Show n n nr r TA 11 1 J ff I I I ALJ AL' I kr Ad of JL L Y A J in SV flES SERVICE INC NEA A TRIS THIS HAS s HAPPENED JL John Curtis CurUa Curts Morgan lawyer lawr does not suspect that his secretary Nan Kan Carroll Carrol who ho has been ben with wih three eau jear i H Hn h In n love Jove with him an 7 lm an an abe and square as al a n man d herself hersel tor for this and determines to resign Morgan Is deeply d In love lVe with wih his beautiful and selfish wife Iris Elated over a a. I big biff legal legA l triumph In which the brilliant brilant and clever Nan lies has rendered re dered Invaluable assistance cever Morgan Invites l herand herand her herand and Bert Crawford Crawford a 1 friend of the fam fam- tam ly fly Ily to his hi home for dinner that night Nan does doel not trust Crawford and Is I puzzled by his extraordinary Interest In Iris Iril She Roes goes to the dinner and I Is treated with wih loe snobbish Indifference by Craw Crawford Cord and by Irl Iris whom she thoroughly thoroughly thor thoro dislikes After dinner an officer appears with wih a warrant for lor the arrest o of oC Crawford The next mornings morning's papers paper carry stories about Crawfords Crawford's part In i a a. whirlwind stock selling scheme to finance flance a I packing plant JUs friend and treasurer Roy Bland ha has has' disappeared disappeared disappeared with half half- halfa a 1 million milon of the proposed pro pro- po posed ed company's Compans funds Morgan believing In Jn the tle Innocence of Crawford stakes his professional integ- integ tty to defend him Nan Nan realizes that I the unsuspecting lawyer needs needa neels her now more than ever and therefore she slie postpones postpones postpones post post- I pones her resignation until the Crawford overhears et by case Is finished Nan Nan means cae of a listening ln devise devie a conversation conver conver- cation between Craw Crawford Cord and his hil switchboard switch switchboard board tween b operator operator Al Alice Delon Belton which office takes place fi In Ih Morgans Morgan's private Crawford bribes the girl to forget he talked with the cashier cashler of the ban bank banI ap ap- proving the check che young youn Bland cashed Just before his ls disappearance J Nan Is s startled when she hears A Alce Mice ice Nan I red heade ad i Chide chlde Crawford about bout a 8 dI headed that the dame She Is Js n now w convinced insinuation dame about Iris Morgan contained to Morgan addressed blackmail ole note In n a which a she intercepted to save e 8 him an n. n KU true GO WITH THE r S NOW OW O OX TlE TO CHAPTER X X That T at Belton girl hero herG yet Mor Morgan gan asked Nan his deep voice dragging dragging dragging drag drag- ging a little with fatigue t tIgue If U she is 15 I Imay may have to o ask you yoi au to stay a little late lat to make notes nates' on her testimony tha testman-tha that testimony that t Is if I she's at at lib liberty liberty lb- lb lib lib- erty to t talk talk- to the defense attar attar- ney Brainerd hasn't seen her her yet et Sh She's s be been m en out of her town her father s I funeral funer l In New York Yort Nan answered answered answered an an- an- an crisply Shell Shelt testify t for forus or orus r rus us us all right She did not nat tell him that she had had already made de notes on AU Alice e Belton's Betton's Bet Bel- er I r tons ton's tory story but as sa soon n as he had passed d on an Into into his his private office she passe swiftly inserted three thre sheets of ot I plain white paper pape with 1 two t o of c car bon boa into her machine ann and wal e almost ai- ai most incredible rapidity transcribed the shorthand notes nates she had made while th listening ing in upon that Incriminating Iste in conversation lan between Bert crt ert Cr Crawford and n Alice Belton Belon She She had bad ad just finished the tranScription transcription trans trans- when hen the buzzer sounded oun d. d Tearing the sheets from fram th the ma machine i chine she he folded