The Argosy, Vol. 81, No. 4 — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

710 “All right,” was the reply. ‘You may fire when ready.” Lansing glanced about him. nodded, as though in satisfaction. “Bob,” He proceeded, “‘we are going to be followed to your house. Now, I can’t ex- plain right here, but 1 want the man who is following us, seized and held under arrest until morning.” “Arrest!” Dart began to prick up his ears. ‘Arrest, eh! What are you putting over, anyway?” “That’s just what I have come here to tell you,” was the impatient reply. “But I can’t do it here. Have you any way of arranging to have this chap pinched without informing him of your purpose? He is watching us now.” The officer, like all of his sort, was a man of action. A jackie was hurrying by, and Dart called him in a low voice. “Here you! Yes, you,” as the sailor paused. “I want you to go to Captain Hatch, present him Lieutenant Commander Dart’s compliments, and ask him to send a detail of marines. Have them conceal themselves upon the porch of my house, No. 8. Do you understand? Very good then, away you go.” He turned to Lansing. “Now then, in order to give the men time we’ll walk down the sea-wall past the torpedo boat slips.” Lansing nodded and fell into step with his friend, talking rapidly in low, eager tones. At almost every sentence his com- panion gave a low whistle of amazement, and was quite ready to agree with all that Lansing had to propose when the story was finished and he began to outline his plan. “Tt all sounds good,” was Dart’s final comment. ‘‘Only—you are quite sure as to your ground?” “T leave that to you to judge,” replied Lansing. “I have told you all I know. It sounds reasonable to me, and I’m prepared to go the limit. As for you, the worst you can get is an inquiry into your conduct, which you can easily explain, while all the chances are that you'll earn an increased rating and a formal letter of thanks from the government.” “And you?” suggested Dart. “As for me,” Lansing hastened to say, “TI want nothing, except what I can get in the way of straightening out certain messed up affairs. You go to it and the credit is all yours.” Then > THE ARGOSY. “All right.” Dart looked swiftly about and saw a dark figure plodding back of them. “Our friend is still on the job,” he chuckled. “I think we might as well go to the house now.” “All right.” Lansing began to breathe quickly, for several important things de- pended upon the skill with which he handled details of the. denouement which was now close at hand. “You see,” he added, “‘what these people have been get- ting away with best has been their disguise as secret service men. Part of the crowd Griscom arrested in New York—that’s all a secret, of course, as I’ve already told you— had secret service badges and were doing the detective game to the last notch.” “T see,” Dart nodded. “And so”—Lansing’s breath caught— “and so if this chap pretends he is a secret service man watching me, why, don’t you listen. That is, lock him up to-night and when the other matter has been pulled off you can have him before the commandant, or whoever is the proper person, and give him a chance to clear himself—if he can.” “Leave that to me,” Dart answered, and turning away from the sea-wall, with its venomous looking black destroyers, he pro- ceeded up a brick pathway and across the parade toward the row of officers’ houses. Out of the corner of their eyes the two men could see their trailer following in their wake. They paused in front of Dart’s house, and then, talking earnestly, walked slowly up the path to the steps. On the porch both made out the glitter of buttons, and a second later Dart and Lansing were in the midst of a group of marines, crouching be- hind the porch railing. “See that man out there?” whispered Dart to a sergeant. “Well, I want him seized and placed in the strong box over night. He’ll probably tell you-he’s a secret service man, but pay no attention to that. Lock him up; beat him if he resists. Keep him there until you hear from the com- mandant in the morning.” The officer and Lansing went on up to the door, opened it and stepped into the hall,-closing it with a slam. Then imme- diately partly opened it again on a crack. “He'll come snooping up on the porch,” whispered Lansing, “cand make an effort to peep in through a window or something.” Which proved a true prophecy. The man stole up on the steps and was ap- (EO) TOO AMC S (E@