3 1822 01096 8139
 
 f 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 SAN DIEGO
 
 3 1822 01096 8139 
 
 1 * 
 
 
 5
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER
 
 THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 
 NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS 
 ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED 
 
 LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA 
 MELBOURNE 
 
 THB MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA. LTD. 
 
 TORONTO
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 1922 
 
 All rights reserved
 
 FEINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
 COPYKIGHT, 1922, 
 BT THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 
 
 Set up and electrotyped. Published April, 1922. 
 
 Press of 
 
 J. J. Little & Ives Company 
 New York, U. S. A.
 
 INTRODUCTORY NOTE 
 
 A period of widespread unrest followed the close of the 
 Great War. Unseen and mysterious forces were at work 
 in our civilization jeopardizing its very permanency. This 
 was true not only of Russia, with its Bolsheviki, but no 
 less of our own national life, undermined by devious 
 schemes and threatened by sinister influences. It is with 
 some of these hidden plots that this story of Secret Service 
 and diplomatic intrigue is concerned. Time, about the 
 year 1930.
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE HAND OF SEAFALCON. 
 
 FOR several minutes the silence of the big apartment was 
 broken only by the cries shrill, hoarse and sepulchral 
 which, rising from the streets below, entered the open 
 windows. They were cries of boys and men who were 
 hawking extra editions of newspapers cries that seemed 
 to be sinister echoes of a world war that was ended and 
 which a war-weary world stolidly was trying to forget. 
 
 "Steamship Columbian torpedoed by Seafalcon! Two 
 thousand drowned! Seafalcon sinks Columbian in mid- 
 ocean ! Two thousand drowned ! Columbian sent down 
 by Seafalcon! Two thousand drowned!" 
 
 Without speaking, Hayden Storrow, seated on a mor 
 ris chair, and Captain George Rennison, standing near 
 one of the windows, continued to read the newspapers 
 which had been obtained for them by one of the bell 
 boys. From the face of Storrow horror had driven all 
 its wonted florid color. That of Rennison was pale and 
 stern. Storrow was the first to break the silence. As 
 his paper slipped from his trembling fingers, he said: 
 
 "Oh, it is incredible, Ren incredible! The world is 
 
 1
 
 2 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 mad. Did not the long and awful war surfeit it with 
 horrors? Now that all differences between the nations 
 have been adjusted and the processes of reconstruction 
 are so well under way, why should civilization be men- 
 anced by the growth of this unseen power, which, so 
 mysteriously and purposelessly, is creating such havoc 
 on the seas, the while it strives, in every land, to shatter 
 the fabric of rational government?" 
 
 Rennison, tossing his newspaper to a chair, shook his 
 head. 
 
 "There is neither mystery nor lack of purpose in the 
 thing, Storrow," he said, as he proceeded to strap and 
 lock the last of his four trunks. 
 
 As he turned from the trunk, Rennison, who was about 
 to leave Washington to become military attache on the 
 staff of the United States Embassy in London, glanced 
 gravely around the large, handsomely furnished room in 
 which he stood. From the walls, table and desk had 
 been removed all those articles which had invested the 
 apartment with something of the character of its occu 
 pant. It had been the living-room of his bachelor suite, 
 a favorite resort of his acquaintances and the scene of 
 ripening friendships. 
 
 Though the two men presented marked differences 
 temperamentally, Rennison had been rather more inti 
 mate with Storrow than with any one else he had met in 
 the long period he had been in Washington. Both were 
 popular in society, but for different reasons. 
 
 Rennison, in his thirties, was the only son of a briga 
 dier-general, who, while a major, had married a Wash 
 ington society belle. Now, however, the elder Rennison 
 and his wife were dead. From his mother the son had 
 inherited a small fortune, which included a one-hundred-
 
 THE HAND OF SEAFALCON 3 
 
 acre estate on the Connecticut shore of Long Island 
 Sound. On this now lived his sister and their aunt. 
 
 Shortly after the young man s graduation from West 
 Point the United States entered the World War and 
 Rennison went overseas with a regiment of infantry. Be 
 fore he reached the battle area, however, an emergency 
 assignment caused him to reveal qualities that attracted 
 the attention of the Bureau of Military Intelligence. A 
 week later he was ordered home, promoted to a captaincy 
 and made an aide to the Chief of Staff. Despite the 
 earnestness of his efforts to get to the fighting front, he 
 was compelled to remain in the United States until the 
 end of the war. Soon after the signing of the armistice 
 he was sent to France and Germany, and during the two 
 years he was abroad all attempts made by his friends to 
 learn his whereabouts were vain. When he reappeared 
 in Washington it was in his former capacity as an aide. 
 
 Despite his apparent fondness for society, Rennison had 
 a tendency toward taciturnity. In conversation this 
 sometimes took the form of quiet brusqueness. His ha 
 bitual gravity seemed to mask a singular alertness of 
 mind. He was a quick observer and he had a knack of 
 storing in his memory incidents which others thought not 
 worthy of remembrance. It was noted, too, that his 
 choice of friends usually led him to persons who were 
 rather older than himself. 
 
 Hayden Storrow, a little past forty, had inherited a 
 large fortune from his father, who, for two terms, had 
 been a Senator from a Western State. He was a good- 
 natured idler, with many merits and few faults. He 
 belonged to fashionable clubs in Washington, New York, 
 London and Paris, and was a familiar figure at the
 
 4 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 opera, horse shows, polo matches, yacht races and golf 
 courses. Only twice had he undertaken responsibilities. 
 The first of these was marriage; but matrimonial bonds 
 had chafed his spirit, and he provided generously for the 
 woman who divorced him. Then he bought a handsome 
 steam yacht, but this, too, palled, and the next season 
 he sold it. 
 
 What there was in Rennison that so attracted the 
 idler to him Storrow, himself, did not understand. Their 
 relations were those of men of equal age, but Storrow 
 recognized the mind of Rennison as dominant. In the 
 young Army officer s conversation lurked a note of final 
 ity which the idler rarely attempted to combat. One was 
 a sophisticated young thinker, and the other a mature, 
 cheerful, well-informed social butterfly. 
 
 But, though Storrow often found the young officer 
 preoccupied, he never found him dull. Rennison was a 
 good listener. It was plain that he liked to hear Stor 
 row talk. The idler, an astute observer of men and 
 women, was something of a gossip, with a well-defined 
 streak of good-natured and amusing cynicism. He knew 
 everybody who seemed to be worth knowing, and his fund 
 of social anecdotes was inexhaustible. 
 
 As Rennison, leaving his trunk, moved moodily toward 
 the table near which Storrow was seated, the idler looked 
 at him quizzically. 
 
 "What do you mean, Ren, when you say there is 
 neither mystery nor lack of purpose in these depredations 
 of Seafalcon and his followers?" Storrow asked. 
 
 Rennison, drawing a tobacco pouch from one of his 
 pockets, seated himself near the table. Not until he had 
 fillled and lighted his pipe did he reply. 
 
 "When I say there is no mystery in the thing, I mean
 
 THE HAND OF SEAFALCON 5 
 
 that both Seafalcon and the Brotherhood of the Scales, 
 of which he is Chief, lack mysterious attributes," he ex 
 plained. "Though, for the time being, our knowledge of 
 the personality of Seafalcon is vague, his activities indi 
 cate that he is little more than a daring adventurer, who, 
 taking advantage of present world-conditions, has be 
 come a modern buccaneer. His success and his pictur 
 esque attributes naturally commanded the attention of 
 certain numerous and lawless elements in Europe and the 
 United States, and it was not long before these discov 
 ered that he possessed remarkable qualities as a leader. 
 When these elements were consolidated into that interna 
 tional organization which has been designated the Brother 
 hood of the Scales, Seafalcon became its chief." 
 
 "You do not believe, then, that the man is an honest 
 fanatic that he has faith in the dreams and doctrines of 
 a new era,* which animate so many of the subordinate 
 leaders ?" 
 
 "No. I think Seafalcon is too astute for that sort of 
 tiling. Study of every great fanatical movement of the 
 past shows clearly that, though the movement itself was 
 of honest fanatical origin, sooner or later militant leader 
 ship devolved on some person who was dominated only 
 by desire for financial gain or political power. The lit 
 tle we know of Seafalcon seems to warrant the belief that 
 he is no zealot, but an extraordinarily clever daredevil 
 who is imbued with the spirit of a great adventure an 
 adventure which yields to him wealth, power and a notor 
 iety which, for some years to come, may pass as fame." 
 
 "But how, in Heaven s name, did he ever get such a 
 following not only in our own country, but in the great 
 nations of Europe?" Storrow asked. 
 
 "The explanation is simple," Rennison replied. "The
 
 6 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Brotherhood is a distinctly unmysterious product of the 
 late war. It consists, in this country, of several hundred 
 thousand men and women, naturally idealistic, whose old 
 ideals were shaken out of them by the great conflict. They 
 are of a type that has existed since the world began the 
 unsatisfied, the failures, the dreamers the waste prod 
 ucts of civilization. Centuries of civilization have failed 
 to eliminate from this type the ever-present tendency to 
 revert to savagery. The beating of a tom-tom stirs 
 within them an impulse to go headhunting. The weird 
 rites of an imaginative charlatan will attract thousands 
 of them to a nonsensical and debasing cult, which ignores 
 or defies the decencies of civilized life. Nature, not man, 
 has divided society into various classes. But in every 
 class are men and women who, yielding to primal instincts, 
 become ecstatic when they hear the beating of the tom 
 toms that stirred their ancestors, centuries ago. And in 
 these days, when humanity still is trembling from the 
 shock of the great world war, the beaters of the tom-toms 
 soap-box orators and parlor socialists are making 
 hay while the sun is shining. An orgy of criminally 
 absurd law-making, in our Congress and State legis 
 latures, has put so many thou shalt nots* on our statute 
 books that every class of our citizens, having some dis 
 tinct grievance, has become resentful and intolerant of 
 legal restrictions that seem inconsistent with the spirit of 
 true liberty. Hundreds of thousands of predatory aliens, 
 flocking annually to our shores, have had citizenship 
 granted to them before they were ripe for it and now 
 virtually dominate the government of our cities. All con 
 ditions have been favorable for a formidable attack on 
 our governmental fabric, and so we have the Brotherhood 
 and Seafalcon."
 
 THE HAND OF SEAFALCON 7 
 
 "If the movement were not so manifestly alien in its 
 nature, one might be inclined to view it as revolutionary," 
 Storrow muttered. 
 
 "Call it what you will a revolution or an alien in 
 vasion the menace to our institutions is more serious 
 than any we ever had to face before, * Rennison went on. 
 "The French Revolution cleared the way for a conqueror 
 of France Napoleon, without a drop of French blood 
 in his veins. It was Napoleon who coined the phrase 
 Imagination rules the world.* It is to this imagination 
 Seafalcon is appealing so successfully as he beats his 
 tom-tom. * 
 
 "Why compare such a man with Napoleon?" Storrow 
 protested. "Napoleon was dominated by imperial ambi 
 tion. This man, as you have said, must be regarded as a 
 modern buccaneer. Whenever his submarines halt a ship, 
 it and its passengers are searched before destruction is 
 effected. Money and jewelry, food and oil are all the 
 marauders take from each doomed vessel, and the ships of 
 all nations are subjected to attack. Do you share the 
 belief that Seafalcon is an American?" 
 
 "It is known that his accent is rather more American 
 than English," Rennison answered, shortly. 
 
 "But how did he get possession of such a fleet of sub 
 marines?" Storrow asked. 
 
 "We do not know that he has more than three or four," 
 said Rennison. "It is probable that these formerly be 
 longed to the German Navy and were secreted on one or 
 more unfrequented coasts at the close of the war. In the 
 Brotherhood ranks there doubtless are scores of men who 
 have had service as submarine sailors or mechanics. 
 These probably have effected their complete repair and 
 are engaged in their operation."
 
 8 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "But where are their bases?" 
 
 "There are numerous islands, used by the freebooters 
 in the old days, and well out of the track of vessels now, 
 that would serve the purpose. Some of these are in the 
 Tropics, others are washed by Arctic waters." 
 
 "Do you think the situation on land, so far as the 
 activities of the Brotherhood are concerned, will ever be 
 come as serious as it is now on the sea?" 
 
 "Well, we know that every city in the United States is 
 filled with the spies of Seafalcon. All classes of society 
 are so affected that it has become difficult to distinguish 
 between friends and foes." 
 
 "But even though London is as disturbed as Washing 
 ton and New York over the thing, I can t quite make out, 
 Ren, why our Government is sending you there," Storrow 
 grumbled. 
 
 "What would I, a military attache, have to do with 
 the situation?" Rennison asked. "The Army isn t in it 
 yet you know." 
 
 "What is the use of trying to deceive me, Ren?" Stor 
 row demanded, irritably. "Surely, by this time you must 
 have suspected that I know why it was the War Depart 
 ment refused to allow you to go to the front during the 
 war." 
 
 Scarcely were the words spoken when the idler flushed 
 violently. Instinct told him he had said too much, and he 
 glanced anxiously at his companion. He saw that over 
 the well-moulded, dark-complexioned face on the other 
 side of the table there had come a change. There had 
 been a quick flush of resentment, but the features now 
 were inscrutable. The gray eyes that were regarding 
 him were no longer distinguished by the penetrating qual-
 
 THE HAND OF SEAFALCON 9 
 
 ity of their gaze a gaze that now was suggestive of 
 dreaminess. 
 
 "What was the reason, Storrow?" Rennison asked, 
 quietly. 
 
 "A good one, Ren," the idler replied defiantly, after a 
 brief period of uncomfortable hesitation. "It was be 
 cause the department knew that if you went into the 
 trenches it would not find in the United States Army a 
 man who was capable of taking your place outside of 
 them." 
 
 "My place has been that of an aide to the Chief of 
 Staff," Rennison answered coldly. "My successor has 
 been found and has been appointed." 
 
 "The office, so far as you were concerned, was purely 
 nominal, as that of military attache in London will be," 
 Storrow retorted. "Your real office is one you will carry 
 with you wherever you may go, Ren. Young as you are, 
 and humble as your military rank may be, you are the 
 superman of the Bureau of Military Intelligence the 
 peer of every Government investigator in the United 
 States. If you are being sent to London, it is because 
 some trail has been found there that leads to the haunts 
 of Seafalcon if, indeed, you are going to London at all. 
 There are times when I " 
 
 An electric bell rang sharply in the hall. Rennison 
 rose quickly. 
 
