Smyrna times., 1930-11-26

Rat Trap Proved
to Be Winner
By R. T. M. SCOTT

De worth mllll0nS at D0drd meet
ing in New York on the following
day. Jeffries and Sanderson mo-
tored out to B0lingworth's country
house on Long Island to argue
against each other for the docu-
ment but, of course, they did not
travel in the same car. Fat old
Jeffries took Aurelius Smith along
with him to safeguard so valuable
paper, if he obtained it, up to
the minute that it would be voted
on the next day. Smith travelled
ostensibly as Jeffries' friend and
not as a private detective.
I'll get the paper and you will
keep it." rumbled and chuckled old
Jeffries. Together we'll lick San
derson and his dirty crew."
AS the two entered the big coun-
try house, feminine shrek rang
out and Smiths long legs carried
him up flight of stairs without
their customary Incidence. In a
back room he found a very pretty
maid with her foot caught in
steel-jawed rat trap. He wrenched
the jaws apart and held her ankle
for a few moments while she
writhed in pain.
The business meeting occurred
in the music room on the ground
floor. 1t had to be short as Boiling
worth was leaving by plane within
an hour on his way to California.
There was nothing Immediately for
Smith to do. He shook hands with
Bolingworth and Sanderson and
got their names mixed as deaf peo-
pie door stupid people, or peo-
pie too lazy to think much. Few
people could believe that so indo-
lent man was observing every
thing with Photographic accuracy.
While the three men gathered
around a table. Smith wandered
to the piano and ran his fingers
over the keys but stopped quickly
so as not to interfere with the con-
versati0n.
AT the end of an hour Boiling
worth signed a paper and Jeffries
had won. BolingwOrth left the
house at once after ordering lunch
con to be served to his three
guests. The proxy lay upon the
tahle beside heavy blue envelope.
Jeffries inserted it in the envelope
and sealed the flap.
At that moment the roar of
plane sounded outside. Jeffries
dropped the envelope on the table
and turned toward the window.
Sanderson looked away also. The
roar of the plane became louder
and all three men walked to the
window near the piano. Smith and
Jeffries approached the window in
advance of Sanderson. When they
returned to the table the envelope
was gone. There were other blue
envelopes in a rack on the table
but they were all empty.
Sanderson laughed vindictively
and offered TO let Jeffries search
him. The offer was accepted and
Jeffries found nothing, but Smith
had wandered to the piano and was
again running his fingers over the
keys while he frowned as If an
idea had at last been born and
said that he ought to make GER
tain that the maid had put an an
tiseptic on her foot so that she
would not be poisoned by the rat
trap.
Il didn't bring you out here to
fiddle with maids ankles" grum-
bled Jeffries. "Bolingworth is in
the air and we can't get another
proxy. We are dished."
Smith rang the bell. The butler
summoned the injured maid who
limped TO Smith and talked in low
tones with him while she secretly
received a ten dollar bill. The maid
Iimped out of the room and shortly
returned, after which Smith Joined
Jeffries and Sanderson in the hall
where Jeffries had ordered his car.
II can't understand you, Smith,"
said Jeffries as the two walked to-
ward the front door. leaving Sam
derson behind
''Have just a little patience" re-
turned Smith softly and opened the
door to speak to Jeffries' chauffeur.
Jeffries looked his astonishment
as the car roared off. The two
stood for a few moments In the
doorway, Jeffries too surprised to
speak. Suddenly yell sounded
inside the house.
"Come onp called Smith as he
dashed back to the music room.
Beside the piano stood Sander
son with the rat trap dangling
from his hand while he cursed.
Blood was dripping from his hand
to the floor.
81 knew that he must have taken
the envelope from the table," ex-
planned Smith, shut | did not know
where he had put it until | touched
the piano keys the second time
and found thai three strings were
dead. He stood quite close to the
piano when we looked out the win
dow"
Sanderson, desperately helpless,
let Smith pry the trap from his
hand.
1.-THE maid brought me the trap"
continued Smith. land ] placed 1t
on the strings. under which he had
slipped the envelope, and covered
1t with my handkerchief"
Then 1t was that Sanderson
struggled TO turn defeat into vic
tory. lie reached into the piano
and snatched Out the blue envel-
ope.