The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-07-08
THE TIME
LOCK
A Case Of Revenge and
Repentance
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

By CLARISSA MACKIE +
**+*44+*44s4sita4.s.ss.ssss + 1. I. + ~ 1
Tom Drayton looked over the top of
his desk and smiled as he saw Dorothy
Quayle enter the chiefs office and close
the door.
Dorothy Quayle was the chiefs pri-
vate secretary, and she was Toms
sweetheart. He knew that she was
seeking an interview with Mr.. Fair to
hand in her resignation because of
their approaching marriage.
1.-The chief will certainly get ratified
without Dorry," muttered Tom as he
returned to his work.
Another man had watched Dorry en-
ter the Office and had guessed her er-
rand. Billy Brown slammed the covers
Of the heavy stock ledger and turned
hatefci eyes upon Tom.
Billy gritted his teeth in impotent
rage.
"Some people have all the luck he
thought bitterly. cit was enough for
Drayton to be promoted without win
ming her as well!'
The afternoon wore on. The chief
went home, and one by one the clerks
and stenographers closed their desks
and followed suit Dorothy Quayle
was finishing some correspondence in
her little room, while Tom Drayton
waited to sign the letters.
Billy Brown still pored over the great
stock ledger.
After Tom had cast one or two
glances at the stock clerk Billy could
delay no longer. Usually he was out Of
his seat before the stroke Of 8 and put
ding the ledgers away in the great vault.
Perhaps it vas because Billy was a
Aclock watcher" that he was not pro-
NOTED as rapidly as his fellows In the
Office.
Dorothy brought her letters out and
Tom signed them. After they had
been placed in the mail bag and taken
away by the Office boy, Dorothy left.
while Billy Brown, having said good
night and apparently departed, hnger-
ed in. the coat room, watching Tom
Drayton through crack In the door.
Tom was going In and out Of the
vault, putting away valuable papers and
the transfer books of the company. 1t
was his duty to see that nothing was
left outside and then to close the huge
circular door of the vault and set the
time lock. As 1t was Saturday, the
time wonld be set for o'clock Mon
day morning.
Billy Brown was considering all
these facts, and he was watching and
waiting with an evil smile on his lips
and hatred in his miserable heart.
His rubber heels made no sound on
the polished floor as he crept in be-
hind the door Of the vault.
Tom was standing inside with his
back to the door. He was looking over
some papers.
It was the work of an instant to
softly close the inner steel doors and
turn the knob. Then with heavy
metallic clang the great circular door
slammed, and the bolts shot home.
Like the guilty wretch that he was,
Billy Brown crept out Of the office
and down the stairs without meeting
soul The elevators shot up and down
through the great building, but Billy
dared not enter one-he must be able
to prove an alibi.
Not even Tom Drayton knew that
Billy had remained behind.
Billy emerged from the building and
disappeared in the. hurrying crowd.
Dorothy Quayle was waiting for
Tom in a stationer's shop opposite the
Consolidated building. Tom was going
home with her to dine and spend the
evening.
The minutes slipped by and still Tom
did not come. Dorothy watching the
opposite doorway was surprised to see
Billy Brown sinking out
II thought he went home long ago."
Suo WOuucIcu, duu Iuch hoASoS hAAA Al
her anxiety about Tom.
81 will call him and find out why be
Is so long," she thought and stepped
into the telephone booth.
But she received no answer to her
repeated calls and finally went back
to her station by the door Of the shop.
Six o'clock came and no sign Of her
lover.
Dorothy crossed the street and went
up to the fifteenth floor. Her pass key
admitted her to the Offices.
Lights were burning above Toms
desk and the corners were in shadow.
The door Of the vault was closed
Where was Tom?
She hurried into the wardrobe and
saw his hat and overcoat.
Fear clutched at her heart. Had
something happened to him? She had