Westwood High School - Chipmunk Yearbook (Westwood, CA)

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[28] THE CHIPMUNK “Only three days more. We mean business.” Cyrus W alton, president of the W alton-Moorc Lumber Company, read the message printed in red on a postal card that had a big red hand printed in one corner. He shuddered as he handed it over to his partner, Moore. “It looks as if vve are going to have some more trouble. ’ “Yes, it does,” answered Moore. They decided to build a high board fence around the lumber yards and put an electric wire along the top of it. As they were discussing this, the telephone rang. Moore took down the receiver. It was the manager of the Northwest Mill Co. He and two managers of different mills had received an exact duplicate of the card that Moore had and were very much worried. That afternoon Moore called the superintendent of his mill into the office and asked him if he knew anything about the red hand postal card. The man answered that he knew nothing of it. A disquieting thought came to Moore when he remembered that not long ago a fire had been discovered in a large pile of dry lumber in the center of his large lumber yard. After this fire the insurance company had refused to insure his mill for more than one-half its value. The president of the Associated Lumbermen called a meeting for that evening and at this meeting the men decided to hire a clever detective named Keane.

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THE CHIPMUNK [27] Class Colors: Green and White Class Flower: Dogwood Blossoms CLASS OFFICERS President..... Vice-President Secretary.... Treasurer. . . . . . Hans Jacobsen ...Fred Niepoth .....Edith Coil Beatrice Eckert

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TUE CII I I’M INK r 29 ] The next morning the detective reported at the Walton-Moore office to learn his duties. While Moore and the detective were talking the office boy brought in the mail. Among the letters was another card similar to the one he had received the day before. It said, “Only two days left. We mean business.” “Have you any idea wTho could have written this, Keane?” inquired Moore. “I have talked with several around the plant, but I don’t want to accuse anyone before 1 have evidence,” replied Keane. “I think it must be the work of some I. W. W. whom I have discharged from the plant,” said Moore. The next day Moore decided to stay at the office all day to see what hap- pened. That night he thought it best to stay on the premises, for if there was any treachery on foot he wished to be there. About two o clock that night Moore dropped to sleep. He was awakened by a slight noise. He sprang to his feet and looked around. To his surprise, he noted that the sun was shining and the mill was in operation. His secretary opened the door and looked in. When he saw that his employer was awake, he brought his mail. Moore glanced through the letters hurriedly to see if there were any more cards. There was one, but this time the printing was in black ink. This was what it said: “Today E. Arnold, our traveling salesman, will show you the ad- vantages of our “RED HAND SAW.” We hope to do business. “Yours truly, “W'estern Machinery Co.” —M. D., ’21.