the original very small smal arid and nd t tucked cled it i into the lie he pocket packet of her heather colored tweed skirt The f two wo other co copies pies sh she secreted d very effectively fo for the moment by laying them between new sheets sheet's of at box bax Then carbon arban paper in their ir with her notebook In hand hand- and he her hez wih brown e eyes es round raun and anel demure she went to take her het hel seat beside JoInt John Curtis Morgan Margan at his his' desk Curts The gods gads are care with us Nan Na Morgan exulted Miss Belon Belfon Is i goIng goIng go- go Ing to to be one oneat one of at our star witnesses Now Now child tell teU your story stary a again aIn from frai the beginning so Miss Carroll Carroll Car Car- roll roU can can mae make malce notes nates' natesan on an it l Jove JaVe this is luck Bert Bert C C r There ere was such uch genuine gladness such boyish relief In his voice that Nans Nan's ans an's heart eart swelled with pain for far h him m and anger against his friend frend whom she he believed ved t to be betraying him ruthlessly As Alice Alce B Belton's lans coquettish tI lin voice alce ran on and ad andon I In n on n punctuated with little le gasps and Nan obediently took notes nates Crawford had done his work well wel to o Morgan organ th story stary must have bare sounded o utterly canvin convincing in Splendid Miss Miss' Belton Beltan J the law Jaw Y ver r applauded her when she had ha finished I L say Bert maybe Miss Belton Belan could give us same some idea ide idea of at Gladys Pa Payne ne has as a al st you yau Girls do talk tak among aang themselves you yau know know know- Oh 01 Isn't she sho awful drag dragging ing poor paar B Bert Bert I rt-I rt I me mean Cra Crawford Crawford- ford ford- into this m mess Alice r. cried Just Jus I t say She had an n awful aw awful aw aw- ful crush clush on Bert Bert Berf Mr and and when he lie couldn't se see her she ta k lip up p wih with Roy Ray Bland h Alt I see Morgan fargan smiled And were ere Miss IRS Payne and Bland really engaged d I 1 guess so An Anyway a she was sporting a diamond ring not ring not q quite te a carat carat and I always say if a man cant can't give a a girl at at least a carat rat C diamond diamond- Jim Hm Not ot at quite quie a a car carat t Mor Morgan Morgan gan an frowned L D nt look as as' If I h he were using m much ch of or the the money moneS' he was fakIn taking does oes It 1 When did he give dve her the ring Mis Miss Iss Belton BeHan Oh 01 call cal me Alice AIce she urged urgEd fluttering her her- masc raed lashes lashe at t Morgan Well Wel she showed It I to us on Saturday SaturdaY lets lets let's see ee that been the of af November Yeah Yeh the That wa was after hed he'd stolen more than half haI of all al that mane money wasn't i if lt ithe the the cheap skate If I I Iwas Iwas Iwas was Gla Gladys GIadys ys Exactly smiled Morgan But tell us Alice Alce if Jf Gladys GayS said an anything any any- thing to you yau girls about Mr Craford Crawford Craw Cra ford or 01 Mr Bland In connection with thI tills this caS case I t mean he added hastily in ian arr effort to stem stein her ir- ir disclosures Well Yel on Thursday Thursday- morning marnin the night after They Roy Bland left lef for tar Chicago Chi ChI- cago eago- or wh n he Was supposed 16 to to have have l loft rt for lar- Chicago Chiago Alice began bean impressively I found Gladys Gladys cry cry r in ing her her eyes eyes- eyes out In the rest room roam and I said sai Good Goad grief Why the theo o ocean ean of tears Your sweeties sweetie's etes ete's only gone gano to Chicago you OU poor paar nut and nd Glad Gladys howled Chicago I I. I wish it was C Chicago B Bert rt Crawfords Crawford's ribbed him up to ta to go to South Amer- Amer Amer Anter- ica lea and Ill JH l probably never ne er see him again Hell He'll die Uel dl of fever or ar be eaten eaten eat eat- fn en en- enby by wild animals animal or something Then she se made mae me promise romise that Id I'd