The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-07-03
Al Blonde
For Bait
BY ROB EDEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ing trap KICK Leslie as a suspected
spy while, with set face and con-
temptuous eyes, he sat few feet
away, his handcuffed wrists in his
lap.
If I'd ever known what I'd have
had to 60 through" she sobbed to
herself In the anteroom after File
stone. the bureau chief, and Major
Barringer had finished with her.
I'D never have agreed to do it"
Tears brought little comfort to
her as she sat there, waiting for
the inquisition Of Rick by the Off
GERS in the inner room to be COM
pleted. She would have taken 4
bus or an interurban car home
as soon as she was dismissed. but
Bsrringer had told her to wait.
I'm drive yai home when finish
here" he had said.
Inside the room, Rick faced his
aceusers defiantly.
Il did not take that key from
Ell-Miss Anvers' purse" he in
sisted.
Then how did it happen to be
in your pocket when / arrested
you ?" Barringer insisted.
Il don't know. / don't know" he
answered. "Unless-" The thought
that flashed into his mind was too
terrible to voice.
He didn't really believe it - he
couldn't believe that Ellen had de-
liberately slipped it into his pocket
and yet
Il don't know" he repeated.
Again he went over the scene in
Georges cafe at the beach.
He admitted she had spoken of
the key when it fell from her purse.
That she seemed worried about it,
and then replaced it in the bag.
Called to Phone
Later. she was called to the
phone" he said. Il waited min
ute or so for her, and then George
called me over to the little bar at
the end of the cafe. He insisted
on mixing me a new cocktail he
had invented. When I went back
to the table, Miss Anvers was
there"
Did you see anyone near your
table, when you were away from
it," Filestone asked.
"Of course not" Rick answered.
sharply. My back was turned to
the table"
Neither, he said. did he see any
one he knew or whom he ever had
seen before lowering about the
table.
Aside from George-he's the
proprietor-no one came near us
or near our table, that l know of,
but Jules, the waiter. I've seen
him before. He's been at Georges
at least q month or so, / should
say"
Barringer turned to the question
of the desert hideout. and tried to
probe Leslie on that.
who is Caithness ?" the officer
demanded.
"A friend" was the answer.
when did you meet him."
I'D rather not say"
Isn't he really Zachary Frayne
an American spy who supposedly
died in a French prison ?" Bar
ringer shot at him, suddenly.
Rick was taken by surprise, and
a frightened expression crossed his
face for a moment.
Knows Nothing
81 don't know anything about
him." he repeated, stubbornly. He
said they were working on an old
gold mine, the two of them, as
partners.
Then why don't you tell MS the
location. so we can see for our
selves"
That's up to Caithness. He's
the one who asked for secrecy, and
you'll have to get any information
from him"
Rick fatty refused to give any
more information along that line
and Filestone called the officers to
return him to the county jail. He
never glanced at Ellen as he passed
through the anteroom, his head
held high.
When he returned TO the Jail.
he sent for the head turnkey and
asked if bail had been set.
"Filestone appeared before the
commissioner this morning and
made his charge, and bail was set
at $4,000" the officer answered.
Thinking Of getting out ?"
Fat Chance
Fat chance" Rick answered.
Ten thousand-it might as well
be ten million, so far as I'm con-
cerned. can never raise that
amount OF money"
A man of different temperament
might have given way TO despair,
but Rick, while terribly upset by
what had happened to him, really
was much more perturbed by the
revelations he had been forced to
hear in Filestone's office when
Ellen was being questioned.
what a sucker I've been" he
told himself, and he was so &C.
cupied with his bitterness over her
fContinued on Paee s Column Al