Adventure, December 1914 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Stolen War Secret I could think of no answer and was glad when Kennedy suggested that perhaps we had seen enough for one night. CHAPTER III THE SECRET SERVICE WE HAD scarcely turned down the street when I noticed that a manina slouch-hat, pulled down over his eyes, was walking toward us. As he passed I thought he peered out at us suspiciously from under the shelter of the hat. He turned and followed us a step or two. ‘“‘Kennedy!”’ he exclaimed. If a fourteen-inch gun had been fired off directly behind us, I could not have been more startled. Here, in spite of all our haste and secrecy, we were followed, watched— even known. Craig had wheeled about suddenly, pre- pared for anything. For an instant we looked at the man, wondering what to expect next from him. “By Jove! Walter!” exclaimed Kennedy, almost before I had time to take in the situation. “It’s Burke of the Secret Service!” “The same,” greeted a now familiar voice. “‘How are your” he asked joining us and walking slowly down the street. “Working on a case,” replied Kennedy colorlessly, meantime searching Burke’s face to discover whether it might be to our advantage to take him in on the secret. ‘“‘How did you come here?” We had turned the corner and were stand- ing in the deserted street near an electric light. Burke unfolded a newspaper which he had rolled up and was carrying in his hand. ‘These newspaper fellows don’t let much get past them,” he said with a nod and a twinkle of his eye toward me. “I suppose you have seen this?” He handed us a “war’”’ extra. We had not seen it, for our prolonged stay in the Mexican cabaret had, for the time being at least, superseded the interest which had taken us into the Vanderveer in the first place to look at the ticker. In the meantime an enterprising newspaper had rushed out its late edition with an extra. Across the top of the page in big red-ink letters sprawled the headline: If WAR SECRETS STOLEN The news account, in a little box at the bottom of the page where it had evidently been dropped in at the last moment, was also in red. It was meager, but exciting: Plans which represent the greatest war secret of the Government have been stolen, it was learned today semi-officially in Washington. The entire machinery of the Secret Service has been put into operation to recover the stolen docu- ments. Just what the loss is could not be learned by our. correspondent from any one in authority, but the general activity of both the Secret Service and the War College seems to confirm the rumors current in the capital tonight. As nearly as can be ascertained, it is believed that the information, if it has fallen into the hands of the Mexican Government, may prove particularly dan- gerous, and, while official Washington is either deny- ing or minimizing the loss, it is reported indirectly that if the truth were known it would arouse great public concern. That was all. Only pressure of time and the limited space of the box in which the news appeared had prevented its elabora- tion into a column or two of conjecture. “What were the plans?” both Craig and I asked almost together as we read the ex- tra. ‘Is that what brings you to lew Yorke” Burke leaned over to us excitedly and though there was no possibility of being overheard whispered hoarsely— “T couldn’t have met any one I’d rather see just at this very moment.” He regarded us frankly a few seconds, then queried— ‘““You remember that case we had where the anarchist used wireless?”’ “Yes,” replied Kennedy, “telautomatics —exploding bombs at long range by Hert- zian wave impulses.” “Exactly. Well—this case goes far be- yond even that,’ pursued Burke with an- other glance around. “I need not ask you fellows if I can trust you. We understand each other.’”’ He lowered his voice even more. ‘The secret that has been stolen is the wireless control of aeroplanes and aerial torpedoes. They use a gyroscope in it— and—oh—I don’t know anything much about mechanics,” he added floundering hopelessly, ‘‘but I do know about crime and criminals, and there is some big criminal at work here. That’s in my line, even if I don’t know much about science.” ‘‘Where were the plans stolen?” asked DOO C©