The Argosy, April 1916 — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

3°47 5.4. “You!” A faint color came into her cheeks. “Have you recovered from your headache?” Lansing did not reply. He _ glanced around and saw that the submarine was making for the figures struggling in the water, the machine-gun, pointed at the row- boat, holding it to a standstill. “IT want you to go below at once, Helen,” Lansing directed. “Give me those papers.” She handed them to him with a smile. ‘“‘Wasn’t it realistic,’ she said. “But I had no idea the Navy was to participate.” “Dart,” Lansing called, “will you let me take Miss Granger below now.” “Sure,” Dart nodded toward the man- hole and Lansing, half-dragging the girl to her feet, tossed the packet to the officer and conducted Helen to the steep com- panion ladder. “T’ll hold on to your arms,” he said. “Now hurry, please.” She obeyed him without a word, and once she was in the oily depths Lansing clambered down and joined her. “Now, Stewart,” the girl said, “I ought to be angry at you, and I am, but I now begin to suspect—what a queer, smelly boat —lI begin to suspect there was a method in your deceit; that you had a scheme to make these pictures more successful.” Lansing tossed his head. “Helen,” he replied, “I have pulled you out of a nasty mess, but you’re not out of danger by a good margin. You think this was a movie play you were in. It wasn’t; it was the most villainous plot to steal im- portant papers from the government that was ever concocted.” She started. . “Ves,” he went on. “You were tricked intdé thinking you were in a moving picture play, but it was only a stall to get you to induce your brother to steal papers from the fort—” “Stewart Lansing!” “Tt’s so. I can’t tell you anything more now; but what I’ve said is enough. I don’t know where your brother stands in all this, but I believe in you, and I’m going to clear you. I kidnaped Clarkin—” “Mr. Clarkin of the Mammoth Film Company!”’ she cried. 3 “Clarkin of the United States Secret Ser- vice,” returned Lansing. ‘He was watch- ing this plot all the time, and had I not got him out of the way, you would be in his 10 A essential detail. 145 clutches now, with a slim chance of clearing yourself.” “You amaze me, Stewart,” gasped the girl. ‘Are you certain you know what you are talking about?” ‘Wait and see,” Lansing replied. “Now you stay here; I’m going up on deck.” He left her leaning against one of the network of pipes and clambered up the ladder to the deck. The submarine was now among the ship- wrecked group and seamen were pulling one after another of the men from the water. As the two occupants of the row- boat were taken in, a swift mahogany launch, filled with men, came dashing up to the scene. “We are Secret Service men,” cried a sturdy fellow, arising in the boat as it came alongside and displaying a shield. “All right,” called Dart. ‘Steer into the fort landing; we’re all going in there.” And now the clatter of a swiftly turn- ing motor came from the direction of Fort Adams, and Dart and Lansing saw one of the “speedy naval launches tearing toward them. As it drew nearer Dart recognized an officer, with Clarkin standing at his side. The boat swerved into the submarine and came to an abrupt halt alongside. Clarkin leaped aboard, glaring at Dart and Lansing. ‘“‘Where are those papers?” he cried. He looked uncertainly at Lansing, puz- zled to explain whether his arrest at the in- stance of Lansing and Dart the evening before had been due to a misunderstanding or design. Certainly the scene which he had seen enacted as he came down the har- bor suggested that Lansing had only the interest of the government at heart. “Those papers!”’? He stamped the deck, glowering at Dart. | “Easy there,” Dart replied, flushing irri- tably. “Hold a civil tongue, my man, or I'll put you into the harbor.” He glanced at Lansing. the papers?” Lansing hesitated. “Clarkin,” he said, “I begin to believe now that you are really a Secret Sérvice man, and not one of this crowd. Dart and I have the right to these papers and have the right, also, to wind up this whole affair. That destroys some of your credit, eh?” “Well, you can have it all on one condi- tion. Miss Granger entered into this thing with a complete misunderstanding of every She thought she was in a “Does he get MUICLOOOK C@