The Coolidge examiner., 1933-07-28

RA-NN w OIN II , proxy was q
- valuable document. 1t would
be worth millions at board meet
ing in New York the following day.
Jeffries and Sanderson motored out
to Bolingworths 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 Jeffries took
Aurelius Smith along with him to
safeguard so valuable paper, if he
obtained it, up to the minute that
1t would be voted on the next day.
IN get the paper and you will
keep it," rumbled and chuckled old
Jeffries. Together wen lick Sand
erson and his dirty crew."
AS the two entered the big coun-
try house. a feminine Shrek rang
out and Smiths long legs carried
him up a flight Of stairs without
their customary Incidence. In a back
room he found pretty maid with
her foot caught in a steel -jawed
rat trap. lie wrenched the jaws
apart.
The business meeting occurred In
the music room on the ground floor.
1t had to be short, as Bolingworth
was leaving by plane within an hour
on his way to California. There
was nothing Immediately for Smith
to do. he shook hands with Boiling
worth and Sanderson and got their
names mixed up as deaf people do
or stupid people, or people too lazy
to think much. Few people could
believe that so indolent a man was
observing everything with almost
Photographic accuracy.
While the three men gathered
around a little table. Smith wan
dered to the piano and ran his
fingers over the keys, but stopped
quickly so as not to disturb the con-
ference.
At the end of an hour Boiling
worth signed a paper and Jeffries
had won. Bolingworth had left the
house at once after ordering lunch
con TO be served to his three guests.
The proxy lay upon the table be-
side a heavy blue envelope. JEFF
fries inserted II In the envelope and
sealed the flap.
At that moment the roar of a
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.
Sanderson laughed vindlctively
and offered to let Jeffries search
him. The offer was accepted and
Jeffries found nothing, while Smith
wandered TO the piano and again
ran his fingers over the keys while
he fr0wned as II trying to think.
Suddenly he turned around on the
piano bench as II an idea had at
least been born, and said that he
ought TO make certain that the maid
had put antlseptic on her foot so
that she would not be poisoned by
he rat trap.
II didn't think brought you out
here to fiddle with maids ankles"
grumbled Jeffries. 'Bolingworth is
in the air and we can't get another
proxy. We're dished"
Smith shrugged his shoulders and
rang the bell. The butler summoned
the injured maid who Limped to
Smith and talked in low tones to
him while she secretly received a
bill The maid limped
out of the room and shortly after
she returned, 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 to-
ward the front door, leaving Sand
erson behind.
Have a little patience" returned
Smith softly and opened the door to
tell Jeffries' chauffeur to drive away
and come back in half an hour.
Jeffries looked his astonishment
as the car roared off. The two stood
for a few minutes in the doorway.
Jeffries too surprised to speak. Sud-
denly a yell sounded inside the
house.
Come onw called Smith as he
dashed back to the music room.
Beside the piano stood Sanderson
with the rat trap dangling from
his hand as he cursed. Blood
dripped from his hand to the floor.
Il knew that he must have taken
the envelope from the table," ex-
piained Smith, "but | did not know
where he put it until touched the
piano keys the second time and
found that three strings were dead"
Sanderson. desperate. helpless, let
Smith pry the trap from his hand
1.-THE maid brought me the trap"
continued Smith. land | placed it
on the strings. under which he had