 "Probably the expressman for my trunks," he muttered, 
 and hurried to the door.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A BOLT FEOM THE BLUE. 
 
 RENNISON S surmise proved to be correct. Two men en 
 tered and soon had the trunks in the hall. When the 
 door of the suite was closed behind the expressmen, Ren- 
 nison returned to the table at which he had left his friend. 
 As he sat down he glanced at his watch. 
 
 "I must be leaving in half an hour, Storrow," he said, 
 carelessly. 
 
 "My car is waiting at the door," suggested his visitor. 
 "I ll get you to the Union Station in ten minutes." 
 
 Rcnnison nodded shortly, and, with his thumb, ab 
 stractedly stroked the crystal of his watch. Then, lean 
 ing forward, with his elbows resting on his knees, he 
 addressed his companion. 
 
 "Well, let s get back to where we were when we were 
 interrupted," he said. "You have told me that you 
 have received a certain impression concerning the nature 
 of my services in the interest of the Government. Do 
 you come by that impression as a result of information, 
 personal observation or mere speculation !" He frowned 
 as the idler hesitated, then added, irritably : "Come, out 
 with it Storrow. We must have no verbal fencing now." 
 
 The eyes into which Storrow was looking were hard 
 and cold. 
 
 "A combination of all, I think, Ren," Storrow answered, 
 uneasily. 
 
 "What was the source of your information? * 
 
 10
 
 A BOLT FROM THE BLUE 11 
 
 "Mrs. Hallingwell was the first to suggest it to me, I 
 believe." 
 
 "Lena Hallingwell?" 
 
 "Yes. As you know, she is pretty close to some of the 
 members of the diplomatic set. One day, while we were 
 talking together, she spoke of your friendship with me. 
 The lady was not in good humor, and remarked, quite 
 unpleasantly, that you probably found my intimate knowl 
 edge of society useful in the course of your activities 
 while checking ambitious diplomatic designs. She ap 
 parently holds you responsible for the manner in which 
 certain important official documents were taken from a 
 foreign diplomatic agent and delivered to the United 
 States Department of State." 
 
 "How long has it been since she told you this?" 
 
 "About four weeks ago, I should say." 
 
 "Until then you had heard nothing of the kind from 
 others?" 
 
 "I knew representatives of the Secret Service came to 
 your apartment from time to time, and that, occasionally, 
 you met them elsewhere. But it was not until last night 
 that Chisholm, at the Metropolitan Club, came to me with 
 the final revelation." 
 
 "Revelation, eh!" Rennison exclaimed, quietly. 
 
 The gossippy Storrow went on: 
 
 "Chisholm, as you doubtless know, has been sort of 
 befriending Lloyd Louck, the banker who was convicted of 
 embezzlement, and who recently has been released from 
 the Atlanta Penitentiary. There, Louck says, strange" 
 stories are told by men who believe that you, who never 
 appeared in court against them, were primarily respon 
 sible for their conviction. They tell of your appearances 
 at unexpected times and places, and they assert that per-
 
 12 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 sons who have testified against offenders in the Federal 
 courts, and who receive credit for their convictions, 
 merely are pawns that are moved by you." 
 
 "Is that all they say?" Rennison asked, abstractedly. 
 
 "No, Ren. They say also that some of the offenders 
 you go after never get into court at all that, when 
 crime is fastened upon them, they disappear mysteriously, 
 or meet violent ends that never are satisfactorily ex 
 plained." 
 
 "I am regarded, then, not only as a Government sleuth, 
 but as a sort of secret official executioner?" 
 
 The face of Storrow had lost its natural ruddy color. 
 As he raised his cigar to his lips the hand that held it 
 trembled slightly. 
 
 "I wouldn t put it that way, Ren," he protested quietly. 
 "There does seem to be an impression, however, that you 
 are an inquisitor, with power, in certain circumstances, 
 to impose sentences on guilty persons, who, for reasons 
 best known to our Government, are not taken into our 
 courts." 
 
 Again Rennison glanced at his watch. As he passed a 
 thumb over the dial, he looked thoughtfully at the floor. 
 
 "This is a queer character you are giving me, Storrow," 
 he said. 
 
 "I am not giving it to you, my dear fellow," Storrow 
 protested quickly. "I am merely repeating what I have 
 heard from others. Such stories are interesting, of course, 
 but I doubt not that they are exaggerated." 
 
 "But you do believe I am a potent force in the prosecu 
 tion of enemies of our Government?" 
 
 Storrow hesitated. The gaze of Rennison s gray eyes 
 was chill and penetrating now. It was in vain that the 
 visitor attempted to evade it.
 
 A BOLT FROM THE BLUE 13 
 
 "Well why why, yes, Ren," he faltered. "In view 
 of all I have heard, I am compelled to believe that, se 
 cretly, you, more than any other man in the United States, 
 are to be feared by enemies of the Federal Government 
 whether they be native Americans or aliens." 
 
 For several moments, Rennison, looking at the tip of 
 his cigar, was silent, then meeting Storrow s gaze fairly, 
 he said: 
 
 "Very good, Storrow. Inasmuch as you have confessed 
 such a belief, I will put it to the test by giving to you 
 certain directions, with the warning that failure to fol 
 low them implicitly is likely to involve you in serious 
 trouble." 
 
 Storrow, though manifestly disturbed, smiled scepti 
 cally as Rennison went on : 
 
 "The directions are these: The train which will take 
 me from Washington at five-thirty this afternoon will 
 leave at the same hour to-morrow. It is imperative that 
 you take it. Your continued presence in Washington is 
 undesirable, and you must leave the city quickly." 
 
 Over the face of Storrow came an expression of dazed 
 wonder and slowly growing resentment. 
 
 "In Heaven s name, Ren " he faltered. 
 
 "When you reach New York, you will take the first 
 train you can catch for Montreal," Rennison continued. 
 "From Montreal you may go to any part of Western 
 Canada you please. It is nearing the end of May, and 
 the Washington season is about over. For this reason 
 you will be making no sacrifice in leaving the capital. 
 The climate of Canada in the Summer months is delight 
 ful. The scenery is superb. The hunting, fishing and 
 boating cannot be surpassed in any other section of our 
 continent. But you must keep out of the United States
 
 14 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 at least until the beginning of the next year. Indeed, 
 Storrow, I truly envy you the prospect which I am indi 
 cating to you. You will have my best wishes while you 
 are in Canada." 
 
 Storrow s features were flushed with anger as he rose. 
 
 "What the devil do you mean by such a proceeding as 
 this, Rennison?" he demanded. "You speak as if I were 
 some criminal." 
 
 "In some respects you are more to be feared than some 
 criminals," Rennison retorted. "You are a blunderer. 
 As long as dangerous knowledge is kept from you, you 
 are harmless enough. But you are gossippy, and rather 
 too fond of beautiful women. My friendship for you has 
 been sincere- and will be, so long as you are harmless. 
 But our Government now is confronting one of the most 
 desperate situations it ever has faced. During the recent 
 world war, we knew who our enemies were and we were 
 able to concentrate our various elements of power for 
 effective resistance. Now, however, every civilized nation 
 in the world is confronted by powerful and ruthless foes 
 who evade identification foes who are part of their own 
 people all dominated by this marauder, Seafalcon. Men 
 who are your friends to-day may be your country s ene 
 mies to-morrow. This threatened revolution knows no 
 class, and its agents, like moths, are eating their way into 
 the fabric of our national liberty right here in Wash 
 ington." 
 
 "Surely, Rennison, you do not suspect that I " de 
 manded the astonished and angry Storrow. 
 
 "I do not question your loyalty," Rennison assured 
 him. "But, as I have said, you are a blunderer. You 
 have an unfortunate faculty for picking up valuable in 
 formation, and, without suspecting its grave importance,
 
 A BOLT FROM THE BLUE 15 
 
 tattling it to persons it should not reach. Quite inno 
 cently, you did this sort of thing several times during the 
 war. It is essential now that you should not repeat such 
 indiscretions. And so I am advising you for your own 
 good and the good of our country to go to Canada 
 for recuperation. A continued sojourn here might entail 
 disastrous consequences." 
 
 "I will grant, Rennison, that you were right when you 
 declared me to be a blunderer," Storrow said, bitterly. 
 "Had I not been a blunderer I would not have come to you 
 to-day to warn you against this sudden outcrop of 
 strange rumors concerning your activities." 
 
 "I thank you for your coming, Storrow," Rennison 
 replied, in a more kindly tone. "But the fact remains 
 that you, conversing with certain persons who are re 
 garded with suspicion by the Government, have obtained 
 information which it is in the interest of the Government 
 should not be repeated." 
 
 "In such circumstances I should not repeat to others 
 than yourself what I have learned," said Storrow. 
 "Moreover, what I have told you concerning rumors 
 that have to do with you is becoming common talk in the 
 clubs." 
 
 "Common talk, eh !" Rennison muttered, thoughtfully. 
 
 "Well, not common talk, perhaps, but " Storrow fal 
 tered. 
 
 "But it is rumored that I am something more than a 
 mere captain in the Army," Rennison went on. "You have 
 said it is reported that I am regarded as an important 
 investigator in the Government service that I am feared 
 by enemies of our country." 
 
 "Yes, Rennison that is true." 
 
 "Then has it not occurred to you that I may be a
 
 16 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 marked man that my usefulness to the Government has 
 been impaired by publicity that because of this fact 
 it has been decided that I should be sent abroad?" 
 
 "No, Ren. I must confess that I did not reason it out 
 that way." 
 
 "That is unfortunate, for if you had done so you would 
 have realized that you also, having been regarded as one 
 of my more intimate friends, might be under suspicion 
 as aiding me in my work for the Government. It might 
 have occurred to you, too, that, for this reason, enemies 
 that were disposed to conspire to take my life might have 
 the same intentions concerning yours." 
 
 The light of new understanding dawned now in Stor- 
 row s mind. 
 
 "I see your drift, Ren I see," he muttered, gazing 
 moodily at the floor. 
 
 Rennison was about to speak when the bell of the tele 
 phone, which stood on the table, rang viciously. 
 
 Rennison, frowning, took down the receiver and placed 
 it to one of his ears. 
 
 "Well?" he responded. 
 
 "That you Rennison?" came the query. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Brownell is speaking." 
 
 "Yes, Brownell." 
 
 "The last order is off all changed. Do you under 
 stand?" 
 
 The face of Rennison darkened as he answered: 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Get to nine-thirteen at once. It s prime and quick." 
 
 "All right, Brownell," Rennison muttered. 
 
 The frown on the face of the young officer grew darker, 
 as, with an angry movement, he thrust the receiver back
 
 17 
 
 on its hook. Storrow, watching him closely, saw some 
 thing had gone wrong, but he asked no questions. 
 
 "I thank you, old man, for the offer of your car," Ren- 
 nison said, shortly. "But I will not need it." 
 
 "You are not going north to-night? * 
 
 "Not on the five-thirty." 
 
 As he spoke, Rennison leaned forward and hid his face 
 in his hands. 
 
 A strange, enigmatical smile played on the features of 
 the idler; but he sobered suddenly as he saw, between the 
 spreading fingers of the Army officer, the glint of a pair 
 of watching eyes. 
 
 Rennison, rising slowly, looked fixedly at his visitor. 
 
 "But another five-thirty leaves to-morrow afternoon," 
 he said, grimly. "You ll take it en route for Canada?" 
 
 "No," replied the millionaire. "I m going to wait 
 and see." 
 
 Storrow stepped briskly to where his cane and hat lay 
 upon a chair. The hat was a Panama, with a black band. 
 The owner looked it over critically before he placed it 
 on his head. Then he picked up the cane. From this 
 cane he was inseparable. It went with him everywhere. 
 On some days he changed his clothes three or four times, 
 but the cane he carried was always the same. It was of 
 Malacca wood, with a very yellow ivory head, delicately 
 carved in an East Indian design. 
 
 Having thus accoutred himself for the street, Storrow 
 turned again to his host. Nearly six feet in height, the 
 idler s was a goodly figure to look upon erect, graceful, 
 but with a tendency to stoutness. His oval face was 
 ruddy ; his shining eyes were brown, and his thick, slightly 
 curling black hair was a little gray at the temples. 
 
 "Well, Ren, if you do not go to-night, when am I to see
 
 18 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 you again?" he asked cheerfully, with a half -mocking 
 smile. 
 
 "Really, I do not know," Rennison answered gravely. 
 
 Storrow moved toward his host. 
 
 "You ll shake hands, of course, Ren," he said. 
 
 "Of course." 
 
 Their hands met ; then Storrow started toward the door. 
 There he halted. 
 
 "You were truly serious concerning that Canadian 
 suggestion of yours?" he asked. 
 
 "I never made a suggestion more seriously, Storrow," 
 Rennison replied. 
 
 Storrow hesitated; then, with a little laugh, he left 
 the room. 
 
 When his visitor was gone, Rennison moodily crossed 
 to a sofa on which his hat, umbrella, walking-stick and 
 raincoat lay beside his suit-case and travelling bag. He 
 picked up the hat and walking-stick and went out to the 
 hall. On an elevator he descended to the main floor of 
 the apartment hotel. There he stepped to the office 
 desk, and, addressing the clerk, said: 
 
 "Mr. Friedman, though my effects have been removed 
 from my apartment, it is possible that I may have to 
 remain in Washington for a few days longer. You have 
 not rented the rooms to some one else?" 
 
 The clerk hastened to assure him that the rooms would 
 be at his disposal as long as he might require them. Ren 
 nison then went to the street, hailed a taxi and directed 
 the driver to put him down at the Navy Department. 
 Upon his arrival at his destination, he dismissed the 
 chauffeur, entered the building and hurried along a cor 
 ridor. The door he opened was that of a room near the
 
 A BOLT FROM THE BLUE 19 
 
 private office of the Secretary of the Navy. Here he was 
 met by a negro attendant, who smiled suavely. 
 
 "All right, Cap n Ren son it s all right fo you to 
 go right in, sah," said the man. "I was tole to show yo* 
 in at once, sah. I reckon yo ll fin yo se f spected." 
 
