The Washington times., 1912-09-20
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
|AWHITE STREAK OFDISASTER|
BY EDGAR FRANKLIN
FrsnkA Munssyco
BY EDGAR FRANKLIN
copyright. 1919. Frank A. Muns.y Co.,

| plt.
Your miserable enthusiasm abou
this place is unbalancing you, John
It's getting along TO that time Of nigh
when respectable people crawl into bed
| Get your investigation over with"
He stepped out to the fioor.'
| We'll won't be more than min
uo. or two," said Grafton but dt
want to know what that thing vas, 4
you know, or anything of that sort''-
lie opened one or two of the fuss
boxes In, the falls. glancing along the
line of plugs and shifting for smoke.
the electrollers suspended from the cell
Ing. All was in perfect order.
"Umph--" Grafton rubbed his chin.
Nothing wrong there. apparently. Our
some kind of reflection, butt was
queer, just the same, and don't like
building"
tor and closed the sliding gate. with
his hand over the lever. he paused for
a moment, still staring thoughtfully at
the patch OF wall where the white
streak had made It's mysterious appear
ance.
Then he threw back his head and
laughed
Well. by thunder!'
Got your explanation"
Yes. And how Internally stupid of
me eW not OF, t. t. have thought of it before!"
why, that streak of white was MOTH
chute! We simply saw the flash of the
envelope as 1t passed the glass window
a a, letter" said EisfOrd. wonderingly.
But at this hour-within few mia
utes of midnight?"
Grafton frowned thoughtfully.
That part is odd, Ill admit" he said
TT They don't work all night in this
Not as a general rule, believe, but
1t isn't inconceivable that some one or
another of the stenographers may have
to stop overt...Ie to finish it,
Maybe 1t isn't inconceivable, but 1t
seems mighty unlikely that any one
writer here at midnight"
The owner of the building, however,
was ready to dismiss the problem.
Unlikely or not, we'll have to be-
lieve what seems to be the factor as
sumo that letters are posting themselves
this evening"
Without jar, the car ceased to move,
and Grafton slid back the gate.
Ninth! he called cheerily. Now
you shall see the executive den OF the
He led the way along the tiled hall
way. switching on an incandescent lamp
here and there until at the end of the
corridor curtained glass door was
reached. jingling Of keys, and the
door became g. square of inky darkness.
Grafton stepped in, and a moment
later light blazed out from dozen
lamps IN the center Of his main office.
Here's the outfit. Jim. How does It
strike your"
What's this-the first one Of the suite?'
No, sir-the center one of the suite :
another little idea of mine. Instead OF
stringing the rooms out, I've just
punched the six small ones with this
big fellow in the center. Then, when
we want to go from one office to an
other there Is no great amount of walk
ing to be done. See?
There's the bookkeeper's establish
ment; over there the stenographers try
to drown one another 5 racket; that door
hides Johnson's den, my outside man,
you know; that office belongs to Jennl-
son, my right-hand man; over there
you may see my own private room, and
so on around
IT'S a mighty convenient arrange
ment. Come in and try the kind Of
leather chair we make in Kenyonville" /"
Elsford followed into the private Of
flee as the lights were turned on.
Grafton waved hand at one of sew
dropped into 1t with contented sigh
Easy, isn't it?" Grafton laughed as
ne settled in his own desk chair. THAT
factory started up three or four years
capital. I-er-bought it,"
And you even control the chairs Of
the place." laughed Elsford.
90 Even Eve ose the chairs h., What do you think
Splendid. Commodious. luxurious,
and cool, and all the rest. BY the way.
John. II seems cooler in here than else
The ventilation system!" Grafton
announced. we keep the air about as
fresh here as it's possible to be OBJ
tanned anywhere
Elsford nodded rather absently. His
ishment from detail to detail OF the
complete office equipment-the tele-
phones and the call bells and the tiny
white basin in the corner.
Grafton watched him with complacent
waxged his head saSeIy. and smiled.
About as complete as mortal man
could wish" he continued. Then. with
a sudden sniff, he added:
And man with all this luxury
about him will still take to cigarette
What's that?" asked Grafton.
Il perceive you have succumbed to the
alurements of the Turkish variety Of
the weed"
heaS;I 9%eil, can't YOU sme,, it ?" asked Els
ford.
THE odor of cigarettes? No"
You can't?" The visitors nose went
up again. well. it may possibly be
my Imagination, but
1T is" said Grafton. I haven't come
down to that as yet, and none of the
clerks are permitted to smoke in here.
However," He dismissed the subject
with some impatience. Parker may
have fallen from grace. WE'LL the estab-
lishment is satisfac actory, then, is it?'
"Emphaticallv so!'
And you never noticed my safe"
exclaimed the enthusiast, pointing to
the small, impregnable ball of steel,
standing upon it's massive pedestal in
the far corner.
by George, that's a beauty" cried
Elsford. "Um! / should say 1t was"
he repeated, standing over the polished
sphere. And what is this particularly
remarkable for, John?'
'Oh for several things. The price. for
one. l won't mention it, even between
ourselves and at midnight"
He smiled thoughtfully as his fond
eyes rested upon the expensive bit of
metal. Then it's remarkable on another
account this evening, too.
"Yes?"
Yes, indeed. At the present moment
that little ball holds all my earthly
treasure-to the amount of about
81, ,000, 000
A Continuation of This Story VIII
He Found In Tomorrow