The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-07-08
Blonde
For Bait
BY ROB EDEN

Continued From Page 81
Indeed, must know each other
pretty well since they had had din
ner together and spent long time
in private conversation.
Met Accidentally
Determined to be fair. she con-
eeded that Rayburn and Vorhis
might have met accidentally at the
restaurant and dined together.
Naturally, they would talk. and
the fact that they talked in low +.
tones was not particularly signifi-
cant. They wouldn't shout-neither
was the noisy sort, anyway.
In the times she had been with
Rayburn after hours, since he had
been escorting her to and from
work and occasionally taking her
to dinner, he never mentioned
Vorhis, although he knew Bsrrin-
ger considered him equally a
suspect with Rick.
Neither had he mentioned any,
one else she had met at karl's
apartment that night she had gone
TO his party.
In fact, he had stayed pretty
clear of the whole espionage plot.
she recalled.
She hadn't talked with him
about it, much either, as she had
becomes heartily sick of her part
in 1t after she realized what she
had done to the man she loved.
What did she know about Ray
burn? Very little, she decided.
except that he had been at the
plant for two years.
Before that she knew he had
worked for big factory in the
East.
Also, she knew that he had
flown in the World War, first as
member of the Raj. having
enlisted in Canada, and later
transferring to the American
forces when the United States
joined the Allies.
He had briefly mentioned his
experience as a flier one day when
he found her looking at an old
photograph in his office.
Rayburn, at twenty, cut a DASH
ing figure in his uniform as he
stood in a group of other aviators.
He had told her the picture was
made outside their billet in Bel
GUM while he was still with the
Raj.
Even with this fragmentary pic
ture, she had little knowledge of
his background. She did not even
know. for instance, whether he
ever had been married.
She knew now that he was not
at least, he lived alone, and
never mentioned anything about
wife.
She wondered if Major Bar
ringer knew any more about Ray.
burn than she did.
Well Satisfied
He must be pretty well satis-
fled that he was trustworthy. or
he never would have permitted him
to occupy a confidential position
at plant where details of secret
building would come to his notice.
She paused on corner to rest
for a moment, and glancing up,
saw a bus approaching
1t was the bus that she usually
took when she called on Major
Barrinnger, and on impulse she
put up her hand and signalled it
to stop.
1t wasn't too late to call on
the Army officer-he might fill
in some of the details of RAY
burns background that puzzled
her.
Also, he might be interested
IN knowing about the meeting be-
tween Rayburn and Vorhis and
the fact that they were acquaint-
ances, if not close friends.
But she refused to consider what
it might mean if the dawning
suspect in her mind were true. 1t
would be enough If it would add
particle of evidence which would
clear Rick.
Soon she was standing outside
the door of Barringers place.
her finger on the bell.
But after five minutes, she gave
up. Very apparently, Major Bar
ringer was not in. Shed have to
keep her secret to herself until
she found him, because she knew
she couldn't trust anyone else with
it, now.
ITO Be Continued