 Rennison smiled perfunctorily, nodded, and passed 
 through the door the attendant opened for him. When he 
 had crossed the threshold, the door clicked softly behind 
 him.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A MULTIPLE CEIME. 
 
 As Rennison advanced slowly into the room, he saw five 
 men seated at a table Horsford, one of the Assistant 
 Secretaries of the Department ; Towndrow, of the Secret 
 Service ; Captain Reif snyder, of the Naval Bureau of Ex 
 perimentation ; Colonel Hawkshurst, of the Bureau of Mil 
 itary Intelligence, and Captain Merschon, of the Bureau 
 of Naval Intelligence. 
 
 Assistant Secretary Horsford rose quickly and with 
 unwonted awkwardness. As he moved a chair toward the 
 table, he said : 
 
 "Captain, we need you. Sit down here. We are in 
 trouble grave trouble, but so long as it had to come to 
 us, it is fortunate that the blow fell before you got away 
 from our shores. We are confronted by one of the most 
 desperate situations our Government ever has had to face 
 a situation that demands thought and action of almost 
 lightning-like celerity. And each move, quickly as it 
 must be effected, must be sure straight in the direction 
 of our object. A single misstep might mar all." 
 
 The voice of Horsford was low and shaking. As Ren 
 nison seated himself on the proffered chair, he laid his hat 
 and walking stick on the table and glanced about him. 
 Upon him rested the gaze of each pair of eyes. But it 
 was only the gaze of Towndrow, of the Secret Service, that 
 held his own. He knew that, in the past, Towndrow had 
 
 20
 
 A MULTIPLE CRIME 21 
 
 disliked him. Why this should be he never was able to 
 understand, for Towndrow was as loyal as he was brainy, 
 and appeared to be devoid of professional jealousy. He 
 and Towndrow often had worked together, faithfully and 
 efficiently, but, temperamentally, they had always clashed. 
 
 Now, however, Ilennison was conscious of the fact that 
 the Secret Service man was regarding him with an expres 
 sion of eloquent, though mute, appeal. It was plain, 
 something had occurred that had baffled even the resource 
 ful and confident Towndrow. 
 
 Horsford, seating himself at the table, at Rennison s 
 left, went on: 
 
 "Inasmuch as the situation requires haste, I will out 
 line it to you as briefly and as quickly as I can. It has 
 to do with the activities of Seafalcon. As you know, the 
 destiny of the Brotherhood and its threatened revolution 
 is largely dependent on the success of that wretched free 
 booter on the seas. Should we be successful in our at 
 tempts to capture Seafalcon, or send him to the bottom 
 of the Atlantic in one of his submarines, there is little 
 doubt but that each of the great powers would be able to 
 bring to an end all land activities of the Brotherhood 
 within its borders. The task of capturing or destroying 
 the Seafalcon submarines, therefore, is one of the most 
 serious problems that the navies of the world ever had to 
 face. Three days ago we solved the problem. To-day we 
 lost the solution. * 
 
 "Lost it !" Rennison muttered, incredulously. 
 
 "Exactly that by the destruction of a motor-boat, at 
 Haynerville, Long Island, and a murder, about an hour 
 ago, in the Hotel Weymouthshire, within ten minutes walk 
 of where we are sitting now." 
 
 Horsford looked at Rennison impressively, but the fea-
 
 22 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 tures of the young officer were inexpressive. His dreamy 
 gaze was suggestive of indifference. Only the watching 
 Towndrow recognized the significance of this attitude. 
 In the course of friendly conversation the face of Ren- 
 nison would brighten with pleasure or soften with sym 
 pathy, but when he heard the trumpet call to action he 
 assumed this mask of indifference, in the spirit in which 
 a knight of the olden time drew down his visor. 
 
 "At what time was the motor-boat destroyed? * he 
 asked. 
 
 "At nine-thirty this morning." 
 
 "What relation did the boat bear to the Seafalcon sub 
 marine problem?" 
 
 "The boat was equipped with a device which had been 
 demonstrated to be unerringly effective in locating and 
 recording the movements of all moving steam vessels, in 
 cluding submerged submarines, within a radius of fifteen 
 miles. This equipment, of an exceedingly intricate and 
 delicate nature, was the only piece of mechanism of its 
 kind that ever had been produced by its inventor, who 
 guarded his discovery so jealously that he applied for no 
 patent, and never showed to any official of the Navy any 
 plan or specification employed in the construction of the 
 device. All experiments had been made at his own ex 
 pense. The motor-boat, however, had been placed at his 
 service by our department. It was one of the submarine 
 chasers built for the Government during the late war. It 
 was turned over to the inventor of the device two weeks 
 ago." 
 
 "What is the name of the inventor? * 
 
 "Oliver Channing. He was only twenty-six years old, 
 and was professor of chemistry in a New York college. 
 He had apartments in that city, but was unmarried. His
 
 A MULTIPLE CRIME 23 
 
 laboratory was in a little village in New Jersey Louden- 
 field." 
 
 "Inasmuch as you say he was twenty-six years old, I 
 am to infer it was Channing who was murdered in the 
 Weymouthshire this afternoon?" 
 
 "Exactly." 
 
 Horsford, a lean, elderly man, rose nervously, clasped 
 and unclasped his shaking hands, then pressed them to his 
 eyes. His agitation indicated that he was on the verge of 
 collapse. Rennison, glancing at his watch, saw it was 
 ten minutes after five. 
 
 As the Assistant Secretary reseated himself, Towndrow, 
 resting his folded arms on the table, leaned forward and 
 spoke. 
 
 "Mr. Horsford," he said, "what little that is known 
 concerning this affair has been communicated to me. As 
 prompt action is imperative, we might save time, perhaps, 
 if I were to summarize the case for Captain Rennison, in 
 such a manner as I would wish him to summarize it for 
 me. With your permission, and his, I will do so." 
 
 "Yes yes, Towndrow go ahead," Horsford assented, 
 quickly. 
 
 "This boat, the Dragonfly, equipped with Channing s 
 apparatus, had its first, and only, official trial three days 
 ago," Towndrow began. "In order to assure secrecy, 
 the boat was handled by only five men a lieutenant, 
 boatswain, two seamen and an engineer. The others on 
 board were Channing and three representatives of the 
 Navy Department, who were there to pass on the merits 
 of the invention. They were Rear-Admiral Longley, Cap 
 tain Reifsnyder and Commander Withesley, all experts on 
 the subject of navigation. 
 
 "Channing manipulated his device without assistance
 
 24, THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 from others. He revealed only effects, but carefully re 
 frained from explaining the causes which produced them. 
 The demonstration was as astonishing as it was con 
 vincing. 
 
 "Seated in a darkened cabin, below the deck, Channing 
 had in front of him, in a nearly horizontal position, what 
 appeared to be the head of a bass drum," about four feet 
 in diameter. Outlined on the white surface of this was 
 what might be described as a checkered heart. By this 
 I mean the heart was divided into squares, each of which 
 bore a number, the numbers, like the lines, being only 
 faintly perceptible. This big disc was lighted by a ray 
 which was projected upon it from a cylinder near the 
 roof of the cabin." 
 
 Towndrow paused as Rennison nodded curtly. 
 
 "As an army man, familiar with the use of mortar bat 
 teries, the significance of what I have described is clear 
 to you," Towndrow went on. "It represents, in this in 
 stance, however, a new application of the principle of the 
 camera obscura. On such a disc the director of a mortar 
 battery may see distant ships move from square to square ; 
 but this man, Channing, achieved something which seemed 
 little short of supernatural, for on this disc he revealed 
 the movements of every screw-propelled vessel, whether 
 afloat or submerged, by night as well as by day, within a 
 radius of fifteen miles !" 
 
 Rennison stiffened suddenly. No assumption of indif 
 ference was masking his new-born interest. His face had 
 lengthened, and his eyes were alight with wonder. Hors- 
 ford, leaning toward him, clutched his shoulder. 
 
 "And all this the poor fellow demonstrated beyond the 
 peradventure of a doubt!" the Assistant Secretary said, 
 in a quavering voice.
 
 A MULTIPLE CRIME 25 
 
 "It appears, therefore, that Channing had discovered 
 some method whereby it was not only possible to detect 
 the presence of a moving screw within a radius of fifteen 
 miles, but to measure accurately the distance to that 
 point, and to vizualize on the screen the changing posi 
 tions of the vibrating object," explained Captain Reif- 
 snyder, of the Bureau of Experimentation. 
 
 "The only defect in the device lay in the fact that it 
 was inoperative while the screw of its own vessel was 
 vibrating," muttered Captain Merschon, of the Bureau of 
 Naval Intelligence. "If" 
 
 "Those are details with which we have nothing to do 
 just now," Rennison interrupted impatiently, and once 
 more he turned to Towndrow. 
 
 "As Mr. Horsford has told you, the test was success 
 ful," Towndrow went on, quickly. "Carefully guarded by 
 two submarines, a destroyer and four small motor boats, 
 the Dragonfly was anchored about twenty yards off the 
 pier of a shipyard at Haynerville, Long Island. Chan- 
 iiing remained alone on the boat until five o clock yester 
 day afternoon. He then was notified that the Govern 
 ment had accepted his device, and that he should report 
 at the office of the Secretary of the Navy, at five o clock 
 this afternoon, for the purpose of signing the necessary 
 transfer papers, supplying to the proper authority all 
 details concerning the construction and operation of his 
 invention and receiving from the Government a commis 
 sion as director of its manufacture. I may say here that 
 Channing had declined to accept any payment for the 
 transfer of his device to the Government, but was to be 
 compensated for his services as director of manufacture." 
 
 "He was a man of independent means, then?" Rennison 
 asked.
 
 26 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Yes," Horsford replied. "He inherited a moderate 
 fortune from his father. It was not as a means of liveli 
 hood that he served as a professor. * 
 
 "Well, we last had Channing leaving Haynerville," 
 Rennison said, curtly. "What happened to him after 
 that?" 
 
 "From Haynerville he went to New York City, and 
 thence to his laboratory, in Loudenfield, New Jersey," 
 Towndrow continued. "There he spent the night. He 
 left Loudenfield this morning, in time to take the nine 
 o clock morning train from New York for Washington." 
 
 "You have reason to believe he took that train?" Ren 
 nison queried. 
 
 "Yes, * answered Horsford. "In a telegram dated in 
 New York at eight-fifty this morning, and addressed to 
 me, he told me of this purpose." 
 
 "Did he come on to Washington alone?" 
 
 "We think so, but are not positive as to that. We 
 have learned, however, that he was alone when he entered 
 the Weymouthshire that he was alone when he went to 
 his room, at three thirty-five." 
 
 "Was he seen by any one after that?" 
 
 "Not alive except by the person who is supposed to 
 have caused his death," Towndrow answered. 
 
 "Supposed to have caused his death," Rennison ex 
 claimed. 
 
 "The circumstances are peculiar, Captain," Towndrow 
 explained, after a pause. "At four o clock, a bellboy, 
 passing through the hall, saw the door of Room 415 was 
 not quite closed. The boy knew, as a result of experience 
 with it, that, owing to a defect in the woodwork, it could 
 be closed only with a little difficulty. When he attempted
 
 A MULTIPLE CRIME 27 
 
 to close it securely now, it resisted the effort. The boy 
 then saw that the lock had been thrown apparently by a 
 person leaving the room in haste, and with the impression 
 that he or she had locked the door. The key was with 
 drawn." 
 
 "The boy thrust open the door and entered the room. 
 Only a few inches beyond the door s range of swing he 
 saw, on the floor, the body of a man. The boy tele 
 phoned to the hotel office, and the police were notified. 
 In ten minutes Coughlin, the best of Washington s local 
 detectives, was on the scene. A superficial examination 
 of the body revealed no mark of violence. It was seen 
 that a mistake had been made in buttoning the vest, 
 the top button being in the second button-hole. Two 
 pocketbooks were found. One of these contained $250 
 in bills and some memoranda. The other, apparently 
 new, was empty, and was thrust into an inside pocket 
 of the coat. Among the letters on the body was one 
 from Mr. Horsford, addressed to Channing, at Hay- 
 nerville, notifying him of the acceptance of his device 
 and directing him to come to Washington to-day. Ac 
 cordingly, Coughlin, before giving the case publicit}^, 
 promptly telephoned to Mr. Horsford. Inasmuch as the 
 Secret Service already was at work on the Dragonfly de 
 struction case, I chanced to be in the office of Captain 
 Reifsnyder, who left Haynerville yesterday. Both Cap 
 tain Reifsnyder and myself were summoned by Mr. Hors 
 ford. Immediately after my arrival here I got into com 
 munication with Coughlin over the telephone, and, after 
 obtaining his report, I made certain suggestions concern 
 ing the manner in which he should proceed. A few min 
 utes later I heard from him again. Thus it has happened
 
 28 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 that, within an hour after the discovery of the body, we 
 are able to give to you such a fairly extended outline of 
 the case. 
 
 "Coughlin has been directed to see to it that the room 
 in which the body lies is locked and carefully guarded. All 
 has been put up to us by the local police. Coughlin, how 
 ever, has been assigned to work under my directions. He 
 now is trying to learn, at the hotel, who had access to 
 the room after Channing entered it." 
 
 "Coughlin is a good man, but well, the trail is get 
 ting colder every minute," Rennison muttered thought- 
 fully. 
 
 He picked up his hat and cane abstractedly and started 
 toward the door.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 GETTING TO WORK. 
 
 HORSFORD, rising, followed Rennison and laid a hand on 
 one of his shoulders. 
 
 "Is it all clear to you?" he asked solicitously. 
 
 "Well, no hardly that," Rennison muttered. "In 
 fact, there is nothing clear at all. We are not sure Chan- 
 ning was murdered that he did not die a natural death. 
 His money was untouched, and it is not clear that he was 
 robbed of anything. Your belief that he carried with him 
 documents which held the secret of his invention has led 
 you first to suspect, and then to believe, that such docu 
 ments were taken from him." 
 
 "But they are gone," Horsford protested excitedly. 
 
