It happened that the letter was never mailed. Paxton had inclosed it in an envelope, and was about to address it, when some important business matter claimed his attention. The missive was thrust into a pigeonhole of the managing editor’s desk, and it was not until several days later that Paxton came across it, and reproached himself for his carelessness.
He was just putting a stamp on it, with the intention of sending it out to the mail chute, when an office boy entered the private office, and handed him a telegram:
“Paxton, Managing Editor, New York Sentinel.
“Frank Hawley, Sentinel staff photographer, arrested here to-day. He is in a bad fix, and will surely go to jail for six months unless you can save him. Send help at once.
Oldham Daily Bulletin.”
Paxton was a man of quick action. Without wasting any time trying to read between the lines of this laconic message, he grabbed the receiver from the telephone on his desk, and gave an order to the switchboard operator.
“Get the Oldham Bulletin on the long-distance wire immediately,” he commanded, “and let me talk to the managing editor.”
Fred Carroll had been arrested and taken to police headquarters before this telephonic connection was made, but one of the Bulletin’s staff spoke to Paxton over the wire, and gave him the details of the Camera Chap’s predicament.
Then the managing editor of the Sentinel did some more telephoning.
“Call up Powers & Hands’ law office, and ask Mr. Hands to be kind enough to step over here and see me as soon as possible,” he said to the switchboard operator. “Tell him to be prepared to take a little trip out of town right away.”