Lower coast gazette., 1913-09-27
WI.
The Trap.

For a moment Blake did not an
swer Nor could Wanda read anything
from his utterly expressionless face.
Then he said:
do you know why l did that?"
Probably" replied Wanda gravely,
because you wanted Mr.. Standish to
come here"
He eyed her searchingly. But her
face gave nc sign that her reply had
been intended as fmpertinence.
"H'm!" he vouchsafed. You're q
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 / 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 / told such an all.im.
portant secret loud enough for q tele-
phone girl to hear IT."
That's just what I've been wonder.
ing" she said frankly. "Bpt I can't
figure II 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 q windy
piece Of campaign gossip into the dead
lest weapon ever forged In Washing
TOM"
"rhe Woman's name" replied Wan.
da. at once.
Good" applauded Blake. you've
got q real brain under that metal re
ceiver yo.l wear. You seem to have
this situation worked out as clear a. I
have. Maybe, now. you can guess
what that Woman's name Il worth to
us. How about it?"
Wanda rolled her big eyes cell
ingward after the tanner Of q. stupid
child who seeks In space the answer
to . teachers question.
"Maybe-maybe IA 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 we'll known he would not be.
Nothing stingy about your ideas.
young LADY," he commented. Maybe
I'd better put them straight. Do you
want make a hundred d0llars?"
"A hundred dollars?" she echoed in
a wide-eyed wonder Of innocence that
Saint Cecilia at her best could not
possibly have equaled. "A whole hun.
dred dollars? Why, how could a poor
telephone operator like me make SO
much money"
Here's the idea" replied Blake.
wearying Of matching a cudgel against
a hatpin, and coming straight to the
pith OF the matter. "Pve sent for
Standish to come here because | want
to have a talk with him. When I'm
through, I'll 60 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"
Obi" exclaimed Wanda. smiling
brightly at her own comprehension.
"And that's worth a hundred dollars!"
Eyes. And IL you can hear what he
says on the phone I'll make It 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. incisively:
II 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
70 scare him into hustling to the near.
cot telephone and warning her. He'll
know you're having hin watched. So
he won't dare to go 10 her in parson
with bis warning or send her a letter
$3.50 - . fSs@