 "We are not so sure of that," Rennison said. "Those 
 who searched his pockets were not looking for such papers 
 as the ones you believed him to have in his possession. 
 The examination made by Coughlin appears to have been 
 scarcely more than perfunctory merely sufficient to es 
 tablish identification. Then, too, the fact that nothing 
 has been said to me concerning an examination of his lug 
 gage leads me to infer that none was made. He surely 
 brought with him a suit-case or travelling bag of some 
 sort," 
 
 "The fault was mine, Captain," Towndrow replied, 
 apologetically. "Coughlin did report that he found a 
 
 29
 
 30 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 black leather travelling bag on a chair in the room, but 
 that this contained only toilet articles and wearing ap 
 parel. Coughlin seemed certain that it held no papers." 
 
 "It is plain, of course, that there had been an intruder 
 in the room," Merschon put in. "That fact is indicated 
 by the disappearance of the key." 
 
 "Perhaps not," said Rennison. "It is possible that at 
 the time Channing fell dead to the floor from natural 
 causes, perhaps he was accompanied by some one who 
 was there by his invitation a woman, perchance, or a 
 man. This person, though innocent of his death, might 
 have had some quite explainable reason for dreading to be 
 found in the room in the circumstances. We will see." 
 
 "You speak, Rennison, as if you hold a brief for the 
 unknown person we have designated as the intruder," 
 Merschon said, resentfully. 
 
 "It s the Rennison way," Towndrow growled. "The 
 Captain always gives to a suspect the benefit of the 
 doubt. He first reasons what a fellow would have done 
 innocently, in certain circumstances what blunders he 
 might have made. But if he finds the suspect had a 
 motive if there is evidence, however slight, of design 
 good-night ! The end comes quickly. Rennison gets him 
 with the goods. What follows is the Rennison way 
 not mine." 
 
 Rennison, marking a note of bitterness in the tone of 
 the Secret Service man, looked at him sharply. He 
 seemed about to speak, but thought better of it. A 
 moment later, Horsford, slipping a hand under one of 
 his arms, asked, with pathetic eagerness: 
 
 "You do believe, Rennison, that it still is possible that 
 Channing s memoranda concerning the secret of his dis 
 covery may be found in his room?"
 
 GETTING TO WORK 31 
 
 "It is possible," Rennison answered, shortly. 
 
 "And you understand the full significance of it all, do 
 you not?" Horsford went on. "If that secret has been 
 taken from the room if it has fallen into the hands of 
 agents of Seafalcon it means that his submarines, equipped 
 with the apparatus described, will be able to sink our 
 vessels and those of other nations without coming to the 
 surface for purposes of observation without even thrust 
 ing a periscope into view." 
 
 "That much, at least, is clear to me," Rennison replied. 
 "Believe me, Mr. Horsford, I will do my best." Turning 
 abruptly from the Assistant Secretary, Rennison ad 
 dressed the Secret Service man. "You will come with me, 
 Towndrow?" he asked. 
 
 The Secret Service man, hesitating, glanced at Mer- 
 schon. 
 
 "Certainly if you wish it," Towndrow said. "But 
 you realize, of course, that I have been assigned to the 
 Haynerville end of this affair." 
 
 "It is because I thoroughly appreciate the importance 
 of what has occurred at Haynerville that I am asking you 
 to accompany me. Unless I am greatly mistaken, inci 
 dents that occurred at Haynerville may have an impor 
 tant bearing on the death of Channing here if, indeed, 
 we find that Channing s death was not due to natural 
 causes." 
 
 "My only reason for hesitation is that Captain Mer- 
 schon is momentarily expecting an important communica 
 tion from Haynerville, in reply to certain inquiries which 
 I requested him to make," Towndrow explained. 
 
 "Can you give me an hour?" Rennison queried. 
 
 "I ll be in my office until I hear from you again, Town 
 drow," Merschon said.
 
 32 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "All right, then, Captain," Towndrow muttered, nod 
 ding at Rennison. 
 
 "How soon can we get in touch with Coughlin?" Ren 
 nison asked. 
 
 "At once. Anticipating that you would want to see 
 him as soon as possible, I told him to be in the lobby 
 of the Weymouthshire at five-forty-five. Doubtless he 
 already is there." 
 
 Walking briskly, Rennison and Towndrow left the big 
 building together. Though the hotel was only a short 
 walk distant, they entered a taxicab. Until now neither 
 had addressed the other after leaving Horsford s office. 
 When they were seated in the vehicle Rennison spoke. 
 
 "Towndrow," he asked, "what was it you had in your 
 mind when, a few minutes ago, you remarked that when I 
 get an offender with the goods what follows is done in the 
 Rennison way not mine.* 
 
 Towndrow, flushing, chewed the end of his cigar medita 
 tively. He did not answer. 
 
 "Out with it, old man," Rennison persisted, kindly. 
 "For a long while I have been well aware that there has 
 been something between us that you have had some rea 
 son for disliking me. What is it?" 
 
 "I should not have spoken as I did, Captain," Towndrow 
 replied. "The fact is, however, there is a difference in 
 our methods. Mine savor rather more of the police, I 
 suppose. Police cases, strictly speaking, never have been 
 quite in your line unless some diplomatic official, for 
 eign agent or officer of the Army or Navy was involved. 
 Perhaps that is the reason we have different views dif 
 ferent methods." 
 
 "Well?" Rennison queried, as his companion paused. 
 
 "Well, most Secret Service cases, like those of the
 
 GETTING TO WORK 33 
 
 police, reach the courts. If the prisoner gets a jail sen 
 tence, he has time to think things over for a few months 
 or years. He has a chance to reform. But in some of 
 these cases of yours well, Captain, it seems to me that 
 some of those poor devils you caught with the goods got 
 to their Maker too soon. That s all." 
 
 During the remainder of the short ride neither of the 
 occupants of the taxicab addressed the other. Both were 
 moody when they alighted in front of the Weymouthshire. 
 
 Near the hotel desk they found Coughlin tall, lean, 
 square-shouldered, with bronzed features and iron-gray 
 hair. His alert, black eyes were expressive of impatience. 
 As he marked the approach of Rennison and Towndrow, 
 however, his face cleared a little, and he advanced briskly 
 to meet them. 
 
 "Coroner Discum and Dr. Albertson are here," Cough 
 lin explained. "They wanted to view the body at once, 
 but I told them you wanted them to wait." 
 
 Rennison nodded approvingly. 
 
 "No one other than yourself has been in the room since 
 you first left it?" Towndrow asked. 
 
 "No. It is locked and has been carefully guarded. 
 Shall we go right up?" 
 
 Rennison and Towndrow nodded assent. Coughlin 
 beckoned to two men who were seated on one of the sofas 
 in the lobby. They were Coroner Discum and Dr. Albert- 
 son, his physician. Both were known to Rennison and 
 Towndrow. They shook hands perfunctorily, and then 
 ascended in an elevator to the fourth floor. 
 
 On a chair near the door of Room 415 sat a "plain- 
 clothes" policeman. Another stood near a window at the 
 end of the hall. Coughlin drew a key from one of his 
 pockets, opened the door and the five men filed in.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SEALED LIPS. 
 
 AFTER following his four companions into the room, 
 Coughlin closed and locked the door. All removed their 
 hats and looked around them. 
 
 The first object that held their gaze was the figure of 
 a man, lying on the floor a man still youthful, a little 
 below medium height and of frail ph} sique. The hair 
 was brown and somewhat long. The thin, pallid, upturned 
 face was clean-shaven. The body was attired in a neatly- 
 fitting suit of blue serge, a pink silk shirt, white collar, 
 black tie, pink socks and low tan shoes. 
 
 "He looks more like a dry-goods clerk or summer 
 boarder than a naval man," Coughlin muttered. 
 
 Rennison glanced sharply at Towndrow, who had not 
 told him how much the local detective knew concerning 
 Channing s visit to Washington. 
 
 "He was not a naval man," Towndrow answered shortly. 
 
 "Well, Coughlin, how far have you got?" Rennison in 
 quired abruptly. 
 
 "Not very far, Captain," replied the detective. "It 
 doesn t look much like murder to me. It s a cinch, though, 
 somebody left here in the devil of a hurry. The lock was 
 turned before the door was closed, by some one who made 
 off with the key." 
 
 The gaze of Rennison now was resting on a flat straw 
 hat which lay on the floor, between the brass bed and 
 a window. 
 
 34
 
 SEALED LIPS 35 
 
 "That s his hat, I suppose," he said. "How did it get 
 there?" 
 
 "It s just where I found it, Captain, when I first came 
 into the room." 
 
 Rennison strode toward it, picked it up, turned down the 
 inner band, and, with the point of his knife, loosened and 
 drew open the silk lining inside the top. 
 
 "He s a neat-looking fellow so neat, indeed, that one 
 scarcely would suspect him of having the habit of tossing 
 his hat to the floor," Rennison muttered. 
 
 "He might have had it on his head when he fell, and it 
 might have rolled over there," Coughlin suggested. 
 
 "So it might," Rennison assented. 
 
 Towndrow, who had been gazing at the body, glanced 
 sharply toward the Captain, in whose tone there was 
 something that impressed him as significant. Rennison 
 replaced the hat on the floor, on the spot and in the posi 
 tion it had been when he first observed it. His manner 
 indicated that in it he had found nothing that held his 
 interest. The Secret Service man looked curiously at the 
 hat, then slowly shifted his gaze across the floor until it 
 came again to the body at his feet. He glanced again 
 at the hat, then at Rennison. 
 
 "If the man fell here, it is unlikely that the hat, falling 
 from his head, would have rolled to that side of the bed, 
 of course," Towndrow said. "It is not improbable, how 
 ever, that he was standing near the window when he first 
 was stricken, and that he staggered to where he fell." 
 
 "You are quite right, Towndrow," Rennison answered, 
 with a nod. 
 
 "Well, gentlemen, if there is no objection, we will pro 
 ceed to an examination of the body," said the Coroner. 
 "Have you any suggestion to make before we begin?"
 
 36 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "None except that each article of clothing might be 
 handed to us for examination as it is removed," Rennison 
 replied. 
 
 Coroner Discum, nodding, turned to his colleague. 
 
 "Well, Dr. Albertson, let us get to work," he said. 
 Addressing Rennison, he went on: "You will understand, 
 gentlemen, that this preliminary examination is made here 
 at the request of Detective Coughlin, who has explained 
 that it is in accordance with urgent police requirements. 
 I should prefer to conduct the autopsy in the morning. 
 If, however, you think it desirable that it be performed 
 to-night " 
 
 "I would suggest that it be performed to-night, ** replied 
 Rennison. 
 
 "It will be done, then, as soon as we get the body to 
 the Morgue." 
 
 In reply to a question, Coughlin explained to Rennison 
 that all papers he has examined had been returned by 
 him to the pockets in which they were found, and that he 
 had buttoned the vest in the manner in which it had been 
 when he first saw it the top button being in the second 
 buttonhole. 
 
 As each garment was taken from the body by the phy 
 sician, who was aided by Coughlin, it was passed to Ren 
 nison. The papers taken from the pockets were few. 
 There were six letters. One was from Horsford, directing 
 its recipient to visit Washington. One was from an inti 
 mate friend, and four others were communications from 
 manufacturing firms which, apparently, had been filling 
 certain orders placed with them by Channing. 
 
 In a black pocketbook was found half a sheet of note- 
 paper containing a list of business firms, whose names 
 appeared on two of the letters. Also in the pocketbook
 
 SEALED LIPS 37 
 
 were $250 in bills, visiting cards bearing the dead man s 
 name, some receipts for money paid, four blank checks on 
 a New York bank, and some memoranda which appeared to 
 have no connection with the visit to Washington. The 
 gold watch and fob-chain were in place, as was also a hand 
 some silver cigarette case. Other articles, such as a 
 fountain pen, a bunch of keys, a silver penknife and a pair 
 of folding scissors were inconsequential. 
 
 Of all the articles found, that which appeared to in 
 terest Rennison most was a pocketbook of soft, red Turk 
 ish leather. This had the appearance of newness, and 
 was found in one of the inside pockets of the coat. It was 
 empty, but, while the nether garments were being removed 
 from the body, Rennison took the pocketbook to a win 
 dow. There, after carefully inspecting it, he raised it to 
 his nostrils. 
 
 Inside the pocketbook were three panels and a panel- 
 like flap. The side panels were of green, pressed Morocco, 
 stamped with four thin, gilt parallel lines along the edges. 
 Behind the panel on the right was a single pocket ; behind 
 the left panel were two pockets. The middle panel was 
 of celluloid. The flap was of the same size as the middle 
 panel, over which it lay when it was closed. When the 
 flap was thrust back it revealed a large pocket behind the 
 panels, extending the full width of the pocketbook. This 
 pocket, as well as the pockets of the panels, was lined 
 with green, watered silk. 
 
 "Towndrow, bring me that vest, will you?" Rennison 
 asked. 
 
 The Secret Service man quickly picked up the vest from 
 the back of a chair and took it to where Rennison was 
 standing. The Army officer took it and glanced at the 
 inside lining. He saw it contained two pockets. Each of
 
 these pockets he raised to his nose. As he laid the pocket- 
 book on the sill of the window, Towndrow picked it up 
 and looked at it curiously. 
 
 "Rather gaudy, this," he remarked. 
 
 "Rather too gaudy to accord with the sober taste of the 
 average professor," Rennison said. "It probably was a 
 gift from some friend who had bought it in Paris or Con 
 stantinople, as a souvenir. It is as fresh, apparently, as 
 when it left its maker s hands. Still, Channing may have 
 had it for several weeks, or months. The black seal 
 pocketbook in which we found the money and cards was 
 more to the fancy of the poor fellow for general use. This 
 probably merely was lying around among his personal 
 effects and came to his mind when he wanted some such 
 receptacle for a special purpose. Take a whiff of this 
 pocket, Towndrow." 
 
 As Rennison spoke, he opened the left-hand inner 
 pocket of the vest and held it to Towndrow s nose. 
 
 The Secret Service man nodded. 
 
 "Yes," he said, "the odor of that Turkish leather is 
 pretty strong. It was in this pocket he carried the red 
 pocketbook. * 
 
 "But Coughlin assures us that he found it in the right 
 inside pocket of the coat," Rennison suggested. 
 
 "True," Towndrow assented. "Taken in conjunction 
 with the placing of the button in the wrong buttonhole 
 of the coat, it certainly indicates that some one was inter 
 ested in this red pocketbook after the body of Channing 
 fell to the floor." 
 
 Taking the pocketbook again, Rennison threw back the 
 flap and pointed to the wide pocket in the back. 
 
