The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-07-27
Bolingworth's
Proxy
BY R. T. M. SCOTT
q. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNll Service

Q0LINGWORTH'S proxy was val
l. liable document. 1t would be
worth millions at board meeting In
New York the following day. JefIries
and Sanderson motored out to Boiling
worth's country house On Long Island
to argue against each other for the
document but, of course, they did not
travel In the same ear. Fat. old JEFF
fries took Aurelus Smith along with
him to safeguard SO valuable paper,
II he obtained 1t, up to the minute
that 1t would be voted on the next day.
I'll get the paper and you will keep
it, rumbled and chuckled old Jeffries.
Together we'll lick Sanderson and his
dirty crew."
As the two entered the big, country
house, feminine shrek rang out and
Smiths long legs carried him up q
flight Of stairs without their custom
airy Incidence. In a back room he
found a pretty maid with her foot
caught in steel-jawed rat trap. He
wrenched the jaws apart.
The business meeting occurred In
the music room on the ground floor.
II had to be short Al 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 Bollngworth and
Sanderson and got their names mixed
up as deaf people door stupid peo-
pie, or people too lazy to think much.
Few people could believe that SO in
dolent man was observing everything
with almost Photographic accuracy.
While the three men gathered
around little table, Smith wandered
to the piano and ran his fingers over
the keys. but stonped quickly so as not
to disturb the conference. He stretched
himself In chair and smoked while
he listened to the rumble and chuckle
of his employer In argument against
the rasping harshness of Sanderson's
voice.
At the end OF an hour BolingWorth
signed a paper and Jeffries had won.
Bollngworth had left the house at once
after ordering luncheon to be served
to his three guests The proxy lay
upon the table beside heavy blue en-
gelope. Jeffriea inserted It In the en-.
velope 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-
came louder and oil three men walked
to the window near the piano. Smith
and Jeffries approached the window In
advance of Sanderson. When they re-
turned to the table the envelope was
gone. There were other blue envelopes
in a rack on the table. but they were
MI empty.
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 frowned as II trying
to think. Suddenly he turned around
on the piano bench as II HI Idea had
at least been born, and said that he
ought to make certain that, the maid
had put antiseptic on her foot 30 that
she would not be poisoned by the rat
trap
i 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 Ills shoulders and
rang the bell. The butler summoned
the injured maid who limped to Smith
and talked In low tones with him while
she secretly received ten-dollar 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
Il can't understand you, Smith,"
said Jeffries, as the two walked to-
ward the front door, leaving Sander
son behind
"Have 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 establishment as
the car roared or. The two stood for
few minutes In the doorway, Jeffries
too surprised to speak. Suddenly
yell sounded inside the house.
Come onl" 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 dripped
from his hand to the floor.
Il knew that he must have taken
the envelope from the table," ex-
planned Smith, ."but ! did not know
where he had put 1t until I touched
the plano keys the second time and
found that three strings were dead"
Sanderson. desperately helpless, let
Smith pry the trap from his hand.
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"