Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 December 1941 — Page 24

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| FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 1841

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Serial Story—

Secret Voyage

By JOSEPH L. CHADWICK

YESTERDAY: Jim Mallory arrives at the Hammond mansion te Sind Jeffery Hammond in Miami on business and his daughter Leis assigned te entertain him. He overheard Lois and some friends talk about him. They picture him as a dis. agreeable person because of his salvage work. When Jim enters the room they are surprised, especially Lois Hammend and Mary Larsen, whom he learns is Mr. Hammond's secretary. Lois plays up to Jim and asks him te dance. He netices Mary watching them with a twisted and bitter smile on her lips.

CHAPTER FOUR JEFFERY HAMMOND returned home shortly before midnight. Jim Mallory,

looking man of about 55. Mallory was aware that Hammond’s secretary, Mary Larsen, was at the other desk at the far end of the room. Hammond said, "“T've been considering your several communications, Mallory, concerning the

freighter Sonora which went down|

in the Caribbean some months ago. You've located the ship, and you'd like to salvage her cargo.” “That’ is, sir. I think the job would pay. I first contacted your New York office, meaning to deal with the insurance company, but I was informed the cargo had not

been insured.” “Quite right. There was a slipup the office. The cargo should have been insured. Bu' I can't

agree that salvaging would pay.)

The cargo was manganese, and

ore is always difficult to salvage. | lies at 890

Besides, the Sonora fathoms and divers can't work at that depth.” “She lies at 40 fathoms, Hammond, not 80."

“But the Coast Guard took a

sounding.” “The Coast Guard took a sounding at the spot where the Sonora's crew said she went down. She doesn't lie there, but several miles away.” “Perhaps taken™

the crew was mis-

JIM MALLORY made a slow thing of lighting a cigaret. He stole a glance at the girl; obviously she was all ears. “By the way, Mallory,” Hammond said, “did you go down to the ship?” Jim Mallory saw Mary Larsen's head come up. He said, “Yes.” And he saw Hammond frown. You could feel a mystery here, he told himself. Hammond's voice was casual, asking, “Was she badly damaged?” “I wasn't down long, sir,” Jim Mallory answered. He admitted nothing, and that was no lie, He wasn't telling all he knew. He wasn't, for example, telling that he had seen holes in the Sonora's hull —holes that could have been put there, not by a storm, but by gunfire. He saw something like relief in Hammond's worried eyes. “I'll think this over,” Hammond aid. “Tomorrow we'll put it up to Eric Forbes, my general manager, who is flying down from New York. If we like your proposition, we'll certainly come to terms with you. Now if you don't mind. . . .” He rose and came from behind the desk. “I'll turn in. Doctor’s orders, you know.” Jim Mallory said, “Good night, sir” After Hammond had left the room he walked over to Mary's desk. “You left the party early. You must have pressing work, to be at it at midnight™ “I keep irregular hours—Spike" she sald, venom in her voice. “You are very smart, Mr. Mallory. Or should I say fresh?” “Youre rather clever yourself,” he said. “Pretending to work so you could hear what was said here tonight. Do you make a habit of spying on your boss?” He saw quick alarm in her eyes. “Still” she retorted, “I'm not planning to blackmail him—as you are” And she started to turn away to leave the room, but he caught her arm and held her, “What do you mean by that?” “As if you don’t know. A blind person could see through you. Even Mr. Hammond knows what you're up to. You don't want to salvage that ship. You want him to pay you not to salvage it.” *1 don't get you. I really dont

summond to his| host's study, faced a distinguished |

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| Hammond doesn't want that ship {salvaged or even located. You {know he doesn't want to have | anything to do with it.” | He eyed her calmly enough, but he was excited. He said, “Maybe you and I could work together. What do you say?” He wanted to find out what she was up to. She puzzled him.

“Maybe,” she said. “And maybe not.” She left the room hurriedly.

ERIC FORBES arrived .at noon the next day. He was a darkly handsome man. He was the typical young executive, brisk of speech and movement, self-confident, aggressive. Jim Mallory met him after spending the morning with Lois Hammond. He was in the study with Hammond, and Mary Larsen was there doo, typing at her desk. Jim had known she would be there. . Bric Forbes said at once, “Mr. Hammond has outlined your idea, | Mallory. However, it seems like a| long shot to me. I take it you'd want the company to put up some money on this—this gamble.” “It isn’t a gamble,” Jim said. “It’s a sure thing. But that was my idea. I'm not financially able to handle the job alone” “Ore is hard to salvage. You might have all sorts of trouble. We know nothing about your company. Your equipment might not be what it should be.” Jim Mallory didn't reply to that He knew Eric Forbes was X He looked at Jeffery H A saw that the older man was leaving

|Did you know,

the matter to his general 5 There was, he thought,

Forbes said. salvage later, through another company. We know you've gone to some expense in time and money in the matter so we'll offer you $2000 for the Sonora’s location and a quitclaim for your salvage intentions. what do you say?” A slow smile came to Jim Mallory's lips. He was forcibly aware of Eric Forbes’ eagerness behind the casualness of his manner. He was aware also of Hammond's tenseness —and of the silence from Mary Larsen’s typewriter. They wanted him out of this, wanted him out of it badly. But he didn't want to get out of it, not even for $2000. He said, his voice lazy, “Maybe I'm more adventurer than businessman, gentlemen. but I'd like to salvage the Sonora—on my own if you won't go in with me. I think

readying a bombshell for them, “In fact, I'm sure of it. And I'm not the only one sure of it. gentlemen, that there is out of Havana searching for the Sonora?” He was amused to see his bombshell hit home. (To Be Continued)

(All events, names and characters in this

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—By Crane

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SORRY, SIR. ORDERS ARE ORDERS. WE WOULDN'T HAVE A POLICE ESCORT UNLESS IT WAS URGENT

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