The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-02-21
TherGreat
Mr. Ord
He Turns Amateur Detective
Rx cLARISSA MAcKIH
By cLARssA MAcKIH
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1a11


Henry Ord lighted another cigar and
waited impatiently for the reappear-
ance of his chief clerk. livery three
minutes he consulted his watch and
compared it with the electric time
piece on the wall between the win
dows. He had an important engage
ment at II o'clock. and it was now
1880. Smitters was getting more
stupid every day.
He brought his feet down from the
desk with a thump az the secretary
returned with worried expression on
his long, pale face. Mr. Ord reached
for his hat and held out his hand.
'Give me the securities, Smithers, y
he said
Il can't find them. Mr.. Ord" said
the clerk difiidently. 81 thought per-
haps you might have them in here"
~Here!' snorted Mr.. Ord impatient
ly. ''If l had them in here why did
send you to the vaults after themf"
Il have looked everywhere, sir.
They are not in the vaults nor any
other place in the Office. l will Ques-
tom
*No need to question anybody" cut
In Mr.. Ord, sinking back in his chair
and tossing his hat into the ticker
basket. Il gave you those securities
day before yesterday, with instruc-
tons to lock them In my private box
In the vaults. You returned the key
to me 7then, and have just handed II
to you now. l haven't had occasion
to go to the box since Thursday. Now,
where are those securities?'
Il don't know, SIR returned Smith
ers respectfully.
"Give me the key to the box. Now
come with me and show me where
you placed them"
Drawers snapped open, papers rus.
tied, and Mr. Ord's boot heels raped
out on the metal flooring as he went
from shelf to shelf, from box to draw
er and from drawer to cupboard.
Once more he opened his own pri.
vate box and ran over the papers con
tanned therein.
Where the dickens are theyr' he
demanded savagely when his last ef-
forts proved In vain.
81 really don't know, sir" replied
Smithers. "As said before, thought
it possible that you might have taken
them out and it slipped your mind
that you had done so"
.Huhi Perhaps you took them Out
yourself and it slipped your mind, chi
Ever forget anything, Smithers?"
"Not very often, sir"
Smithers faithfully followed his EN-
ployer back to the private Office and
folded his long thin arms behind his
back preparatory to listening to the
lecture that he knew Mr.. Ord had In
store And this tiIne-welI, those L
d. bonds were worth $4,000 today
and 1t was known that tomorrow they
might not be worth the paper they
were written on because-but that has
nothing to do with this story.
please call up Hughes & Carraway
and tell Mr.. Hughes shall be unable
to keep that engagement with him.
win talk with him later on the phone
Now, Smithers, this is the third time
this has securities have dis
| appeared in this same way during sew
eral days until the market interest II
them has abated. It's an old gag and
won't work again. Now, who do YOU
think is at the bottom Of thisY
Smithers fidgeted nervously and
looked out Of the window at the sblanl
wall Of another building REALLY, Mr.
Ord, haven't formed an opinion, . ht
said, rather mincingly.
Haven't. Ell? Well, l have" thun
dered his employer, fixing the CHIEF
clerk with hard stare
Smithers jumped nervously. 'Tn.
deed, STRIP he said.
Eyes, indeed, Mr. Smithers. I'm go
ing to ferret this mystery out before
2 o'clock. See! This Office Is the
worst managed affair in the city Of
Ne5s- York, and you are the most In
efficient chief clerk ever employed
Got that?"
Eyes, SIR"
"See that row Of books on the shelf7'
| Mr.. Ord pointed his ruler at narrow
shelf laden with cloth bound copies Of
Conan Doyle's books.
| Smithers bowed respectfully.
Detective stories. every one Of 'em
I've read 'em ALL" said Mr.. Ord.
shall solve the mystery of the dis
appearance Of those securities by the
same methods as those employed BY
that noted detective" went on Mr.
Ord, forgetting In his excitement tt
compare his watch with the timepiect
on the wall His searching glance
fell on an advertising blotter that lay
ON his desk 1t had become mixed II
his personal mail, and he had not toss
ed it in the waste paper basket unit
now. He threw 1t in and crossed hi
hands on his plump waistcoat.
do you wear plasters. Mr.. Smith
ers2' he asked coolly.
The chief clerk stared at this per
sonal question. fired so abruptly from
the lips Of the great Mr.. Ord-greai
In the financial district.
Sometimes" he said guardedly.
'Haye you one on nowY' snapped
| Mr. Ord.
'Yes, SIR" blushed Smithers.
Mr.. Ord smiled with satisfaction
"Mr. Smithers, sir. you have been witt
me for three years. and up to this time
I have never detected you in grave
snG nav sa aws tgaSt Ion SSy goG niSE
and honest. In fact, have no fault
to find save that the Office has no sys
tenn whatever. and can never find
anything when want it. Got thatY
Eyes, SIR" Smithers replied dazedly.
''Now, sir, you admit you are wear
ing plaster How do | know thai
those. securities are not concealed
within your plaster. huh?" Mr.. Orc
looked from his astonished clerk Il
the red bound volumes of Sherlocl
Holmes adventures and patted hii
chest knowingly. How do l know
sir7'' he repeated
REALLY, / couldn't say, Mr.. Ord" be
gan Smithers, and then, as II the rea
meaning Of his employers insinuatiol
had pierced some sensitive spot at las
he added forcibly, ''But wouldn't d
such thing, you know, Mr.. Ord. beg
ging your pardon"
"You wouldn't, eh7 How do yoV
know you Wouldn't"
81 couldn't, SIR" protested Smither
warmly you see the plaster Tn
wearing is bunion plaster, and
couldn't get the securities
Mr.. Ord raised a fat forefnger. "
didn't ask you for details regardinl
your personal ailments, Mr.. Smithers,
he said icily. There was silence FOR
few moments while his little eye
roamed from his three foot shelf o
wisdom to Smithers' now agitatel