The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-01-23
Aurelius Smiths
Neat Ruse
By r. r. M. SCOTT
(Copyright.l

a.
~ valuable document. 1t would be
worth millions at board meeting In
New York ION the following day. JEFF
fries and Sanderson motored out to
Bolingworth's country house On Long
Island to argue against each other
for the document but, of course, they
did not travel in the same car. Fat old
Jefferies took Aurelius Smith along
with him to safeguard so valuable a
paper, il 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 pri-
vate detective.
I'll get the paper and you will
keep it," rumbled and chuckled old
Jeffries. Together we'll lick Sander
son and his dirty crew."
AS the two entered the big country
house, feminine shrek rang out and
Smiths long legs carried him up a
flight Of stairs without their custom
ary Incidence. In back room he
found very pretty maid with her
foot caught In steel-jawed rat trap.
He wrenched the jaws apart and held
her ankle for few moments while
she writhed in pain.
The business meeting occurred In
the music room on the ground floor.
1t had to he short as Bolingworth was
leaving by plane within an hour on
his way to California. There was moth
ing Immediately for Smith to do. He
shook hands with Bollingworth and
Sanderson and got their names mixed
as deaf people door stupid people,
or people loo lazy to think much. Few
people could believe that so indolent
man was observing everything 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 conversation.
AT the end of an hour Bolingworth
signed a paper and Jeffries had won.
Bolingworth left the house at once
after ordering luncheon to be served
to his three guests. The proxy lay
upon the table 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 to-
ward the window. Sanderson looked
away also. The roar of the plane be-
oII Il vn6
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 en-
velopes in a rack on the table but
they were all empty.
Sanderson laughed vindictively and
offered t. 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 trying to think. Suddenly he
turned around on the piano bench
as if an idea had at last been born
and said that he ought to make GER
tain that the maid had put an antisep-
tic on her foot so that she would
not be poisoned by the rat trap.
81 didn't bring you out here to
fiddle with maids ankles" grumbled
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
lmped to Smith and talked in low
tones with him while she secretly re-
ceived a ten dollar bill. The maid
limped out of the room and shortly
returned. after which Smith Joined
Jeffries and Sanderson in the hall
where Jeffries had ordered his car.
81 can't understand you, Smith, "
said Jeffries as the two walked toward
the front door. leaving Sanderson be-
hind.
"Have just little patience" re-
turned Smith softly and opened the
door to speak to Jeffries' chauffeur.
Jeffres looked his astonishment
as the car roared O.. The two stood
for a few moments in the doorway,
! .Ieffres too surprised to speak. Sud
denly a yell sounded inside the house.
"Come oni" called Smith as he
| dashed back to the music room.
| Beside the piano stood Sanderson
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" explained
Smith, "but ! did not know where
he had put it until | touched the pi-
ano keys the second time and found
that three strings were dead. He
stood quite close to the piano when
we looked out the window"
Sanderson, desperately helpless, let
Smith pry the trap from his hand.
"The maid brought me the trap y
continued Smith, 'and / placed it on
the strings, under which he had slipped
the envelope, and covered ii with my
handkerchief"
Then 1t was that Sanderson strug-
gled to turn defeat into victory. He
reached into the piano and snatched
out the blue envelope
Jeffres started toward the mad
dened man but Smith pulled him
| back.
II substituted an Empty envelope
when the Two Of you first turned to.
ward the window" be said. 1.-THE proxy
has been In y pocket all the time.
A.r;.~,. E:r.& PANE. Mil