utes! Please -hurry! Not so fast, objected Donnelly. Where's that gun o' mine? Ah, here it is! I thought they -didn't throw it far. Can ye handle a revolver? I never have. Why donst you hurry? Because they'd hear me comin' an' be prepared. Now, a light little thing like you could creep upon 'em unbe- knownslt, an' hold 'em while I follow- it' ye could' hand-le the gun. ' Eagerly Ann Mary grasped the re- volver. Oh, I can, I know I can, if it's best! You'll follow quickly? I will that. Run ye, now. Ann Mary ran, even faster than she had coming out. As she neared the office she paused and listened. Un- speakable relief surged over her upon hearing Bobfs voice. She advanced more slowly. The light in the olilce had been switched on and she could see Carver reaching for the revolver which lay on a. near-by table, 'while Bob laughed dzerisively. You -don t dare, said Bob. Oh, don't I! The revolver was almost in his graspt Ann Mary stepped through the doorway, -surprised at her own stead- ines-s. Drop that and put up your hands! found one in -the pocket to 'he directed ther and cut the