 "The papers we are seeking were in there, Towndrow," 
 he said.
 
 SEALED LIPS 39 
 
 "I think there is no doubt of that, Captain," Town- 
 drow muttered. "But we ll have to do some pretty quick 
 travelling if we are going to come up with them now." 
 
 "The travelling must not be along false trails," Renni- 
 son cautioned. "Before we start we must know what we 
 are going after. Meantime, we d better be sure there is 
 nothing in that travelling bag that is of interest to us 
 Will you look it over, old man?" 
 
 Towndrow nodded, and forthwith proceeded to act in 
 accordance with the request. 
 
 "The hotel management won t object, I suppose, if we 
 requisition one of the sheets from the bed, Captain Ren- 
 nison," said Coroner Discum. 
 
 "Oh, no, I think not," Rennison answered carelessly. 
 "Take it along." 
 
 Glancing at the body as he spoke, he saw that it had 
 been enitrcly stripped, and was lying on its face. He 
 crossed to it and dropped on one knee beside it. 
 
 "Found nothing, eh?" he asked the physician. 
 
 Coughlin was taking a sheet from the bed. 
 
 "Nothing whatever of a nature to indicate that the man 
 did not die of natural causes," Albertson replied. "Des 
 pite the slightness of his build, he appears to have been 
 in good physical health." 
 
 Beside Rennison s bent knee was the upturned palm 
 of the dead man s right hand. Stooping lower, the army 
 officer raised it. The physician saw the action. 
 
 "I observed those slight discolorations near the tips 
 of the thumb and the first and second fingers," Albert- 
 son explained. "They appear to be without significance, 
 however. Pie was a cigarette smoker, but I would say they 
 are not tobacco stains. What was his occupation?" 
 
 "A college professor and inventor."
 
 40 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Well, then I should infer that they were stains re 
 ceived in the course of laboratory work, involving the use 
 of chemicals," the physician went on carelessly. "I had 
 an idea that he might have been a photographer." 
 
 "Towndrow, let me have that glass of yours," said 
 Rennison. 
 
 The Secret Service man left the table at which he had 
 been examining the black travelling bag. As he crossed 
 to where Rennison was kneeling, he drew a small magnify 
 ing glass from one of his pockets and extracted it from its 
 chamois skin bag. He handed the glass to Rennison. 
 After examining the stained fingers for several moments, 
 through the glass, Rennison rose. 
 
 "Let s get the body nearer one of the windows," he 
 said. 
 
 Towndrow and Coughlin carried it to a point just below 
 one of the windows and laid it on the floor. 
 
 "How much would you say the poor chap weighed?" 
 Rennison asked, as he knelt again beside the body. 
 
 "Somewhere between 125 and 130 pounds," Coughlin 
 replied. 
 
 Once more Rennison was examining the stains through 
 the glass. In a couple of minutes he drew back and rose. 
 
 "Better have a look at these through the glass, Doc 
 tor," he suggested. 
 
 Taking the glass, Albertson knelt. He had been look 
 ing through the glass only a few moments when a flush 
 was seen to steal over his features. He made a little 
 sound as though he were clearing his throat. 
 
 "Yes, Captain," he muttered, "there does seem to be 
 something here."
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TWINKLING LIGHTS. 
 
 "WELL, Doctor, what do you find?" Rennison inquired. 
 
 "Punctures, as well as discoloration," Albertson re- 
 plied. "There are several of them several on the thumb 
 and several on each of the two fingers." 
 
 "What would you say caused them?" 
 
 "It is difficult to tell. The punctures certainly are not 
 the results of acid action, though the stains may be. 
 Whether they are related I will be unable to determine 
 until I subject all to a microscopic examination." 
 
 "Who is going to take charge of the property?" Cough- 
 lin asked. 
 
 "I ll attend to that," Towndrow volunteered. "I ll 
 turn it over to the police in a day or two." 
 
 Towndrow now proceeded to place in the black bag all 
 the articles which had been taken from the pockets of the 
 dead man s clothing. The clothing itself was crowded 
 into a pillow-case which Coughlin took from the bed, 
 The Coroner, after sending in a call for a police wagon, 
 assisted Albertson, who was wrapping the body in a 
 sheet preparatory to its transfer to the Morgue. 
 
 Meanwhile, Rennison, toying with Towndrow s magni 
 fying glass, walked thoughtfully to and fro near the spot 
 at which the body had been found. Once he stopped near 
 the threshold of the entrance door, and felt the nap of 
 the blue carpet. A little later, he opened the door, then 
 
 41
 
 42 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 closed it in a manner that indicated the point at which 
 it caught. At length he stepped out into the hall, draw 
 ing the door shut after him. 
 
 In the hall Rennison found the policeman who had been 
 guarding the door. 
 
 "Long wait, eh?" the Army man said. "However, it s 
 about over now, I guess. The wagon will be here pretty 
 soon." 
 
 The policeman, whose mouth was full of tobacco, made 
 some reply to which Rennison gave no heed. Moving about 
 just outside the door, Rennison was gazing at the red 
 carpet on the floor. 
 
 "You haven t been spilling any of that tobacco juice 
 around here, I hope," the Captain said, good-humoredly. 
 
 "No, sir," replied the policeman, who saw that the gaze 
 of Rennison was on a little spot, a few inches from the 
 wall and about eight feet from the door. "I saw that, too, 
 sir. But it ain t no mark of mine." 
 
 Rennison dropped on one knee and placed the glass 
 over the spot. 
 
 " Taint tobacco juice," the policeman assured him. 
 "And it aint no bloodstain neither." 
 
 "No," Rennison answered, absently, as he continued to 
 examine the mark. It was of a pale, grayish color. 
 "There has been no bloodshed, my friend." 
 
 "Then it wasn t no murder, hey?" the other asked, 
 with interest. 
 
 Rennison, rising, made no reply. He stepped to the 
 door and opened it. 
 
 "Do you happen to have a flashlight with you, Cough- 
 lin?" he called. 
 
 "Sure, * answered the detective. "Do you want it?" 
 
 "If you please."
 
 TWINKLING LIGHTS 43 
 
 Coughlin hurried out. 
 
 "Struck something?" he asked, eagerly, in a low voice. 
 
 "I don t know, Coughlin." 
 
 With the electric flashlight that had been given to him 
 by the detective, Rennison again examined the grayish 
 stain through the glass. He soon rose and returned the 
 flashlight to Coughlin. 
 
 "What is it, Captain?" 
 
 "I don t know," Rennison answered, shortly. 
 
 The two men re-entered the room, closing the door be 
 hind them. Slipping a hand under one of the arms of 
 the detective, Rennison led him to a window. 
 
 "Now, Coughlin, tell me how far you have gone," Ren 
 nison directed. 
 
 The detective flushed a little as he replied : 
 
 "Well, not very far, Captain. The fact that I had to 
 wait for you and Mr. Towndrow sort of held me up. 
 Then, too, it didn t look to me like the man was mur 
 dered." 
 
 "Does it look so to you now?" 
 
 "No, Captain, I can t see it that way at all. The only 
 suspicious circumstance in regards to this affair is that 
 somebody, who was in here when that chap died, or who 
 came in afterward, made an all-fired quick get-away." 
 
 "Then you have had little enthusiasm for the investi 
 gation?" 
 
 "Not overmuch, perhaps." 
 
 "But you have made some inquiries?" 
 
 "Oh, yes. I found that Channing entered the hotel at 
 3 :30 o clock this afternoon. He was alone and carried 
 a black travelling bag. A clerk named Johnson assigned 
 him to a room, and he was taken to it by a bellboy named 
 Spurgeon. Spurgeon then went downstairs. A few min-
 
 44 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 utes later a party in Room 407 rang for icewater, and 
 Spurgeon responded." 
 
 "And it was Spurgeon who found the door unlocked, 
 and who, entering the room, discovered the body?" 
 
 "Spurgeon did all that, Captain." 
 
 "All right. Let s get on to the time that, in accordance 
 with the request of the Government, you locked the room 
 and placed it under guard. What did you do after that?" 
 
 "I saw the manager of the hotel, Mr. Worthington. He 
 opened things to me generally. I talked with the clerk 
 and Spurgeon. Mr. Worthington tried to find whether 
 any one else had seen Charming. He questioned several 
 of his employes. The only other pers-on who saw our man 
 was the elevator boy, who had hardly noticed Channing 
 when he went up on a crowded car." 
 
 "You made no attempt to learn the names of other 
 persons occupying rooms on this floor?" 
 
 "Why, no. Why should I? What would they have 
 to do with the case? It didn t look like murder to me 
 then, and it doesn t look like murder to me now." 
 
 "All right, Coughlin," Rennison said, and passed into 
 the bathroom. There he saw the cover had been torn from 
 the little piece of soap that had been placed on the wash- 
 stand, and that on the rack one of the three towels was 
 crumpled. As he came out of the bathroom, he was ad 
 dressed by Towndrow. 
 
 "Well, Captain, what do you make of it all?" the Sec 
 ret Service man asked. His face and manner plainly indi 
 cated that impatience was getting the better of him. 
 
 "Why, the lights are beginning to twinkle now," Ren 
 nison replied. 
 
 "You think the man was murdered? * Coughlin de 
 manded.
 
 TWINKLING LIGHTS 45 
 
 "Undoubtedly," Rennison replied. "So far as we have 
 gone, much is clear. Such evidence as we have indicates 
 that Channing entered the hotel alone, and, after register 
 ing, was conducted to his room by a bellboy. The boy 
 probably placed the black bag where it was found on 
 the sofa. Channing, who appears to have been a singu 
 larly cautious person, so far as his invention was con 
 cerned, might have had some reason for not wanting to 
 go to the dining car, while he was carrying with him his 
 precious secret. One is often compelled to eat with three 
 others at a small table in a dining-car, you know, and 
 Channing, knowing the resources and unscrupulous prac 
 tices of Seafalcon s espionage system in this country, 
 may have been loath to eat and drink in such proximity 
 with strangers. He was resolved to take no chances 
 with pickpockets or food that might be tampered with. 
 
 "If such were the case, we must assume that the poor 
 chap, after a six-hours* journey, was in good shape for 
 a hearty meal when he arrived here. His appointment 
 with Mr. Horsford was for five o clock. Channing, there 
 fore, probably reasoned that he would have time for a 
 light meal somewhere, in an uncrowded place easily 
 enough to be found that hour. The destruction of the 
 Dragonfly and the murder of the inventor of the device 
 it contained plainly indicate that Channing was being 
 watched by spies. It may be regarded as probable that 
 he was aware of this. Nor, indeed, is it unlikely that, 
 realizing that he was followed, he had resolved to get his 
 secret into the hands of Mr. Horsford prior to the hour 
 that had been designated for their meeting*." 
 
 "That seems rather more probable to me," Towndrow 
 muttered. 
 
 "Well, in any case it would appear that, as soon as
 
 46 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 the bellboy left him, Charming hurried to the bathroom, 
 tore the paper wrapper from the soap he found there, 
 and quickly washed the stains of travel from his face and 
 hands, not taking time to brush his hair. 
 
 "Having left the bathroom, Channing put on his hat, 
 crossed the room, opened the door and went out into the 
 hall. He closed and locked the door, and then started 
 toward the elevator. He had taken only a few steps, how 
 ever, when he saw some one, who probably was a stranger 
 to him. It is also probable that this stranger was a 
 woman." 
 
 Coughlin, whose features now wore a troubled expres 
 sion, shook his head incredulously. 
 
 "On some pretext or another, this woman, we will say, 
 addressed him," Rennison went on. "She either offered 
 to him or let fall some object which she carried. At all 
 events the object fell to the floor. As it struck the carpet 
 the shock of contact caused the exudation of some virulent 
 fluid it contained. The effect of this was a stain, which 
 rather resembles a burn, on the carpet, about eight feet 
 from the door." 
 
 "You think then, * broke in Dr. Albertson, in ac 
 cents of alarm. 
 
 "I think the object to which I have referred was cov 
 ered with needle-like, but hollow, points, which, when 
 grasped by fingers, or subjected to the shock of a fall, 
 would discharge some deadly fluid. I believe that, either 
 in taking this object from the hand of the woman, or 
 picking it up from the floor, Channing received the punc 
 tures which we found in his thumb and the two fingers 
 which would be used in picking up such an object." 
 
 "And then?" Albertson queried. 
 
 "Well, succumbing to the virulence of the poison thus
 
 TWINKLING LIGHTS 47 
 
 injected into his system, Channing, it is safe to assume, 
 fell either dead or dying on the floor. The woman if, 
 indeed, it was a woman then got possession of his key, 
 which still might have been in his hand, opened the door 
 of his room, drew in the body, tossed the fallen hat to the 
 place where we found it, closed the door, searched the 
 pockets, obtained what she sought, then fled from the 
 room, leaving the door in the position that has been 
 indicated." 
 
 "But why do you infer that the act was committed by 
 a woman?" Towndrow asked. 
 
 "There are several reasons for such an inference. First, 
 Channing, carrying with him an important document, 
 would be more or less on his guard against a strange 
 man who might address him. If a man were to drop an 
 object such as I have described, the chances are that 
 Channing, though seeing it first, would have let the other 
 fellow pick it up. Some one was prepared to take ad 
 vantage of his courtesy. 
 
 "Second, it is doubtful whether a man, seeking to con 
 ceal evidence of crime, would have buttoned up the vest in 
 such a manner. Third, a man, in such circumstances, 
 would have entirely closed the door before locking it. 
 The woman who committed this crime apparently lost 
 nerve at the moment it was most necessary. The but 
 toning of the vest and the manner in which the lock was 
 thrown seem to indicate the approach of a degree of 
 hysteria that rarely is found in the cases of male crim 
 inals especially of the higher class the class from which 
 a person required for work of this character necessarily 
 must be obtained." 
 
 "Your theory is plausible enough, Captain/ Towndrow 
 muttered, thoughtfully. "And in all criminal cases of
 
 48 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 this nature we, sooner or later, must get back to the old 
 injunction: Search for the woman." 
 
 "She s got a pretty good lead by this time," Coughlin 
 grumbled self-reproachfully." 
 
 The face of Towndrow darkened, as he turned to Ren- 
 nison. 
 
 "It must be a quick chase, Captain," he said. 
 
