Evening star., 1940-08-16
CHAPTER TX.


says, he double-Crossed the SABOTAGE
ring Nancy is questioned by the
police. but finally released.
CHAPTER TX.
The Office of the John Bristow
Co. buzzed with excitement Is min
utes before opening time Nearly
every girl on the staff had come to
work early, to find out what had
been discovered about the manager S
murder. Disappointed by learning
that nothing had been disclosed SO
far, they consoled themselves by
gathering in little gossiping groups
talking over the events of the day
before.
A hush fell over the entire room
as Nancy Thorne entered a few
minutes before 8, her face pale, but
her determined little chin held high,
ready to face anything.
She walked on into the big Office
as casually as though she were en-
tering sorority tea. tossed her
purse on the desk and said lightly,
Anything new on our personal
murder mystery?"
Some one gasped. There was a
long moment of embarrassed silence.
Then Annie Burke said in an
awe-struck whisper, Il thought they
arrested you!"
Nancy Thorne shrugged her
shoulders, made an insouciant mo-
ton with her lower lip, and said
1Nt nf
questions because I happened to be
the one to walk in and find him,
but that's all
She paused and waited for some
one else to make the next move.
Gosh. Nancy-tell us all about
It, will you?"
It was the first time any one in
the office had ever called her Nancy,
except little Annie Burke.
What they do-put you through
a third degree?"
Nancy looked up calmly. They
sure did"
Go on" some one else said,
what happened?"
Suddenly a Heroine.
Suddenly she had become
heroine in the office, the center OF
attention. With maddening deliber-
alton she took comb from her
purse and began drawing 1t slowly
through her red-gold hair.
For Petes sake. what did hap
pen?" 1t was Madge Fletcher who
spoke that time.
Nancy grinned. Before she spoke
she thought of every movie melo-
drama she had ever seen. We'll.
they took me off to the police sta
ton for questioning. There they
took me in a little room and turned
big light on my face" She told
her story and made it good.
Believe me- she finished, Il was
tust about to faint when who should
walk in but John Bristow himself! y
She paused long enough for a
little excited murmur to run through
her audience.
He told those cops where to get
off. Then, believe it or not, ne
drove me home in his own car
she paused again, "and what's more
he told me if there was any more
questioning he'd have a lawyer
there"
The sound of the o'clock bell
ves like curtain going down.
Work went on as usual. An order
went through the entire plant. ad-
vising every employe that the un-
fortunate occurrence of the day
before must in no way slow up the
work that had to be Gone. 1t was
also learned that John BrlstoW
himself was going to act as offlce
manager until some new arrange
ment could be made. though the
elassed-in private Office remained
conspicuously empty.
Nancy Is Quizzed.
Mid-morning came, and this time
Nancy boldly joined the group
around the milk cart. She found
herself the center of attention.
Were the cops really tough with
sou?"
What did you say to old man
Bristow?"
whats the inside of his car like,
anyway"
Weren't you scared?
Then some one-the blond comp
tometer operator, Nancy thought
said, "Say-old man Bristow was up
here himself yesterday noon. May
be he did the job
The other girls laughed merrlly
and irreverently. Then it was time
to 60 back to work again.
Nancy found it hard to keep her
mind on the pile of envelopes she
was addressing. John BristoW had
been here yesterday noon. John
Bristow had probably known what
his manager, Grimshaw, had been
doing. Was it possible? Could IL
be possible? Oh, no, 1t couldn't t pc!
Then who had shot GrlmshaW?
A pile of reports followed the
envelopes. She finished them Ut
tie before noon, and took them 10
Miss Fletchers desk.
The head stenographer tossed her
head airily. Those reports have
to be laid on the desk in the inner
Office. Surely you wouldn't mlnd
taking them in there
Nancy stared at her for an in
stant.
mo. OF course wouldn't.
She picked up the reports and
marched into the inner office, con-
scious that every girl in the big
room had stopped work long enough
to watch her pass through the door,
There was the desk. There was
the chair where he had been sitting
His head had been dropped down on
the desk, right there-but some one
had taken the blotter away.
Discovers Shipment Due.
She drew close to it slowly. one
step at a time, estimating the num-
Der Of steps she would have to take
before she could drop the handful
of papers in the wire basket for
John Bristow to examine later, and
20 away as quickly as she could.
r-hor. u,ara feU panerS alreadV