The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-01-29

watch. The only chance she had to
catch her father would be at Mr.. Will
lard's, but he wouldn't be there yet.
She could telephone now and leave a
message, Of course, but she was afraid
unless she got him on the wire him.
self, the move would frighten her
visitor away. His interest in the bust
ness was, she felt, hanging by the
merest thread-that first glance Of his
about the room had not been lost on
-her-and unless she could deliver him
somehow, straight into dads hands,
there wasn't much hope.
Just now he was looking at her, his
gaze frankly curious. Seems to me-"
he said, shat you're a pretty live
wire, sister, to be working in dump
like this. Give me the low-down on
II. What's the answer"
A phrase Of her fathers turned up,
providentially, in her mind. "A tur-
nip's bigger than an apple Seed" she
said,. "but 1t won't grow into tree"
"Look here" he said, that's pretty
goodl You ought to write advertising
copy for a real business. If you ever
want a new boss. give me look in.
How about the old man? Any chance
that he'll come back tonight?"
"If you'll wait q minute" she said,
trn see." She pulled up the tele-
phone and called the number of Mr..
Wizards Office. 1t was a great big
office, and there was quite lot Of
red tape about 1t. In order to keep
her voice from shaking she had to
freeze it as hard as ice.
'.Is this the Willard Manufacturing
company" she asked. I'D like to
speak to Mr.. Wizards secretary. :.
Miss Baldwin? This is Edith
Patterson" She wasn't looking at
Jake German. but she was pleasur-
ably aware that he suddenly sat up a
little. "I'm trying to find my father"
she went on smoothly. "He spoke Of
going in to see Mr.. Willard this after
noon. He isn't there now, is her"
He wasn't there, Miss Baldwin said,
but he'd telephoned. Mr.. Willard wasn't
there now, either. He'd just gone out.
But she believed that they'd arranged
to dine together at the club.
"That would be the Union League,
wouldn't it," Edith asked, and the
secretary said she thought 1t would.
"All right" Edith said. "That's all
I need to know. Thanks very much"
Without taking her hand from the
telephone or letting so much as
glance stray away from 1t, she called
the club and asked II her father was
there. He wasn't. Shed hardly
hoped he would be, but she left
message that he was to call his Office
when he came in. She was still with
out a plan for holding Jake captive
until he could be delivered into dads
hands. But she felt 1t must, some
how, be done. As she looked rather
helplessly around at him, he spoke.
"That certainly was one on me. Miss
Patterson" He was looking very
flushed and uncomfortable, trying to
apologize. and not quite knowing how.
She beamed at him. But / don't
mind bitp she said. "rm glad you
thought was a live wire, and I'm glad
you thought was a regular stenog-
rapher. That's what try to be-"
The assurance didn't make him look
any more comfortable. She'd spoiled
everything by letting him know who
she was. She wished as hard as she'd
ever wished anything in her life that
she knew how to vamp people.
IT suppose" he said, "if your father
is way down in the Loop and on the
way to his club, 1t isn't much good my
waiting for him out here"
"Well," she observed demurely,
'that depends"
Why couldn't she be brazen and
fiipl Would it do any good If she let
her hand hang over his side of the
desk? Probably not.
"What does 1t depend ONT" he asked.
"Why. on how much of a hurry
you're in-for one thing" she said.
"Well, I'm not in hurry. haven't
a thing to do"
He said 1t doubtfully, though, as II
he couldn't make up his mind about
something. She wasn't getting away
with 1t.
II haven't, either" she said desper-
ately. II was just sitting around to
see If anything happened"
She'd tried to make It sound lnvit-
ing. an audacious hint at possibilities,
but she couldn't blame him for not
taking 1t that way.
The shop door opened and Charlie
Franklin came In.
"We're just closing up. Miss Patter-
son." he said. II Just Thoughtful see
If you wanted me to stay for any
thing"
That finished everything. of course.
He'd never survive anything like that.
She could have slain Charlie where he
stoodi
mot a thing" she told him with her
friendliest smile. 'rm going myself.
pretty SOON"
1t was exactly then that the Idea
came to her. I'm going downtown TO
have dinner with father at the club"
That satisfied Charlie. He said good