Evening star., 1939-03-19

of the golden damask was airless and
empty Footsteps, voices, the early
stir of store about to open invaded
the second floor.
In descending elevator at twenty
minutes after nine. Jocelyn Perry said,
Upholstery, please" " to the operator
The first telephone booth left of the
elevator in the upholstery section,
Jocelyn noted. was apparently out of
order She entered the other booth,
dlaled number and said, "Roddy?'
To Amy. rigidly stethoscoping the
hidden wall of the booth. it was almost
as if Jocelyn's bright, evenly-tinted
lips had spoken an inch from her ear.
Brown French gingham. Roddy,'
Jocelyn said in a soft discreet voice.
."Plaid pattern. And small brown hat
with copper buckle =. Assignments
- earthenware, fiat silver and riding
breeches at McCready's ="
Amy's face under the small brown
hat was shocked oval in the dimness
back of the damask Then - it was
true. And Roddy - whoever he was
was writing down her assignments.
'Roddy. are you sure you don't lose
any time after give you these assign
ments? The results last week were
not satisfactory -
Roddy! Who was Roddy? Perspira-
ton streamed over Amy's face. The
stethoscope clicked and rustled and
recorded the grating sound OF the
booth door as Jocelyn walked out.
"Veloursr' Amy thought. hurriedly
stuffing the stethoscope into her hand
bag with shaking hand. "1'll be
sewed up in here as long as she's pick
ing around on that table -
But Jocelyn quickly spotted the
mustard-coloredv velour Her voice al
most as stricken. Amy thought, as if
she had found a yellow fever corpse in
health colony, summoned a clerk:
"Have this mustard yellow velour sent
up to Mr. Kent's office!'
Amy escaped. and reported the
stethoscope's disclosures to Claire.
Claire" she whispered. "all the
time was back of that damask. kept
wondering how l could find out what
number she dials!'
But, Amy" Claire said soberly.
anything you heard her say could
have been ordinary information for
>potter."
'''Spotter"
"Ive known her to borrow sales
clerk in the store and shop her own
shoppers when she took it into her
head that shopper was incompetent.
The spotter just follows you up and
turns in a report on how you work"
IN ontime," Amy quivered. Il in
tend have talk with one of the
store detectives. the young one with
the |, sh face Burke. | know where he
lunch es
Blu Ike. at noon, listened in stupefied
amas ament to Amy's account of her
morr ing "Stethoscope!" he gasped
Gosh, kid, you're wastin' your life
gumshoein' needles and pins and but
tons. Y'oughta be on the force"
''Mr. Burke" Amy said. II don't
even ask you to take my word for it.
Inreport some other eyesore in Uphol-
steries and lend you the stethoscope"
me! Me brandishin' stethoscope
IN bunch of plush! Not on your
life"
Then. if do it again. myself. would
YOU - could you have the call traced!
After that you could walk in on Roddy
wherever he is, couldn't you? And
show him your badge?"
Burke shivered Listen, kid. do you
want me to lose my job hornin' into
Bill Kent's love-life??"
"Love-life! Don't be dumb. Terry
Listen" Burke said, "the Monday
latter that dame went to the hospital,
Bill Kent turned up at the store with
, fo,der folded I'm on his car. What's