The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-11-30

EzEzzn
! ner' Brokenly she toli him Of the
charge that had beea made ana Of bar.
inability to reiute it.
Il have used my mirror a Io," sba
confessed. Any girl in an Office ,yonII
want to look neat. But You know
aarry, that wou.d not do such n
thing ''" Il
1 Know" he admitted. But there
must be something to it or Mr. Nixon
Woull not have been Convinced There
Is mystery here somewhere"
Now it's all spoiled" she sobbod
our marriage and my career-eyery,
thing"
Not if know it." he said sayaraIv
Don't you worry. "Tn find sometime
| out" INNS
y little later he slipped from the Of
nee, lie had been gone several minutes
when the telephone bell rang. Nixon
! mad come out into the Office TO see the
oookkeepcr, and he picked up the re-
ceiver.
It's Jackson talking" he said after
moment, lie wants YOU to turn of
that fan, Miss CoIdlngton."
Ruth reached up ana turned off the
electric fan that was whirring over her
head and went on with her writing. \
moment later Jackson dashed into the
| office.
IF you will come with me-" he said
to his employer, I'll show you the real
explanation of those flashes. Please
come
He stopped 4 moment at Ruth's desk.
then led Nixon out into the hall. Like
Spaulding. he weat TO the empty Office
on the other side of the building. The
Photograph flashes were still sending
their mute signals, but in Il moment
they stopped. Presently they began
again, ana again ceased. This was re-
peated several times when Harry turn
ed to his companion.
You know that fan over Miss Cod
dington's desk: It's one of the sort
that swings back and forth to keen
the air moving. That flash is caused
by the back of the fan. There's
brass screw that catches the sun AMI
makes the flash when it comes into
the sunlight. The moment Miss Cod
dingt0n turns off The fan the signals
stop. That's the whole explanation of
the mystery"
But the leakage of the informa-
tion:' persisted the troubled Nixon,
THAT does not account for that
Il can show you what does" was
the ju5ilant answer. 4 worked in an
electrical place once and l got TIL
idea there. Your telephone wires, like
the rest. run around the building, be
cause this place was built before the
idea Of interior conduits for wires was
developed. They all run around the
building until they come to the lower
corner, ana then they join the cable
that runs down to the street conduit.
Ali the Jennings people had to do was
to tap your private wire to the eX
change and get the whole thing. They
got some outside man to do the tap
ping. Every message you send to the
street comes ia here"
Nixon leaned out and verified the
fact Then he turned to Harry.
4 think" he said, that by sending
false messages over the wire for 4
few days we can recoup our losses.
Then we will have IIonnngs arrested.
It's a criminal ofenae, | believe"
He turned and led the way back to
his own Office. Ruth looked up anX-
iously as they entered.
My dear Miss CoddingtOn," he said.
with old fashioned courtesy. Il have to
beg your pardon for even suspecting
you" He cldsped her hand warmly
and turned to the bookkeeper.
"AIiss Coddington and Mr.. Jackson
are going to take next week and the
week after for their honeymoon trip,
he said. please make them out a
check for thousand as a wedding
present from the firm. No, don't than
me-" he went on as Ruth sprang for
ward. send me piece of the wed
ding cake; that's all"