The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-07-10
CONTINUED From Page Two)

that, by the widest stretch q
imagination. could be called IN
eliminating.
She felt after an hour It was
a fruitless search, that II Rayourn
were mixed up in anything IN
which Karl Vorhis was involved
he would be very careful nothing
in his office would show IT.
There was the faint chance
however, that ne might have been
careless. That hope buoyed her
up.
She considered her next move
after carefully replacing the MES
and turned to Rayburn's desk. The
middle drawer was locked, but a
thin nail file sprung it very easily
She hurried through a small pile
of memorandums neatly clipped
together without finding anything
then came upon small book OF
addresses and phone numbers
which she hoped might prove
promising.
She laid 1t aside for the time,
and started on the lower ngnt
hand desk drawer.
II also was locked, but 1t finally
Welded to her own desk key and
the nail file.
She pulled it open, to find pile
of papers on the bottom. These
she pushed hurriedly aside, seeking
she knew not what. A projecting
piece Of brass intrigued her, and
she seized it with her hand.
Lifts Out
Much to her surprise, 1t lifted
right out, and curiously she held
II in her hand. 1t was long rod,
nearly foot long, and attached
to the end was a brass device
which seemed vaguely familiar.
She glanced to the ceiling OF the
office, and instantly had the an
swer. 1t was a unit of the auto
matte sprinkler system.
When it was lifted out, there
was a hole, an inch in diameter,
and curiously she leaned down
and looked.
Directly below, she saw part of
a table with blue prints on 1t. A
mans shoulders came into view,
plotting out the blue prints.
Replaces Device
Terrifically excited by her dis
covery, she hastily replaced the
device and covered it with the
papers she had pushed aside. She
Strengthened up, pushing the
drawer shut with her foot and
glanced nervously around.
Rayburn was standing in the
doorway, his eyes on her and a
very peculiar look on his face.
He turned and put his hat on the
hall tree and she closed the mid
die desk drawer and got to her
feet.
Thought I'd do a little house,
cleaning while l had the time"
she offered, lamely knowing that
her flaming cheeks belied her ex-
PLANTATION.
For some reason she couldn't
fathom, Rayburn chose to ignore
the incident and soon was in the
midst of a furry of dictation.
Afraid it may keep you a little
overtime to finish" he apologized,
but I've got to get. these letters
into the nights mail. If you don't
mind finishing them"
"Of course not" she answered,
and returned to her own deck in
the small outer office, and plunged
into the work he had given her.
She had been so flustered, she
had taken dictation mechanically
and had paid no attention to the
letters Rayburn had ratified off
at express speed.
GNour 30 N1td
When she came to translate
them from shorthand into tipping
she realized that they were I'M
important. None of them was so
vital that it couldn't have gone
over another day, or week for
that matter.
Rayburn had deliberately de-
cided to punish her for poking
around his desk. She blamed her.
self for being so foolish as to take
a chance on being caught-to take
a chance on revealing to Rayburn
that she was suspicious of him.
II he were involved in the
espionage, she had put herself in
a very precarious position.
On the other hand, IL he were
not, he would merely consider her
overly curious and probably find
an early excuse to fire her. She
had been a fool to take such a
chance without waiting to see
Major Barringer first.
He would have advised her what
TO do, and could have arranged for
thorough search without Ray
burn ever finding out about 1t.
Now. If there was any signifi-
canoe to what she had found. Ray
burn would have ample opportun-
ity TO get rid Of it before a search