Id never ne er breathe a word ward o of what shed she'd said She I slid said id shed she'd shed promised Roy Boy n h sacred d word ward of honor not t to tell tel a soul and that Bert had made hinT promise ramr Well Wel for Pete's Petes sake Crawford expel expelled d a a gusty sigh Can Can you iou Imagine a little a-little little wart like like- Bland having having- th th tb- nervo ner and the lna- lna tion ton to te frame franie me IM like that tha t Of Of- course he hI knew kne this Payne Parne girl would auld spill the beans bean Tried to tomake make it look like Id I'd d had iad ad him draw lr w. w those those checks had taken the mone one and ln t et South to-South Amer i lea Ica 16 t get out of at the way Well Wel Ill I'll Il b be It be I I S C Morgan aJ looked at him k keenly Youve auve stated the case for far the prosecution prosecution pros pros- pros pros- with ih remarkable ren rk ble clarity Bert I I rem doubt if can do doit it I better better- when I ho e sums sums up And Im I'm Im afraid with wih tilts this Payne girls girl's girls I story stary to back him up that Brain Brain- Brainerd Brainerd erd is going to sound pretty ble N No keep your our aur shirt on an B Bert Bett rye Ive warned waned you yau before that that w we have to look laok at af this thing from tram the h prosecutions prosecution's tans tan's standpoint oftener than from our own awn Weve We've got at ot to anticipate every move on ma in their game oame and it i will it-will will m be fatal tatal to minimize their strength Now Alice Alce did Td rd she tell tel you yda anything more mare A lot lat der e ponds on what what you you- youcan can tell telI us child Alice was quivering with wih excite excitement e i ment and nd Glad triumph Gladys s 's was as terribly sar sore at Bert She said al 1 It i was was all aU his fault faul that Roy wouldn wouldn't have had ad the money maney t to go traipsing traipsing sing oft off to look laok for far Spanish Spanish treasure treas treas- ure ur ure Inthe In the Andes mountains if it Bert Ber hadn't it it to him Sh She said Roy Ray had been bugs on an the subject ever since hed he'd been In South Sauth America AmerIa three or four years l ago 1 g and d that thai lr B r e. e B r Bert J ct encouraged him in i it S She Wanted ante to go SO with Roy Ray but he lie saId sale B Bert rt wouldn't stand for his Ms taking a girl and that th t it was rio na naf no life lite f for far a woman any anyway and ana that hed he'd write her nearly learly every day and come came back backa as a soon soan as ho he found faund the Spanish g gold gold gold- ld- ld Judas Priest Bert Crawford ejaculated Why good aad Lord Lard I al always ways was at t his crazy story stary and helped him 1 m g get t good s jobs jabs like Ike this one just t to crowd that nonsense nonsense non nan sense out aut of at his cracked racked brain Han Honestly Jack Jack that that bird bid ought to get et o out ot t of ot this busIness business on the grounds of insanity The he telephone at t Morgans Morgan's elbow rans rang Til ru rl take ake it i Nan an Pra Probably ably my wife Hello Hela Yes darling darIng Just leaving leaving Oh Im I'm sorry sarry Of course cours well we'll wel eat out then Anything you ya say honey Yes right right- now G Good Good-b GOod bye be ad e dear As As sooT soon saal as ashe he he hung up up the receiver receive he he- became the th busy lawyer lawer again Well Wel Alice AIle youve you've helped d us a n. great deal Ive I've got gat to to go row now now Bert Anything special l b before fare I leave leaveN N Nan n You'll take Miss Belton's Beltan's home address wont won't want you yau Nan rose her h hand nd instinctively going to the folded sheet sheet of paper aper in her pocket packet But she had already made mad h her r plans and they did not nat include showing John Jahn Curtis Curts Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- aran ar- ar gan an that conclusive of at f- f his friends friend's da edged double bleed ed