“Did they lock youse up there?” asked the boy.

“Yes; how did you know?”

“I was on the stairs and seed ’em.”

A thought occurred to Ida. She asked:

“Will you do something for me?”

“If I kin.”

Ida took out her pocketbook, and, handing a bill to the lad, said:

“Here’s a dollar. I want you to take a telegram for me. It will cost a quarter. The rest of the money shall be yours. Will you take the paper to the telegraph office?”

“Sure. Where’s de paper?”

“I’ll write it.”