El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-13
By
FRANCIS LYNDE


i again with somewhat startling emnha.
sis. Though he found his desk closed
and was reasonably sure that he had
In his own possession the only key
that would unlock it, he found his pa
pers scattered in confusion under the
roll top and the letters and kilograms
which had come during his absence
opened. A touch Of the electric button
brought the /stenographer from the
anteroom.
who's been IN my desk, Collins ~
he demanded, pointing to the confusion
and scrutinizing the face Of the young
man for signs of guilt
Goodness gracious! I don't know"
was the instant reply, and Blount con-
cfuded that the secretary was either in
nocent or an astonishingly good actor.
ST have been putting the mail and tele-
grams through the letter slit. as you
directed, and I've kept the private Of.
fee locked
Nevertheless, said Blount, "it is
very evident that somebody has been
here" Then he had a sudden shock.
what did you do with that packet Of
papers 1 gave you last Monday and
told you to put in the safe?''
81 did just what you told me to-put
it in the cash box and put the key Of
the. cash box on your desk. Didn't
you get it:''
Blount Felt in his pockets and found
the key.
Get the packet and bring it to me-"
he directed, giving the stenographer
the key to the inner compartment of
the safe.
1t was not more than a minute later,
while he was attempting to bring or
der out of the confusion on his desk,
that a sudden prompting led him to
go quickly to the door Of the outer
Office. Swapping it open with a jerk,
he caught the clerk in the act Of I'M
tying the string which bound the thick
packet Of papers together.
What are you doing? Why don't
you bring it to me-" he called angrily.
There were still no signs of guilt in
Collins face
Il was just going to make sure that
1t was the same package" he said in
nocently. handing 1t over at once
With the packet in an inside pocket
Of his coat, Blount put on his hat, had
himself shot down the elevator and a
few minutes afterward was renting q
private box in the deposit vaults of a
bank in the next street. When he re-
turned to his Office another touch of
the electric button resummoned Col
Inns.
''Sit down." said Blount, indicating
a chair. Il have been reasonably kind
TO you, haven't 1, Fred?'
Eyes. sir; very kind indeed" was
the clerks admission
"Yet you have let some one bride
you TO be d:sloyal to me-" was the di-
rect charge who was it, Collins?'
Il don't know anything about it. Mr..
Blount If l was going to die the next
minute 1 couldn't say anything differ
ent."
You've got to say something differ
ent if you want to stay with me-" said
the master decisively. Did you know
what was in that package you put In
the safe?'
NO"
'Yet you said you were untying It
to see if it were the same package 1
gave you last Monday. You are lying
to me, Collins. You opened my desk
to hunt for the key of the cash box.
Sit tight in the beat. I'm not going to
ire you. l merely want to know who
hired you to do this
IF l did it / must have done 1t in
my Sleep" was all the reply the young
man would make, and after trying a
threat or two Blount dismissed him.
This was the first of a series of incl
tents all pointing toward the same
.Onclusion-that some one was evident
= determined TO let him have no pri-
-acy In his correspondence. Unless be |
to be present when the mail |
vas brought in it was pretty sure to
show signs plainly Indicating that it
lad been tempered with.
BlOunt could think Of only one ex-
)lanation, and he accepted it without |
question. The machine of which his |
ather was the dictator had no con- |
science
Some of its spies, doubtless working
Inder instructions given by his father,
we're keeping tab on him, and the pur-
,ose Of the espial was easily guessed. !
lis statement made to his father
cross the dinner table in the Inter
fountain cafe had not been an empty
'oast The packet safely put away in
he banks deposit vault contained aft !,
avits, sworn statements, evidences of
raud, and there were enough Of them
ully to substantive everything he had
aid
That evening there was a reception
iven by Mrs. Irving Gordon, wife of
be reform candidate for governor. and
'lOunt went, hoping that Patricia
you'd be there. She was there. and
he young man, in need of a confdant.
TASTED two good hours trying to get
rivate speech with her. When his
nance came it was only a half chance.