perfidy Nothing Mr Morgan But But there are one ane or two points I want t to go over with wih Mr Crawford before he leaves es if I I may Crawford looked ast astonished and ui uh Well Well if Wel it if you make it s snappy appy Nan Im I'm Im taking this little star witness winess of of mine out to dinner dinner- that pert Morgan arga wheeled sharply Youre Yaure d doing nothing of ot the sort sartI Im I'm Im not going at going to ta have rainerd Brainerd producing witnesses wit wit- wl- wl nesses to prove that youve you've been unduly influencing ing this child No dates with wih heror with wih any other ather girl gir in t the tho case cas case until the trials trial's trIals a over e r. r That's the way ay I practice law Bert Bert Sorry Sarry he added brusquely as Crawfords Crawford's fair fall skin went ent ruddy with wih anger Oh all aU right I just thought I owed awed the kid a a. good goad feed after ater sh shed she'd taken the trouble to come came up here hero and help us aut Good Gaad night Alice Alle Youre You're a pe peach ch and Ill I'll Il make makei it i up to you when 12 good gaad men and tr true e have hare ha e. said sad Not ot s guilty Well We'll throw a a. big party to celebrate and nd you'll be guest of at honor hanor Good Goodnight night Jack Guess youre you're right rIght skirmishing Im I'm m just just not nat used to all all' al ti this legal C S Nan an Carroll sat very still stil in her ler backed straight backed chair besl beside Mor Mor- or- or gans gan's desk desk- until the door h had d' d closed on her employer and Alice Alce Belton Beltan Crawford Cra had r followed them into the outer office and when he re return returned re- re turn turned d he was was' whist whistling wl jubilantly Going to put me rile on the rack Nan Nab lie le stopped whistling in the middle a of a bar baras as a his liis merry blue blueeyes blueeyes blueeyes eyes caught caugh sight of at h her r stern little face Listen sweet sect child Id I'd Id like to know what you you really realy think of ot me ne me Youve You've got gat me puzzled Sometimes Sometimes Same Same- Some Some- times Umes you au look at me as If ItI I were a a. cockroach and it makes me un un- Un- Un comfortable Youre You're not nat against me mein mein mein in this thIng are you yau Nans Nan's eyes remained sternly on an his hi flushed f face ce as she slowly drew the folded sheet shEet of paper from her jacket Read this Mr Crawford then tell tel me what you you honestly be believe be- be here lieve I think of at ya you I The Tue man man who was to stand trial as an an an embezzler took taale th the offered sheet and unfolded nf ld dit it ging gingerly rl but butth th the lie high drained drained out ut t of of his face face- before he had read half half- hal of at it it What the devil den So y you au his his- ened at the keyhole did you you little ittle sneak By God Gad Ill I'll IH se see that that Morgan Margan cans you you you- Do o you yau think he will will when when i-when when he helas has las read that Nan asked steadily steadlY scornfully Hell HeI thank me for far having laving saved him him from from the dishonor dis- dis honor hanor lonor of pf defending defending's Ta man who wha is guilty Crawford In spite spie of his Int intense nse anger took another glance glanc at th the transcribed notes note's Then he lie laughed harshly Rather Bather j jumping mp ng to conclusions conclusions con can ar arent aren't nt you you yau my girl This isn't a confession Its It's Is I's just just just- Just a neat little job jab of at tamperIng tampering tamper- tamper Ing ing ng with witha a witness winess Nan sai said quietly A A pra practice which John Curtis Morgan has has' never never condoned condone t tand and which will wi cause him hint to v the he case out of this office as as' as soon as he sees sees' it If ft if he sees it it slie he added significantly Oh So that's your game Crawford laughed laughed with wih aur sudden almost almost al- al most Judicious r Al you |