Now Joseph knew just as much about a telephone as he did about the phonograph or the dot-and-dash system of telegraphy.
He sprang from his chair, turned ghastly pale, and fancied it was an alarm of fire.
What should he do?
For fully a minute he stood gazing vacantly at the box and the bell.
Then it rang again.
Joseph jumped half-a-foot in the air.
Then he rushed into the general room, where he found Mr. Maybrick talking to a client.
"Please sir, can I disturb you for a moment?" he said.
"I'm very particularly engaged, Loyd," replied the broker.
"Excuse me, but——"