The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-04
SYNOPSIS
by Robert Bruce

1er 70 marry nm.
 At The Golden Feather night
 club she meets SANDY HAR-
 KINS whose business connection
 is vague. Sandy introduces Bobby
 and Jean to MIR. and MRS. LEW
 IS and Bobby arranges to sell
 some bonds for Lewis. He sells
 them to Donald Montague. Lewis
 buys car.
 LARRY GLENN, federal agent,
 is trying to locate WINGY LEW
 IS, bank rObber. He learns about
 the bond transaction and queS-
 tiOns Bobby. The bonds were
 stolen. Larry believes the car
 Lewis bought was armOred. BOb-
 by undertakes to find out.
 Jean goes to her home town for
 g vacation. Sandy comes to see her and she agrees to marry him.
 Bobby believes he has a lead on the location of the factory where armored cars are made and
 goes alone to investigate.
 CHAPTER XXVI
 The little valley opened about 100 yards from Pulaski road. The driveway led downward, swinging sharply to the left and then to the right again in barren region that seemed almost desert-like. Once out of sight of the main highway, Bob- by could see nothing but the bleak, grimy hillocks. There was no grass; here and there 8 stunted, soot-black ened bush clung to slope; other wise there was not sign of life.
 The driveway kept on going down hill; and at last it made one more turn and came out in 8 queer little hollow. At the other side, few rods away, there was a precipitous bank, crowned by a long row of gone-to-seed dwell ingS; on the right hand and on the left similar bank hemmed the place in. And in the center of the hollow there was a long, an- cient building of red brick with a time-stained roof of galvanized iron. Nestling against the banks were broken-down ruins of odd- looking conical brick structures.
 "A brick yard!" said Bobby suddenly. That, obviously, was what the place had been - once. A deposit of workable clay must have been dug out of this hollow, at one time. The remains of the kilns were still in evidence; the long, low building in the center must have been the = well, thought Bobby, that must have been where they did whatever it is people do to bricks when they get them ready for the ovens.
 It was perfectly clear that no bricks had been made here for many a year. But it was equally clear that the central building was still in use. A freshly painted black chimney rose from the farther end, with a wisp of smoke threading its way up toward the evening sky; and surrounding the whole thing there was a new business-like fence of woven wire, seven feet high, with barbed-wire, strands on the top where the driveway entered. Inside this gate three or four cars were parked.
 As Bobby drove up, 8 man got LID from seat beside the gate. He let himself out and stroHed up to Bobby's car with insolent Slowness, his thumbs hooked in his belt. He wore no coas, and his vest was un- butoned; and beneath his left arm- pit the black butt of a revolver, tucked away in a shoulder holster, was plainly visible.
 He was a hard-looking proposi- tion, this man, and as Bobby stopped the car the man bent dis tinctly infriendly look upon him.
 aWhat do you want?' he asked.
 Bobby did his best to look con- fused and lost.
 Why he said, "I was look ing for shortcut over to - to Grand River boulevard. I thought this was it."
 "Well, it isn't," said the man.
 "Oh," said Bobby. He looked at the building with what he hoped was just the right degree of innocent interest. What is this?"
 '.Never mind what it is," said the man. ''This's 8 private road, and you're trespassing. Scram!"
 He casually moved his vest back, to give Bobby a better look at the revolver. Bobby grinned suddenly.
 "Okay, partner" he said. He backed up and swung around, while the guard stood watching him with sullen suspicion. Then casting, 8 last glance at the erstwhile brick plant, Bobby drove up the roadway to Pulaski roau again.
 On his way back to town Bobby was the prey of a pleasurable ex- citement, not unmixed with an even more pleasurable feeling of self f-congratulation. He had found something queer, that was certain; something almighty queer, tucked away in that inaccessible hollow, surrounded by an unclimbable fence and guarded by a surly watchman with revolver. Was this the place Mark Hopkins and MacFarlane had visited the after non before? Where else could they have gone? If their goal had been some place on Central street they would not have used Pulaski road at all; if they had gone to the steel mill they would have used Tunney road, which led directly to the front entrance.
 The reddish dust on Hopkins car testified that they had gone along Pulaski road back of the steel mill; and if they had done that, this queer place back in the hollow seemed to be the only conceivable goal.
 rive got something!" Bobby told himself jubilantly. I'll bet a, dol- lar to an old doughnut that's the place Larry Glenn's looking for. Had I better tell Larry about 1t right of - or should I try to find out something more before I do? Gosh, I wish could get just a lit- tie more dope before tell him