"
"And if it's due to the plots of any of his rivals," said
Mr. Damon, "I'll denounce them all as traitors, bless my
insurance policy, if I don't! And that's what they are!
They're playing into the hands of the enemy!"
"All right," said Ned. "But the thing to do now is to get
Tom. Perhaps Mrs. Baggert can help us."
It developed that the housekeeper was of more assistance
in giving information than was Mr. Swift.
"It was several hours ago," she said, "that the telephone
rang and some one asked for Tom. The operator shifted the
call to the phone out in the tank shop where he was, and Tom
began to talk. The operator, as Tom had instructed her,
listened in, as Tom wants always a witness to most matters
that go on over his wires of late."
"What did she hear?" asked Ned eagerly.
"She heard what she thought was your voice, I believe,"
the housekeeper said.
"Me!" cried the young bank clerk. "I haven't talked to Tom
to-day, over the phone or any other way. But what next?"
"Well, the operator didn't listen much after that, knowing
that any talk between Tom and you was of a nature not to
need a witness.
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