The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-07-26

Still. something must be done. aud
done ia hurry"
Hurry is the proper word" assent
ed Pinkwell. "You viii have to get |
busy as rapidly as your affairs will
let you"
wilkins turned, opened desk
drawer, and began to tumble inside.
II was experimenting on a cipher
this morning." he explained. Moth
ing complete, and nothing elaborate,
Penciled It out, for a half hours d. |
version. Here-see II you can read
it."
Pinkwell took the sheet, inspected
it for an instant. and then turned 1t
over. 81 don't think can read your
hieroglyphs on short notice, John"
he remarked, suavely. still, think
1.-The person who took this sheet from
your desk. placed a carbon beneath It,
and then traced your writing with a
No. 8 pencil will be able to do so, or
will find some one who can"
The chief seized the paper, held It
to the light, and stared through
magnifying glass. Crumpling up the
sheet, be flung 1t into the waste bas-
ket, only to have the detective fish
it out, smooth It neatly, and tuck 1t
into his pocketbook. The chief, al
most inarticulate with wrath, exam
ined the desk, the drawer, the key
hole. and finally sat down Disguised
and disgruntled.
Forget it, John" admonished Pink.
well. Forget 1t absolutely. Don't let
clerk or stenographer in the office
see you with as much as scowl upon
your lovely couhtenance Send some
one--some one you think you can talk
pleasantly to at this annoying mo-
ment-to the esteemed secretaries.
Don't use the phone"
A push-button buzzed shrilly. The
door Of the private office opened. and
tall young fellow, with a much
tanned face and a shock of tangled
brown hair. stepped in.
did you call me, Mr.. W!lkins?" he
asked, respectfully.
The chief looked him over rapidly.
Are you the only clerk remaining
this afternoon?"
Eyes, cir. Everyone else went away
at four"
, "Uh huh. Gone to the ball park
! as usual, presumed"
, Eyes. sir. Good game today. The
, White Sox are here. and"
Never mind about the White box
or the Pink Ear-Muffs either" growled
the chief. "You are as bad as the
. rest of them-how does it happen you
are not going out to the gamer"
! The boy grinned. and ficked a red
cap against his knee. in some little
confusion.
4 Fact is, Mr.. Wilkins. l expected to
! meet a few friends, and have little
) practice of our own this afternoon. "
a "Uh huh. l might have known there
o was some earth-shaking reason for
your not disappearing with the rest.
r Well, can you forego few minutes
of your valuable time. even If 1t Is
|. after Office hours?"
The boy bobbed an asserting head
n tried to thrust the red cap into q
v pocket, and dislodged some folded pa
= pers. which fell rustling to the floor
a AS he bent for the papers. Pinkwell
;. anticipated his hurried grasp. and
n caught them up. The detective calmly
y unfolded the papers, finding them GOV
!. cred with some freakish letterings
while the boy turned red, and the
n chief looked quizzically on.
81 beg your pardon, spoke up Pink
q we'll. 81 earnestly beg your pardon
a for such rudeness, MIMI"
"Brockett, sir Harry Brockett," an
I swered the youngster.
| 81 apologize once more, Mr. Brock
EFT. l have grown so suspicious O
| everything and everyone in my OLE
| age that | really imagined these pa
| pers were plans of Pacific fort, o.
| the details of the new rifle. Transla
ton of an Aztec scroll, son2"
| well, hardly. sir" laughed younl
Brockett, self-confdence returning.
a was amusing myself with building
~ cipher-something that would be rath
/. er hard for anyone who wasn't en-
gagged in the building Of It to max
out"
The grim face of the chief relaxe'
into a semi-smile.
"How did the experiment work out ?
Brockett grinned frankly. "I'm nj
expert practitioner in such subjects
Mr.. wilkins. Shll, think It woul,
; take a pretty capable scientist to pic
it apart and put it together again. HeI
have to be an American. too-or pos
H sibly a Cuban"
7 '"Why soP" questioned Pinkwell. 81
the cipher written in Spanish"
mo, sir. Plain English. Would 20
like TO go over It, some time Whel
you have a little leisure2"