The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-12

tSt NOlls lttE bFSt the bpphH
got ny doubts about him.
Hold on. do You mean you think.
Il don't know what | think; but
we'd better 20 back.
Hen think we're spying OH him,
and ! don't want to get the rough
edge OF his tongue.
Neither DO /. agreed Williams.
III tell you what We'd better do
Wen 60 get Jake Benson. and have
him go back with Us. tell you we'd
be doing all wrong TO leave the boss
alone there. ! don't feel right about
IT,"
As they were standing on the cor
ner i'll front of the lawyers house
This took only moment. and as the
three men turned back toward the
shops, Williams briefly explained his
4 fe>rs 20 Benson. who ar each word
/ quickened his pace they arrived al
the Office painting and out OF breath.
4 but there was no light there now. the
frosted pane, showed white and clear
He's not herc-thauk the Lord -
/ said Williams.
Gone home, guess. suggested
/ Shanley.
lave Won your key" asked Ben
son Of The booAkc"per II you have
! wei 90 ~ and make SIRE"
Williams unlocked the. door aud
pushed Il open then he struck a
! match and rather cautiously entered
/ 'ho rcom Tae others followed him
close, treading softly.
/ No. he's gone sure enough said
Williams, giving sigh OF reiler
Probably he's home by this time"
"Of course hes home II he ain 2,
here" insisted Shaniey. Well. you've
given Us a pretty scare
! What shall we do" asked Will
Jams Of Benson. rs he dropped the end
I or the match ne had been holding
Il think we'd better 30 TO his house
and satisfy ourselves that Mes there
said the lawyer, speaking quietly from
the darkness that enveloped them
/ They CROPPED their way out into the
night again. Williams locked the OF
/ flee door, and then turned 10 his com
panions.
/ i can 20 in and ask il he's there;
+ahd II he amt, | can say We were eX
pecting him back. and | thought h
might have got in on the late train:
we don't want to alarm them, you
know. II he's there I'll make some
sort OF an excuse, say I lost my key
In the snow and came TO get his so
can open the office in the morning be
fore he gets around"
| II was short walk TO Tom Ben.
| sons. and the lawyer. and Stanley.
paused in the street opposite the
house while Williams crossed and
knocked al the front door 1t was
opened almost Immediately and VIII
liams entered the house A moment
later the door opened again, and the
bookkeeper rejoined his two com
| panions
He amt there" he said What
next"
He may have gone up street" sug-
gested Stanley.
II think we'd better go back TO the
| office said Benson and look
around again: perhaps he's inside
somewhere--possibly in the pattern
l room"
Arrived al the office, Williams again
unlocked the door: and the two men
followed him in as before, treading
softly
Find a lamp" said Benson. II
( want TO make certain this time wheth-
er he's here or not
A lamp was found and lighted, and
then for the first time Williams no
ticed that the door leading into the
shops was standing slightly ajar. He
called the attention OF the others TO
this
81 closed and fastened IL when |
left he said II always do before
20 out
He's in the pattern-room prob
ably" said Benson. But we'll go
back and make sure"
| They were halfway down the long
room among the lathes and shafting.
when the foreman who was In ad-
vance. started back with cry OF
horror; for there not ten feet In front
of him was a large dark object which
seemed 10 be suspended from the arm
of heavy crane. 1t was swinging
gently to and fro. Near II. was
molder's case set on edge. Then as
they looked, the object turned slight
ly. and the light of their lamp shone
full on Tom Benson's rigid face and
starting eyes.