Evening star., 1940-08-16

| papers back In the basket, set the
basket down on the desk, and went
back to the outer office, this time
unconscious of the glances cast at
her.
Noon came at last. This time
she was not alone in the lunchroom
though. she reflected ruefully. 1t was
the first time she had wanted to be
alone Somehow she must get word
to Hugo Blake that the shipment
was to leave at 7, and then
She managed it by leaving her
handkerchief on the floor under the
table and rushing back to the lunch
room too get it, leaving the other
girls on their way back to the Of
flee. Hugo was one of a group of
men lingering around the door.
Nancy Tips Blake.
She darted into the lunchroom,
picked up her handkerchief and
started back again. AS she reached
the door Hugo stepped away from
the group and caught her hand in
his thick muscular one.
Say, Nancy. What time is our
date?"
She looked at him quickly and
Seven? That's SWELL
Even as she turned away she
caught the gleam of approval in
his bright little eyes
1t was already / o'clock when
she reached the Office and she
began working almost automatical-
ly, her mind far away.
Seven tonight. Somehow Hugo
Blake would manage to be there.
just how. she didn't know. He
would be driving the truck when it
left the Bristow plant The regular
driver had been bribed that she
knew.
Would Tom Cantwell be along.
she wondered? What would happen
to him if he was?
BY this time tomorrow it would
all have happened. Hugo Blake
would be in jail with his confed-
crates, one of them Tom Maybe
Pat would be there, too. But there
was no turning back now
SUDDENLY she glanced up at the
clock. Ten minutes to three.
She leaned across her desk and
whispered to one of the girls: II
thought Mr.. Bristow was going to
be here this afternoon.
Can't Contact Mr.. Bristow.
The girl spoke to her almost
without moving her fingers from
the keyboard He is. But it may
be late when he arrives.
Nancy frowned. She had intended
that when John Bristow arrived at
the plant she would 60 boldly into
his office and tell him the whole
story. Then he could take the nee
essary steps.
1t had not occurred to her until
this minute that John Bristow
might arrive too late or might not
arrive at all.
BY $3.50 she could stand it no
longer There was a public phone
downstairs near the lunchroom: she
went down, got a slug and called
John Bristow's downtown office.
A silky-voiced secretary finally
answered the phone
I'm sorry. Mr.. Bristow won't be
in again today"
She stood for a minute wonder
ing what to do Suddenly she ran
to the entrance hall, where a watch
man sat in tilted-up kitchen chair.
Has Mr.. Bristow come out to
the plant this afternoon?"
The watchman shook his head
with maddening slowness.
Nope Amt seen him all day."
With sudden feeling of terror,
she bought another slug, went to
the telephone and called the Bris-
tow home.
Pat Is Hurt.
Il don't know where YOU could
find Mr.. Bristow." the maid said
over the wire. Il understood that
he'd gone out of town quite un-
expectedly"
I've got to do something Nam
cy nurmured fiercely under her
breath. She walked slowly up the
concrete stairs to the Office, try
ing to decide what to do.
The police might laugh at her.
They might pay no attention to her.
Worse still, they might become sus-
picious of her volunteered informa-
ton and hold her until it was too
late to act.
1t had never occurred to her that
John Brlstow might not be quickly
available when she needed him.
For a moment she sat at her desk
half-stunned, trying to think of
some solution. AS she sat there a
telephone rang sharply. She barely
noticed that Madge Fletcher picked
it up, answered it and sat listening
while her face turned slowly pale.
The head stenographer put the
telephone down at last and came
slowly over to Nancy's desk. When
Nancy looked up she saw a. warm,
almost fearful sympathy in the gray
eyes that had been so unfriendly.
Nancy -your-your BROTH
er-"
Pat" Nancy leaped to her feet
forgetting everything else. What's
happened to Pat?"
Madge Fletcher reached out a
hand. Hes been hurt. Seriously,
I'm afraid. That was the emergen-
cy hospital at the airport phoning.
They want you to come out there
at once"
Copyrisht. 1910, Chicago Daily News. Inc.
Continued tomorrow. Conversa-
ton with Pat.