 Scarcely had he spoken when there came a rapping at 
 the door.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HITTING THE TRAIL. 
 
 THE door was opened by Coughlin, who was confronted 
 by Worthington, the manager of the hotel. Worthington 
 made no attempt to conceal his agitation. 
 
 "Come in, Mr. Worthington," said Coughlin. "We ll 
 have the room cleared for you in a few minutes." 
 
 "What the devil does all this mean?" the manager 
 demanded. "I had expected rather better of you, Cough 
 lin. There s a police wagon at the door, and the driver 
 tells me you are going to take the body to the Morgue at 
 once. Can t the removal be postponed, as in other such 
 cases, until our guests are in their beds and out of the 
 way?" 
 
 "No, Mr. Worthington," Towndrow answered. "There 
 are reasons that make it imperative that the removal 
 should be effected at once." 
 
 At length, finding his protests vain, the manager left 
 the room. Shortly aftei*ward, Rennison, directing his 
 companions to await his return, also went out. He was 
 the only passenger in the elevator that took him to the first 
 floor. There he went to the hotel desk and addressed the 
 clerk. This man was Johnson, who had assigned the 
 room to Channing earlier in the day. To Johnson Ren 
 nison was known as an Army officer, and the clerk had 
 marvelled to see him go to the fourth floor with the 
 
 49
 
 50 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Coroner, Coughlin and a Secret Service man. Johnson 
 nodded as Rennison approached. 
 
 "Mr. Johnson, I will have to spend the night at this 
 hotel, and would like a room on the fourth floor," Ren 
 nison explained. 
 
 The clerk, after glancing at his room board, shook his 
 head. 
 
 "I m sorry, Captain, but all the rooms on the fourth 
 floor are occupied except, of course, the one you know 
 about." 
 
 "I do not want that one." 
 
 "All the others are taken, sir. A room on another 
 floor would not do !" 
 
 "No. It must be on the fourth. How soon will you 
 have one disengaged? * 
 
 "That is rather difficult to say, Captain, * replied the 
 clerk, again glancing at his board. "There s one, though 
 an inside room Number 412 that may be given up 
 to-night." 
 
 "At what time would it be likely to be available?" 
 
 Once more the clerk shook his head. Then, turning, he 
 went to the boxes in which letters and keys were deposited. 
 After thrusting his fingers into that marked 412, he ad 
 dressed Rennison. 
 
 "The key is gone, sir, and it is probable that the lady 
 will occupy the, room all night." 
 
 "Oh, it s a lady, eh?" 
 
 One of the male guests of the hotel now requested his 
 letters and room key. As the clerk turned to get them, 
 Rennison scanned the open pages of the register. 
 
 "What is the lady s name?" he asked when Johnson 
 returned. 
 
 The clerk hesitated; then, seeing that Rennison was
 
 HITTING THE TRAIL 51 
 
 looking down one of the room columns of the register, he 
 said, coldly: 
 
 "She did not register, Captain Rennison." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 The manner of the clerk grew frigid. 
 
 "You surely know, Captain, that information of a per 
 sonal nature, concerning guests, is not given out by em 
 ployes of reputable hotels." 
 
 Rennison, nodding, smiled faintly, as he replied: 
 
 "You are quite right, Mr. Johnson. I stand corrected, 
 and ask your pardon." 
 
 Having thus spoken, Rennison turned away and went 
 leisurely to the private office of the manager. The door 
 was open, but the room was unoccupied. Five minutes 
 later, the manager, still perturbed, hurried in. Rennison 
 was seated beside his desk. 
 
 "Believe me, Mr. Worthington, I am very sorry it was 
 necessary to remove the body at this hour," Rennison said 
 contritely. "It could not be avoided, however." 
 
 "Well, all went off better than I dared hope," Worth 
 ington replied, as he wiped his forehead with a handker 
 chief. "Singularly enough, at this hour, none of our 
 guests was in the hall, and the stretcher reached the 
 freight elevator without being observed. Thence we got it 
 down to the court behind the hotel. I m glad all is over. 
 But how does it happen, Captain, that you appear to be 
 so interested in the case? Channing was not a relative 
 of yours, I hope." 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Or an Army man?" 
 
 "No. He was a man in whom the Government had a 
 marked interest, however." 
 
 "I might have inferred as much from the manner in
 
 52 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 which Towndrow, of the Secret Service, seemed to be 
 directing things. Well, anyhow, I m glad the thing is 
 over, so far as the Weymouthshire is concerned. * 
 
 Rising deliberately, Rennison crossed to the door and 
 closed it. 
 
 "I am sorry, Mr. Worthington, that I still am unable 
 to congratulate the Weymouthshire on being quite done 
 with the affair," he said, as he reseated himself. 
 
 The color fled from the manager s face. 
 
 "What do you mean by that ?" he demanded. The man 
 died from natural causes, didn t he?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "You mean that he was murdered here in the Wey 
 mouthshire?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Oh, God!" groaned Worthington. "How? By 
 whom?" 
 
 "It is too soon to say. But it is essential that we have 
 your assistance in getting at the facts." 
 
 " We ," Worthington repeated, wonderingly. "Will 
 you tell me first, Captain, just how you are figuring in this 
 affair?" 
 
 "For the time being, at least, you will regard me as 
 acting in the capacity of a representative of the Bureau 
 of Military Intelligence, and working in collaboration 
 with the United States Secret Service." 
 
 The manager gave a little start. Thoughtful gravity 
 drove the flush of resentment from his features, and the 
 light that was kindled in his eyes was indicative of new 
 interest. 
 
 "Ah I see!" he murmured. "This is something more 
 than a mere police case, then." 
 
 "Much more.*
 
 HITTING THE TRAIL 53 
 
 As earnest and self-controlled now as his visitor, Worth- 
 ington leaned back in his swivel desk-chair and gripped its 
 arms. 
 
 "I am entirely at your service, Captain Rennison," he 
 said. "Now what can I do?" 
 
 "I want, with as little delay as possible, a room on the 
 fourth floor not, of course, the room in which the body 
 of Channing was found. I have learned that all are oc 
 cupied, but that 412 may be released in the course of 
 the night. Incidentally, I learned from Mr. Johnson 
 that its occupant was a woman, who had not registered. 
 Quite properly, Mr. Johnson declined to reveal to me 
 the name of the woman, or her reasons for not allowing 
 her name to appear on the hotel register." 
 
 "And you seek this knowledge?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Leaning forward, Worthington pressed an electric but 
 ton on his desk. When a bell-boy responded, the manager 
 directed that Johnson be requested to come to the office. 
 
 "Failure to register at the Weymouthshire is unusual, 
 is it not?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Yes, it is unusual, of course. But, in certain circum 
 stances, exceptions are made to the usual practice." 
 
 "Are you familiar with the circumstance in this par 
 ticular case?" 
 
 "No not familiar with them. The matter was referred 
 to me, about two o clock this afternoon, by Johnson, who 
 was on duty at the desk at that time. He merely reported 
 to me that a woman, without friends in Washington, had 
 requested permission to occupy for a few hours a room 
 that had been engaged, and paid for, by her husband, 
 who had been unavoidably detained in New York. She 
 explained that immediately upon the arrival of her hus-
 
 54 
 
 band, later in the day, she would meet him at the Union 
 Station and continue on with him to Chicago. I told 
 Johnson to let her have the room, of course. Inasmuch 
 as she did not intend to occupy it overnight, she was not 
 required to register. That is all I know of the circum 
 stances. I do not even recollect her name." 
 
 "Well, we ll get the details from Johnson, then," said 
 Rennison. 
 
 As he spoke, Johnson entered the office. The clerk 
 flushed a little as he saw Rennison, then turned inquir 
 ingly to his employer.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE WOMAN IN NUMBER 412. 
 
 "SiT down, Johnson," Worthington directed, addressing 
 the desk clerk. "Captain Rennison agrees with me that 
 you acted quite properly in declining to give to him 
 information concerning the woman of whom he spoke to 
 you a few minutes ago, inasmuch as you did not under 
 stand his reasons for interrogating you on the subject. 
 These reasons have been explained to me, however, and it 
 is my wish that you answer all questions he may put to 
 you." 
 
 "Very well, sir," replied the clerk. 
 
 "Tell to him, then, all you know concerning the arrival 
 of the woman at this hotel," Worthington said. 
 
 "Well," the clerk began, "the affair really started yes 
 terday, when, about five o clock in the afternoon, Rey 
 nolds, the cashier, gave to me a special delivery letter, 
 addressed to the manager. This had been opened by 
 Mr. Worthington." 
 
 "You mean ?" the manager broke in. 
 
 "Will you let me have whatever documents are available 
 in connection with this matter?" Rennison asked. 
 
 In accordance with nodded permission from the man 
 ager, Johnson went out. 
 
 "I recollect the incident of which he speaks, but I did 
 not suspect it had any relation to this case," Worthing 
 ton muttered, thoughtfully. 
 
 55
 
 56 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Neither spoke again until Johnson returned. He 
 brought with him a letter. 
 
 "This was the letter, Captain Rennison," Johnson said, 
 as he handed it to the Army man. 
 
 It was written on notepaper of the Hotel Clairecliff, 
 New York City, and bore the date on which it was 
 received at the Weymouthshire. Addressed to "The 
 Manager of the Hotel Weymouthshire, Washington, D. 
 C.," it was as follows : 
 
 Dear Sir: Please have ready for occupancy early to 
 morrow afternoon two rooms on the third or fourth floors of 
 the Weymouthshire one for the use of Oliver Channing, of 
 New York, and the other for myself. It is preferable that they 
 be communicating, but, if such are not available, please see 
 to it that they are on the same floor, and as near to one another 
 as possible. I should find a single room acceptable for myself, 
 if two adjoining double rooms are not to be had, but it is 
 essential that a double room be assigned to Mr. Channing. 
 Enclosed herewith please find $20 in cash to cover the 
 reservation. 
 
 I may add that during my sojourn in Washington I may 
 be met by Mrs. Enderbrook, now visiting in Maryland, and 
 who will go W^st with me. Should she arrive in Washington 
 before I am ready to leave the city, I should require a double 
 room, of course. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 THEODORE ENDERBROOK. 
 
 After reading the letter, Rennison passed it to Worth- 
 ington, who also read it carefully. 
 
 "As I have said, I do recollect having received this 
 letter, but I merely glanced at it," the manager explained, 
 when he was done. "While it is a little more specific, 
 perhaps, than is usual with letters which ask for reserva 
 tions, there was nothing about it that impressed me as
 
 THE WOMAN IN NUMBER 412 57 
 
 extraordinary. Noting that it was a reservation re 
 quest, and was accompanied by cash, I gave it to my 
 cashier, who passed it on to Johnson, in order that rooms 
 might be assigned." 
 
 "And you made the asignments, Mr, Johnson? * Ren- 
 nison queried. 
 
 "Yes, sir," replied the clerk. "No communicating 1 
 rooms were available on either the third or fourth floor, 
 so I made the best disposition that was possible in the 
 circumstances. I reserved for Mr. Channing a double 
 room on the outside, and for Mr. Enderbrook a double 
 room on the inside on opposite sides of the corridor." 
 
 "These rooms, then, were 415 and 412 !" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "I see you have noted the numbers on Enderbrook s let 
 ter." 
 
 "Yes, sir, the figures were made by me." 
 
 "Well, the rooms were ready for the occupancy of Mr. 
 Enderbrook and Mr. Channing at noon to-day, * the clerk 
 went on. "About one o clock I was summoned to the tele 
 phone. The speaker at the other end of the wire asked 
 me if I was the desk clerk. I replied that I was. He said 
 lie was Enderbrook, that business had detained him in New 
 York, that he would be in Washington some time in the 
 course of the evening, but would start immediately for 
 the West. Meanwhile, he said, he had been unable to 
 communicate with his wife, who had left Hagerstown, 
 Maryland, before he had an opportunity to acquaint her 
 with his change of plans. She was on her way to Wash 
 ington to meet him at the Weymouthshire. Accordingly, 
 he asked me to give to her the use of the room he had 
 engaged, and in which she might await his arrival 4 He 
 reminded me that it had been paid for."
 
 58 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Clever fellow," Rennison muttered. "He wasn t leav 
 ing much to chance." 
 
 "He explained that his wife was to be informed that he 
 would call her up on the telephone, sometime in the after 
 noon," Johnson continued. "He then added that this 
 change in his plans had nothing to do with the movements 
 of Mr. Channing, who would occupy the room reserved 
 for him, and might remain in Washington for several days. 
 He further explained that Channing was merely a business 
 acquaintance, and that Mrs. Enderbrook didn t know him 
 even by name." 
 
 "Clever fellow," Rennison repeated. "And, naturally, 
 you assured him that the Weymouthshire would do all in 
 its power to minister to Mrs. Enderbrook s comfort." 
 
 "Certainly, sir." 
 
 "And now we come to the woman, I suppose," said Ren 
 nison. "When and in what circumstances did she ap 
 pear?" 
 
 "I explained to my assistant that if Mrs. Enderbrook 
 came to the desk, I wanted to speak with her. But I 
 was there when she appeared. I just had finished talk 
 ing with a guest when I saw, standing at the desk, a 
 woman of medium height. She was not a stout woman, 
 but whether she might be described as slim, I cannot say. 
 She wore a loosely fitting automobile coat, a gray cloth 
 hat, with a moderate brim, and a gray feather in it. Her 
 face was entirely concealed by an automobile veil. She 
 raised this a little above her mouth when she first spoke 
 to me, but soon dropped it, and let it remain down. 
 
 "She said to me: My husband, Mr. Theodore Ender 
 brook, is stopping here, I believe, and is expecting me. 
 Will you tell me, please, if he is in?* She appeared to be 
 greatly disappointed when I told her the substance of the
 
 THE WOMAN IN NUMBER 412 59 
 
 telephone conversation with her husband. Incidentally, I 
 mentioned the fact that he had engaged two rooms. She 
 asked who the second was for. I told her it was for a 
 business friend named Channing. I don t know any Mr. 
 Channing, she exclaimed, rather pettishly. No other 
 reference was made to him. She said she would wait in 
 Room 412 for the promised telephone communication from 
 her husband. A bell-boy took her there, and that was the 
 last I saw of the lady." 
 
 "You say you saw only her chin and lips?" Rennison 
 asked. 
 
