Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-10-30
CHAPTER VII.
The Trap.

from his utterly expressionless face,
Then he said:
DO you know why l did that?"
Probably" replied Wandasgrayely'
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 youchsafed. You're a
bright girl"
Thank you, sir" she replied de
murely.
Again he glanced at her moveless
features in quick doubt. Then. evil
IDENTIFY making up his mind, he went
on:
You heard the story l was telling
those men over there? The story
about Standish and the Woman
Il 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 ali-im'
portant secret loud enough for te!e-
phone girl to hear it?"
L
ing" she said frankly. But / cant
figure 1t 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 windy
piece Of campaign gossip into the deaa.
lest weapon ever forged in Washing
TOM"
THE Woman's name" replied Wan
da, at once.
Good" applauded Blake. You've
got a real brain under that metal re-
ceiver you wear. You seem to nave
this situation worked out as clear as
have. Maybe, now, you can guess
what that Woman's name Is worth 10
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 or the
bit of acting, and was not In the very
least deceived by it-as Wanda mad
perfectly we'll known he would not be.
Nothing stingy about your IDEAS
young LADY," he commented. "MayDq
I'd better put them straight. Do 70.
want to make a hundred dollars 8nfs
"A hundred dollars?" she echo2s
a wide-eyed wonder of innocenccsAf,A
Saint Cecilia at her best cqaah Fe~u
nossibly have equaled. "A WI Where.
dred dollars? Why, nov she house
telephone operator lik# -
much money ?" .s,,.-- $50
| Here's the community
wearying of matching Sy.,nd MrS
a hatpin, and coming se
pith of the matter. Er nome
standish to come here becRN ancial-
to have a talk with him. va, =
through, I'll go away. And They
are that he'll go straight to t&fs, AZ
phone and call up some one. IN
some ones number / want r.
oh" exclaimed Wanda, 81.
brightly at her own comprehenA ".
And that's worth a hundred dollaNp!'
Yes. And if you can hear what he
saws on the phone I'll make 1t two
hundred"
For an instant the innocent wonder
ing smile again illumined Wanda's up
turned face. Then, like Blake, she
evidently wearied of futile word-fenc-
ing. for she said, incisiyely:
81 see. I've got the idea. Youll
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. Ano
telegram would be too risky. so
nothing's left but the phone. He'll
call her up. You'll get the number.
And then it'll be 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 brain
Well have to get you In the secret
service. Or, If you want job In my
office at double what you're getting
here-but " can talk about all that
afterward. Will"
You're sure the number will give
Won 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 milllons?"
Sheer innocence had reached its
towering acme-the summit wherein
rests pure wisdom. Blake regarded
the girl from under his bushy brows
"Well?" he demanded, "if whole
hundred dollars has shrunk so quick
" into a little hundred dollars what
price strikes you as fair?"
Lets see!" pondered innocence'f
fair apostle, "how about ten thousand
dollars?"
Ten thousand dollars!" repeated
al 80