The Arvada enterprise., 1913-12-18
CHAPTER VII.

hS ''oP.
For moment Blake did not an
swer. Nor could Wanda read anything
from his utterly expressionless face.
Then he said
DO you know why | did that"
Probably" replied Wanda gravely,
because you wanted Mr. Standish to
come here"
He eyed her searchingly, But her
face gave no sign that her reply had
been intended as impertinence.
HIM" he vouchsafed. You're a
bright girl"
Thank you. SIR" she replied de-
murely.
Again he glanced at her moveless
features In quick doubt. Then, evi-
IDENTIFY making up his mind. he went
on:
you heard the story | was telling
those men over there? The story
about Standish and the Woman?"
II happened to catch part of it."
you happened to catch every word
Of It," he corrected. And now. why
do you suppose l told such an all-im-
portant secret loud enough for tele-
phone girl to hear it?"
That's just what I've been wonder
ing" she said frankly. But | cant
figure it out"
Then I'll tell You" retorted Blake,
nodding approval at her unembarrass-
ed candor. What's the one thing we
need to turn that story from a windy
piece of campaign gossip into the dead
lest weapon ever forged in Washing
ton?"
The Woman's name" replied Wan
da. at once.
Good" applauded Blake. You've
got real brain under that metal re-
ceiver you wear. You seem to have
this situation worked out as clear as
have. Maybe, now, you can guess
what that Woman's name is worth to
us. How about it?"
Wanda rolled her big eyes cell
ingward after the manner of stupid
child who seeks in space the answer
to teachers question.
"Maybe-maybe "a million dol
lars" she hazarded timidly, at length.
Blake grinned appreciation of the
bit of acting, and was not in the very
least deceived by it-as Wanda had
perfectly well known he would not be.
Nothing stingy about your ideas.
young LADY," he commented. Maybe
I'd better put them straight. Do you
want to make hundred dollars?"
"A hundred dollars?" she echoed in
a wide-eyed wonder of innocence that
| L., H.. L
possibly have equaled. "A whole hun
dred dollars? Why, how could poor
telephone operator like me make so
much money"
Here's the idea" replied Blake,
| wearying of matching cudgel against
hatpin, and coming straight to the
pith of the matter. I've sent for
Standish to come here because want
to have a talk with him. When I'm
through. I'll go away. And the chances
are that he'll go straight to the tele-
phone and call up some one. It's that
some ones number | want"
oh" exclaimed Wanda, smiling
brightly at her own comprehension.
And that's worth hundred dollars"
Yes. And if you can hear what he
says on the phone I'll make it two
hundred"
For an instant the innocent wonder
ing smile again illumaned Wanda's up
turned face. Then. like Blake, she
evidently wearied of futile word-fenc-
ing, for she said. incisively:
81 see. I've got the<idea. You'll
spring this story Of the Woman on
him. You'll make him think you've
almost got her in your net You'll try
to scare him into hustling to the near
est telephone and warning her. He'll
know you're having him watched So
he won't dare to go to her in person
with his warning or send her letter
| He's got too much sense for that. And
a telegram would be too risky. So
nothings left but the phone He'll
call her up. You'll get the number
And then it'll be a cinch for your men
to find the Woman's name In no time,
and all about her The full story
names and all-can be circulated on
the floor as soon as the house sits. to.
night. And good.by then to Mr.
| Standish"
Say" drawled Blake in genuine ad-
miration. You've sure got a brain.
Wen nave to get you in the secret
service. or, If you want a Job in my
office at double what you're getting
here-but we can talk about all that
afterward WILL"
You're sure the number will give
| you the clue to the Woman?"
Absolutely"
And don't you think one little hun.
dred dollars is a pretty cheap price
to pay for information that will bring
! you millions?"
! Sheer innocence had reached its
| towering acme-the summit whereon
rests pure wisdom. Blake regarded
| the girl from under his bushy brows.
"Well?" he demanded. "if whole
| hundred dollars has shrunk 30 quick.
ly into a little hundred dollars. what
| price strikes you as fair?"
Let's see" pondered innocence's
fair apostle how about ten thousand