 "That s all, Captain. The chin had a little dimple in 
 it. Her mouth was small, somewhat poutish, I should say. 
 Her lips were full and red. Somehow or other, she gave 
 me the impression that she was a pretty woman, with a 
 clear complexion, and rather young certainly not over 
 thirty, at the most." 
 
 "Did you notice her hands !" 
 
 "They were not what one would describe as large hands, 
 but one would not call them little for a woman. She 
 wore gray lisle thread gloves on both." 
 
 "You said nothing to Detective Coughlin about the 
 Enderbrooks when he interrogated you concerning Chan 
 ning?" 
 
 "No, sir. Mrs. Enderbrook knew nothing of him, and 
 her husband said he was merely a business acquaintance." 
 
 "Enderbrook did not call the woman up on the tele 
 phone, of course." 
 
 "Not to my knowledge, sir." 
 
 "Am I to understand that you did not tell Mrs. Ender 
 brook the number of Channing s room?" 
 
 "No reference was made by either of us to the location 
 of his room."
 
 60 THE SCARLET TAXAGER 
 
 "In your talk with Endcrbrook over the telephone did 
 you tell him the number of the rooms that had been as 
 signed to him and Channing?" 
 
 Johnson thought carefully for several moments. 
 
 "Yes yes, I did," he replied. "While he was speaking, 
 he broke off a sentence suddenly, and asked me the num 
 bers of the rooms. I told him." 
 
 "You were carrying those numbers in your head?" 
 
 "Yes. Only a few minutes before I had given the 
 numbers to the cashier, to be charged in accordance with 
 the time mentioned in the reservation letter. Whether 
 or not the guests appeared, the charges against the money 
 advanced were to date from two o clock in the afternoon. 
 The association of guest names and room numbers is 
 the readiest thing in the world to a hotel clerk." 
 
 "So far as you know, then, no one in the hotel saw 
 this woman after she went to her room? No one saw her 
 in the hall, elevators or in the act of leaving the hotel." 
 
 "I know of no one who saw her." 
 
 "I will cause inquiries to be made to that effect," put 
 in Worthington. 
 
 "Well, now let s get to Channing," Rennison said. 
 "What was said by you and Channing at the time he 
 arrived at the hotel?" 
 
 "He merely said: I am Oliver Channing, of New York. 
 I understand a room has been reserved for me by Mr. En 
 derbrook. I replied: Yes, sir 415. Will you go to 
 it now? Yes, he answered. As I gave the key to a 
 bell-boy, I remarked : Mr. Enderbrook did not come with 
 you? No, he said. *He was delayed in New York. 
 
 "No reference was made, then, to Room 412 or Mrs. 
 Enderbrook?" 
 
 "None whatever. I have told you all that was said."
 
 61 
 
 Leaning forward, Rennison rested his elbows on his 
 knees. 
 
 "I think that is all, Mr. Johnson," he said, thoughtfully. 
 "You have told me, however, that the key to Room 41 
 has not been returned to the desk. I feel certain that you 
 never will see that key again. If, therefore, you will 
 supply me with a duplicate key, and will let me have the 
 use of the room to-night, I shall be greatly obliged." 
 
 "You shall have it, of course, Captain," Worthington 
 said. He hesitated as Johnson went off for the key ; then 
 he added: "I think, in the circumstances, perhaps, my 
 curiosity is pardonable, Captain. Might I ask " 
 
 "All I can tell you now is that Channing was murdered 
 and robbed in this hotel," Rennison interrupted. "The 
 crime may have been committed by this woman or by 
 some one else. Later, I may tell you more. There is 
 nothing in the affair that will reflect on the character of 
 your hotel, or any member of your staff. Every effort 
 will be made to avoid publicity.* 
 
 In a few moments a bell-boy entered with a duplicate 
 key. 
 
 "Thanks," said Rennison. "You need not trouble to 
 go with me, son. I know the way."
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DIVIDING PATHS. 
 
 AFTER leaving the elevator on the fourth floor, Renni- 
 son hurried to Room 415. The policemen who had been 
 stationed in the hall were gone. The door of the room 
 was unlocked. Rennison opened it and stepped in. He 
 saw that the body had been removed, and that the Coroner 
 and physician had left. Towndrow and Coughlin were 
 there, however. Both looked at him gloomily. 
 
 Failing to see the black travelling bag and the pillow 
 case into which the dead man s clothing had been thrust, 
 Rennison asked Towndrow where they were. The Secret 
 Service man explained they had been sent to his office 
 by one of the "plainclotb.es" men who had been stationed 
 outside. 
 
 "Well, then, I guess we re done in here," Rennison said. 
 "I have engaged another room on this floor. Let s get 
 to it." 
 
 Together the three men left the room and crossed to 
 Room 412. There Rennison opened the door. When all 
 were in, the Army man closed the door and locked it. 
 
 "It is seven o clock, Captain," Towndrow said, sug 
 gestively. 
 
 "True," Rennison replied. "But, though daylight still 
 is holding out pretty well, this inside room is darker than 
 the other, and we d better turn on the electric light. Pull 
 down those shades, will you, Towndrow?" 
 
 He turned on the switch, and, when the shades were 
 
 62
 
 DIVIDING PATHS 63 
 
 lowered, he moved two chairs toward the table at which 
 one chair already was in position. 
 
 "Well, Captain, are we any nearer what we have been 
 seeking?" Towndrow asked, as they sat down. 
 
 "I think so, * Rennison answered, confidently. "But 
 there is much to do and we must work quickly." 
 
 "Why have you taken this room?" the Secret Service 
 man queried. 
 
 "Because it was occupied, for more than an hour pre 
 ceding the murder, by the woman who committed the 
 crime. * 
 
 "I suspected as much," Towndrow muttered. 
 
 As quickly as possible, Rennison then informed his 
 companions of all he had learned from Johnson. When 
 he was done, he addressed the city detective. 
 
 "Coughlin, there are three ends to this thing, and each 
 of us will have to handle one of them," he said. "Town 
 drow, with the aid of the Secret Service and the New York 
 police, will try to establish the identity of the man who is 
 known to us as Enderbrook. It is plain that, in some 
 manner or other, this fellow had the confidence of Chan- 
 ning. He knew Channing carried with him a certain im 
 portant document, who he was to see in Washington, at 
 what hour he was to arrive in this city, and, all the time, 
 was able to communicate promptly with the woman by 
 whom the crime was committed. It was he who engaged 
 both rooms, and it is probable that each detail of the 
 crime was worked out by him." 
 
 "He was something of a master," Towndrow grumbled. 
 
 "Now, Coughlin, it s up to you to learn all you can 
 concerning the actions of the woman while she was in this 
 hotel," Rennison went on. "Worthington will give you 
 all the assistance in his power. But it is especially essen-
 
 64 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 tial that you learn the point from which Enderbrook tele 
 phoned to Johnson this afternoon. If it was a long dis 
 tance call, the operator of the hotel switchboard will have 
 some record of it. It may have come from New York. 
 There is rather more than a possibility, however, that it 
 came from some point nearer Washington if not from 
 a point in Washington itself." 
 
 "You think, then, that after posting that special de 
 livery letter in New York, the fellow came on here? * 
 Coughlin inquired. 
 
 "I am inclined to believe that at the time of the murder 
 he was not far from where we are sitting now, though 
 I do not think he was in the hotel." 
 
 "In that case he probably already has the papers we 
 seek," Towndrow said, moodily. 
 
 "Undoubtedly. That is why I regard the identification 
 of Enderbrook as of primary importance. We may get 
 the woman later, but the papers we seek probably are in 
 the hands of her male confederate, who directed her ef 
 forts. We must get to him at once." 
 
 "I m on," Coughlin muttered. 
 
 "Now, Towndrow," Rennison continued, "I wish you 
 would arrange with Captain Merschon to have him in 
 Room 43X, in the War Department, from eight o clock 
 to midnight. Ask him also to see to it that at midnight 
 there are with him all who were present at our conference 
 this afternoon. I think it will be well to have Captain 
 Merschon, in Room 43X, the center of our activities for 
 the night, in order that we may keep in touch with one 
 another. And, Coughlin " 
 
 He paused abruptly. Wliile he was speaking he had 
 been moving slowly about the room, with a thoughtful
 
 DIVIDING PATHS 65 
 
 gaze on the floor. Now he had stopped and was looking 
 at a point where the edge of the carpet met one of the 
 walls. He pressed it lightly with the toe of one of his 
 shoes; then he stooped and fumbled with the carpet s 
 edge. A moment later he drew back sharply, and looked 
 at the tip of his right thumb. Seeing it was not bleeding, 
 he took a little knife from one of his pockets and opened 
 from it a nail file. With this he pried from under the 
 edge of the carpet a piece of metal. After picking this 
 up he rose. 
 
 As Rennison, stepping under the light above the table, 
 examined the object critically, his companions rose and 
 glanced at the metal curiously. It was steel, and about 
 eight inches long. Despite the fact that it appeared to 
 be round, it had four sharp edges. The top, which 
 seemed to have been broken off something, measured a 
 little less than half an inch across. From the top it 
 gradually diminished until it came to a sharp, fine, two- 
 edged point. 
 
 "What do you make of that, Captain?" Coughlin asked, 
 wonderingly. 
 
 Rennison took an envelope from one of the pockets of 
 his coat and passed a corner of it over one of the edges 
 of the metal. 
 
 "Fairly sharp," he muttered as he examined the cut it 
 had made in the paper. "It s lucky I didn t cut my thumb 
 with it when I tried to take it from under the carpet." 
 
 "It looks like the blade of one of those fancy stilettos 
 the Italians carry," Towndrow mused. "It s a cinch, 
 though, Channing didn t come to his death by that." 
 
 "Oh, no," Rennison assented, abstractedly. "But I 
 was about to suggest to Coughlin that he ask Dr. Albert-
 
 66 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 son to make his autopsy report to Captain Merschon as 
 much before midnight as possible. * 
 
 "I ll get in touch with him at once, Captain," the de 
 tective answered. 
 
 Laying a hand on one of the shoulders of Coughlin, 
 Rennison said: 
 
 "Well, old man, here s where our paths separate for the 
 time being. Now get busy. Keep in touch with me 
 through Merschon. Call up the office at least once an 
 hour." 
 
 In a few moments the detective was off. 
 
 "I ll have to get to Merschon soon," Towndrow said, 
 a little irritably. 
 
 "I m sorry to have kept you here so long," Rennison 
 replied, "but when I asked you to come with me I had a 
 reason for it. I had no time before leaving Horsford 
 and the others to be more fully informed concerning the 
 destruction of the Dragonfly at Haynerville. I suspected 
 then, and am satisfied now, that the circumstances inci 
 dent to the destruction of the Dragonfly were intimately 
 related with those with which we have to do in the Wey- 
 mouthshire affair. When I say intimately, I mean that 
 the two incidents were not the results of the operations 
 of two groups of conspirators, but of one directing hand 
 a person who had not more than one or two confed 
 erates." 
 
 "The same idea has been in my mind," said Towndrow, 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 "The Dragonfly was destroyed by an explosion at 9:30 
 this morning." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And at the time Channing left the Dragonfly, at 5 
 o clock yesterday afternoon, the motor-boat, and all it
 
 DIVIDING PATHS 67 
 
 contained, was formally turned over to officials of the 
 Government?" 
 
 "Exactly. Each door and hatchway then was sealed 
 by Captain Reifsnyder, of the Naval Bureau of Experi 
 mentation, under the personal direction of Rear Admiral 
 Longley, one of the naval officers representing the depart 
 ment at the test. At 7 o clock this morning, an official 
 inspection showed the seals to be still intact." 
 
 "During the night there had been no guard on the 
 Dragonfly?" 
 
 "No. But around her had been thrown a cordon of 
 guard boats two submarines, a destroyer and four small 
 motor vessels. By the crews of these she was carefully 
 watched through the night. The shipyard, off which the 
 Dragonfly was anchored, was also carefully patrolled." 
 
 "No protecting subsurface net was thrown around the 
 Dragonfly?" 
 
 "None, I understand." 
 
 "Leaving Haynerville, last night, did Channing return 
 to New York alone?" 
 
 "No. He was accompanied by Rear-Admiral Longley 
 and Captain Reifsnyder." 
 
 "But, later in the evening, Channing went to his labora 
 tory in Loudenfield, New Jersey." 
 
 "Yes. He went to Loudenfield alone." 
 
 "Where did Longley and Reifsnyder go ?" 
 
 "Longley took an evening train for the Naval Training 
 Station at Newport. Reifsnyder took the midnight train 
 for Washington." 
 
 "That arrives at the Union Station a little before 
 seven." 
 
 "Six-forty-five, to be exact." 
 
 "Did he come on alone?"
 
 68 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "I believe so." 
 
 "Did Reifsnyder go north for the express purpose of 
 being present at the test of the Channing apparatus on 
 the Dragonfly?" 
 
 "He might have done so, inasmuch as he is attached to 
 the Bureau of Experimentation." 
 
 "Did he leave Washington on the day of the test?" 
 
 "No. He left two days before. On the morning of the 
 day of the Dragonfly test he was at Sandy Hook." 
 
 "What was he doing there?" 
 
 "Well, as 3 r ou know, he is an expert on the subject of 
 explosives. At Sandy Hook he directed the test of a new 
 aerial bomb a bomb to be dropped from aeroplanes 
 the invention of a young machinist employed in the Wash 
 ington Navy Yard." 
 
 <e What is the name of the inventor of the bomb?" 
 
 "Andrew McCormick." 
 
 "Where does Reifsnyder stop when he is in New York ?" 
 
 "At the Scotbrae." 
 
 "And he was at the Scotbrae last night prior to leav 
 ing New York for Washington !" 
 
 "Yes for several hours. He registered there." 
 
 A little chuckle escaped the lips of Rennison. Now, on 
 his knees, he was looking under the bed. Towndrow 
 frowned irritably as he drew out his Avatch and looked at 
 its face. 
 
 "You seem to be particularly well-informed concerning 
 the movements of Captain Reifsnyder during his absence 
 from Washington," Rennison remarked, as he rose and 
 brushed off the knees of his trousers. 
 
