The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-09
CHAPTER xXxIV

CHAPTER XXXIV
NTOTHING'S the matter!" Jack
~ Hayward denied, with pecu-
liar emphasis. what were you going
to say about the woman with the
contralto voice?"
You started and bluShed-and
you're still blush'ng," Ruth accused
him wonderingly. and little jea1-
ously. I'm sure my description
'eminded you of some one you
know"
"FWhat about this woman With the
voice?" Jack evaded, reaching for
. the poker, SO that Ruth could not
see his eyes.
The girl stared at him, bewildered
and hurt, then answered steadily, a.
e 3oldly: you were present
this morning when 1 told Mr.. Nc
Mann about a telephone call for Mr..
Borden at 10 o'clock Saturday morn
ing. I was familiar with the voice
railing then for the woman had tel
ephoned several times during the
four months 1 worked for Mr. Bor-'
den. He always refused to talk with
her, though she never gave me her
name.
Saturday morning Mr.. Borden
came in minute or two after I had
hung up the receiver, and when I
told him that, the woman with the
beautiful contralto voice had called
he said: That voice may sound
beautiful to you, but believe me, I'd
rather listen to a riyeting machine,
or words to that effect"
Not enough to hang her on"
Jack commented drily, still poking
needlessly at the fire.
cot course not, dear" Ruth an
swered reasonably, though her
voice trembled slightly. But the
story Minnie Cassidy told definitely
brings the woman with the con-
tralto voice into the puzzle.
While Minnie was cleaning in
our offices shortly after half-past
one Mr.. Borden left his Office for a
minute or two, asking Minnie to
stay until he returned, since he
had no key and didn't want her
to go away and leave the door I'M
locked for him. While he was gone
the phone rang, Minnie answered,
told the woman to hold the wire.
When Mr.. Borden returned, he
asked her to describe the voice of
the woman calling, and Minnie did
so, saying the woman had love-
ly, sweet voice, like an alto singer.
as she puts it. At first Mr.. Bor-
den told her CURLY to hang up the
receiver, then considered a moment,
and directed her to tell the woman
to call again in fifteen or twenty
minutes"
w as Ruth paused.
1.-THE woman, so Minnie says, gave
her this message for Mr.. Borden:
Tell Mr.. Borden that if he is wise,
he will talk to me when I call
again.
Jack shrugged. mot nearly so
definite a threat as I made against
the man." Then, as Ruth stared at
him with wide, hurt blue eyes: eff
you're thinking that the woman
with the voice made her final tele-
phone call over my phone, I'm
afraid 1 can't see it. Fifteen or
twenty minutes after Minnie's con-
versation with the lady of the voice,
was in my office myself"
81 hadn't reached that conclusion
yet" Ruth said slowly, coldly. But
your reasoning strikes me as little
odd. The woman could not have
known that Mr.. Borden had a train
to make, hence may have delayed
little until she reached the Star
bridge building. Jack! Look at
mel" she commanded with sudden
urgency.
You're probably the worlds
,lumsiest deceiver It's written all
over your face that you know some
thing about this woman. Is this
any time to conceal that knowledge
from me? It's for your sake, re-
member!"
Jack shrugged, then laughed rue
fully. "I'Il never be able to get
away with anything, with wife
like you! F.. And may have a
kiss to make up for all I'm going
to suffer at your hands in the flu