 "Naturally," the Secret Service man replied. "It was 
 from Captain Reifsnyder that I obtained most of my in-
 
 DIVIDING PATHS 69 
 
 formation concerning the Dragonfly and its inspection. 
 I have known of the Dragonfly s destruction since eleven 
 o clock this morning 1 ." 
 
 "Who is handling the Secret Service end of this in New 
 York?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "The Chief, himself." 
 
 "That s fortunate," Rennison said, thoughtfully. "Are 
 you in a position to keep in constant touch with him 
 throughout the night?" 
 
 "Yes through Captain Merschon. That is why I have 
 been so anxious to get back to the Navy Department." 
 
 "In your communications with the Chief has the name 
 of Enderbrook been mentioned?" 
 
 "No. You were the first I heard mention the name." 
 
 "Well, it seems plain this fellow Enderbrook was in 
 communication with Channing while Channing was in 
 Loudenfield, or on his way from there to Washington. In 
 the circumstances, I will ask you to request the Chief to 
 learn whether any telephone message was sent to Channing 
 at Loudenfield last night, and also to locate the point from 
 which it was sent. At his Loudenfield laboratory, Chan 
 ning doubtless had an assistant or one or more serv 
 ants, perhaps. I would suggest that they be interrogated 
 on this subject with as little delay as possible." 
 
 "All right, Captain, I ll get to Merschon s office now 
 and try to reach the Chief on the New York wire. Mean 
 time, you are going to keep after the woman ?" 
 
 Rennison, who had passed into the bathroom, made no 
 reply. The Secret Service man stepped to the bathroom 
 door and looked in. He saw that Rennison, stooping, was 
 picking up something that had been dropped between the 
 head of the bathtub and the wall.
 
 70 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 It was a table napkin. As Rennison held it up before 
 him and spread it out, he saw it had been cut in several 
 places and that some of the little slits were parallel. 
 
 "Eh, Towndrow?" he asked, absently. "What was that 
 you were saying?" 
 
 "I said I ll be getting to Merschon s now, and I asked 
 you if you were going to keep after the woman." 
 
 As abstractedly as before, Rennison answered him. 
 
 "Yes yes, Towndrow, get on to Merschon s," he 
 muttered. "Yes, as you have said, I will keep after the 
 woman." 
 
 He was gazing at a name that had been stamped in red 
 on a corner of the napkin. It was "Henneshaw." 
 
 For several moments a frown darkened his features ; 
 then his face cleared slowly. 
 
 Towndrow went out.
 
 CHAPTER X, 
 
 THE IDLEB/S CHOICE. 
 
 As soon as he was alone, Rennison went to the telephone 
 on the wall and took down the receiver. The number for 
 which he asked was that of a fashionable apartment house 
 in the Northwest section of the city. When he got it, he 
 asked for Suite 13. This was soon obtained. 
 
 "Is that you, Colton?" he asked. 
 
 "Yes, sir," was the response. 
 
 "This is Captain Rennison, Colton. Is Mr. Storrow 
 in?" 
 
 "Mr. Storrow is dressing, sir." 1 
 
 "Oh, he hasn t dined, then?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. He dined, sir, before he came home to dress." 
 
 Rennison hesitated for a moment. 
 
 "Ask him to step to the phone, will you, Colton?" 
 
 "Certainly, sir." 
 
 There was a short wait, then Rennison heard Storrow s 
 voice. 
 
 "That you, Ren?" 
 
 "Yes, Storrow. Are you getting ready to go out?" 
 
 "Why, yes. I m going to the Guilford reception and 
 dance to-night. What s doing with you? Why don t you 
 come along? You ve had an invitation, of course." 
 
 "What time will you be leaving your apartments?" 
 
 "Oh, in half an hour, perhaps, if there is nothing to keep 
 me here." 
 
 71
 
 72 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Will I be interfering with your plans if I drop in about 
 ten minutes from now? * 
 
 "Not in the slightest, old man. Come right along. I ll 
 be mighty glad to see you. * 
 
 "All right, you may look for me, then. I ll not detain 
 you long." 
 
 When Rennison left the telephone, he hurried to the 
 bathroom. There he snatched a towel from the rack. 
 With a blade of his penknife he cut the towel in two. One 
 half he tossed aside. In the other he wrapped the piece of 
 metal he had found under the edge of the carpet. He then 
 thrust the roll into an inside pocket of his coat. He next 
 carefully folded the table napkin he had found behind the 
 bathtub, and slipped it into one of the hip pockets of his 
 trousers. This done, he picked up his hat and cane from 
 the table, extinguished the light and left the room, locking 
 the door behind him. 
 
 Upon reaching the main floor of the hotel, Rennison, 
 without stopping, passed on to the street. Entering a 
 taxicab, he directed the driver to take him to the apart 
 ment house in which Storrow had his quarters. 
 
 Storrow s suite was on the seventh floor, and to it Ren 
 nison was admitted by Colton, the valet. As the visitor 
 passed into the living-room, Storrow, without a coat or 
 vest, approached through the door of his bedroom beyond. 
 
 "Glad to see you, Ren," Storrow said, cordially, ex 
 tending both his hands and grasping the hand which Ren 
 nison held out perfunctorily. 
 
 But in the aspect of the visitor there was something 
 which caused the cheerful-tempered idler to view him quiz 
 zically. The eyes of the young Army officer were cold. 
 His features were expressive of abstraction. Storrow 
 slapped him on one of his shoulders.
 
 THE IDLER S CHOICE 73 
 
 "Still in the glooms, eh !" he exclaimed. "Come, laddie, 
 shake them. What s more beautiful than Washington in 
 May? And here we are right in the midst of it. Flow 
 ers are blooming in all the parks and circles and squares, 
 the Potomac is shimmering in Spring sunshine and the 
 notes of robins, orioles, wrens and cardinal birds are try 
 ing to woo us from the thoughts of But tell me, Ren. 
 You didn t come here to assure yourself that I was pack 
 ing up for that little Canadian expedition you suggested, 
 I hope." 
 
 Still laughing, Storrow, followed by Colton, returned to 
 his bedroom. When he reappeared he wore his evening 
 coat and a white vest. He advanced cheerfully, laid a 
 hand on one of Rennison s shoulders, then sank into a big 
 leather chair opposite his visitor. 
 
 "Well, Ren, my boy, what is there in the wind?" he 
 asked. 
 
 "Dust mostly," Rennison drawled, as, leaning back 
 in his chair, he puffed at his cigar and looked meditatively 
 at the ceiling. 
 
 "Is your trip to London off?" Storrow queried, eyeing 
 his friend curiously. 
 
 "No only delayed a few days, I believe. I have a little 
 affair to clear up before I go, but I think it will not take 
 me long." 
 
 "A little affair, eh?" Storrow muttered, with a laugh. 
 "Nothing with a woman in it, of course." 
 
 "Well, I am not altogether certain that a woman will 
 not play a leading role in it before I get it off my hands," 
 Rennison replied. "But, as long as we are on the subject 
 of affairs, perhaps you will tell me what you were doing 
 in Henneshaw s to-day." 
 
 Storrow, giving a little start, looked at his companion
 
 74 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 sharply. Rennison, smiling slightly, was gazing at the 
 tip of his cigar. 
 
 "I at Henneshaw s !" the idler exclaimed. 
 
 "Why, yes yes you at Henneshaw s," laughed Ren 
 nison. 
 
 Storrow chuckled, as coloring a little, he puffed more 
 vigorously at his cigar and sank deeper into his chair. 
 
 Henneshaw s occupies a unique position among the so 
 cial institutions of the National capital. It is never 
 entered by couples, but is a popular place for the keeping 
 of appointments. It is situated in a building at the cor 
 ner of a certain avenue and a numbered street. It is on 
 the second floor, above a millinery shop, and only through 
 this shop can it be approached by its woman patrons, 
 who reach it by ascending a carefully screened stairway 
 in the rear. Men patrons obtain access by means of a 
 circular staircase in the rear of a cigar store on the num 
 bered street. Booths may be engaged in advance, and 
 only persons who have become patrons by virtue of having 
 been introduced by other patrons are admitted. Each 
 booth, screened with artificial rose vines, and attended by 
 a discreet waitress, contains only a green table and two 
 green chairs. 
 
 Henneshaw s is noted for the excellent quality of its tea. 
 Originally it was conducted in conjunction with the mil 
 linery shop, and was patronized exclusively by women 
 shoppers. Subsequently, however, the privileges of the 
 place were extended to men patrons, with the distinct 
 understanding that they should not enter through the 
 millinery shop, and that their conversation should be re 
 stricted to such women patrons as they might meet there 
 by appointment. Though conducted with a strict regard 
 for propriety, Henneshaw s still serves as a convenient
 
 THE IDLER S CHOICE 75 
 
 meeting place for persons who do not want to be seen 
 together elsewhere. 
 
 "Did you see me at Henneshaw s, Ren?" Storrow asked, 
 still smiling. 
 
 "Well, you might regard the inference as obvious, Stor 
 row, when I tell you that you were with a lady who wore an 
 automobile coat, a gray hat with a gray feather and a 
 veil which concealed her face." 
 
 A thoughtful expression came to Storrow s features, 
 and he nodded gravely. 
 
 "Yes, Ren," he said. "I was there." 
 
 Rennison who had been regarding his friend with what 
 appeared to be little more than casual interest, now 
 dropped his gaze to the floor. Storrow s fingers drummed 
 on the arms of his chair. For several moments both men 
 smoked silently. 
 
 "Always a woman, eh, Storrow," Rennison said, with a 
 smile. "Like a butterfly, you always seem to be winging 
 your flight from flower to flower. I often wonder whether 
 the end of your next forty years will find you still a 
 squire of dames." 
 
 "No, Ren," Storrow answered, with a little sigh. "I 
 am inclined to believe my butterfly days are past." 
 
 "Tut, tut!" Rennison exclaimed, incredulously. "You 
 have allowed your Henneshaw lady to depress you. * 
 
 "But I am not depressed," Storrow protested, laugh 
 ingly. "The fact is I am in a condition that might be de 
 scribed as exalted perhaps ecstatic might describe it 
 more accurately." 
 
 "Indeed ! You don t mean that, unlike the other mem 
 bers of her sex, she is making a serious impression upon 
 you?" 
 
 "Just that, Ren. It was in my mind this afternoon to
 
 76 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 make a clean breast of the situation to you, but when you 
 insisted that I should go to Canada, I altered my pur 
 pose. The lady who was with me in Henneshaw s to-day 
 is going to be my wife." 
 
 As Storrow made this revelation, he was looking at the 
 face of his companion, who, however, showed no evidence 
 of surprise. Each gazed steadily at the other. 
 
 "You would not have me congratulate you blindly, Stor 
 row?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "No," said Storrow. "She is a lady whose name, at 
 least, is not unknown to you. I am a little afraid, how 
 ever, that, by naming her, I am going to shock you a bit, 
 for it may seem to you that she well, that her position 
 in life is a little equivocal." 
 
 "I could not conceive it possible that you would choose 
 as your wife a woman who was unworthy of you, old man," 
 Rennison replied. 
 
 "She is worthy all of that. Bu she is a little mis 
 understood, and she is fifteen years younger than I am. 
 And yet well, a man of forty isn t old, Ren." 
 
 "Some reach that age before they really begin to live, * 
 Rennison said. 
 
 "I ve had one matrimonial experience, Ren," Storrow 
 went on. "It was a failure, for domestic life didn t quite 
 appeal to me in those days. I wanted freedom, and I ve 
 had it. But I ve reached forty, and the things that looked 
 to me best in the past are beginning to pall. I want a new 
 relation in life. And so I have decided to become the 
 
 husband of Are you prepared to withstand a shock, 
 
 my boy?" 
 
 "I ll try," said Rennison. 
 
 "Miriam Warburton."
 
 THE IDLER S CHOICE 77 
 
 Glancing furtively at his visitor, Storrow saw him flick 
 the ash from his cigar and settle back further in his chair. 
 His features were expressionless. 
 
 "The Scarlet Tanager, eh?" Rennison murmured. 
 
 "The Scarlet Tanager," Storrow repeated, softly. 
 
 Both men smoked silently. Storrow took a magazine 
 from the table and turned its pages absently. Rennison 
 looked toward where a Constable landscape, in a gilt 
 frame, hung on one of the walls. But the Constable was 
 not the picture that he saw. Before him, painted by his 
 fancy, was the portrait of a woman, and his thoughts went 
 back to the night he had seen her first playing the title 
 role of "The Scarlet Tanager," a British drama that had 
 taken the theatre-going public of New York by storm. A 
 faint thrill stole over him as he recalled the great climax 
 of the play and the splendid, quivering woman in the 
 scarlet gown. That was three years before, but it was 
 Miriam Warburton s last season on the stage. Several 
 times since her retirement he had seen her in unexpected 
 places twice at society functions in New York, once in 
 a dimly lighted corner of a Greenwich Village restaurant, 
 w r here a carelessly dressed man of foreign appearance held 
 her hands as he addressed her earnestly. On another oc 
 casion he learned, quite accidentally, that she had been 
 registered under an assumed name in a Philadelphia hotel. 
 Once he had seen her hurrying out of the office of the 
 Under Secretary of State, in Washington. 
 
 "You know something of her history, I suppose," Stor 
 row said, breaking the silence. 
 
 "Very little except that the title of her most success 
 ful play seems always to have stuck to her," Rennison 
 replied. "Wherever she has appeared the old name has
 
 78 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 cropped up. She is always the Tanager* the Scarlet 
 Tanager. " 
 
 "Well, Ren, I daresay you, like the rest of the world, 
 regard her as a London society woman who put conven 
 tionality behind her when she went on the stage. I know 
 she has been the subject of certain gossip, but this has 
 been as unwarrantable as it has been unfortunate. Her 
 stage career followed the collapse of her father s fortune 
 and the breaking of her engagement to Lord Rothing- 
 hithe, who was unworthy of her. It is true that, from 
 time to time, she received marked attention from certain 
 of our society men and that it once was reported she was 
 engaged to that fool Italian Prince who disappeared so 
 suddenly from Newport- -and the country. But I have 
 the best reasons in the world for being satisfied that in her 
 life there has been nothing that would merit a word of 
 reproach. There is not a phase of her character that is 
 not distinctly admirable. * 
 
 Leaning forward, with his elbows on the arms of his 
 chair, Rennison was gazing moodily at the floor. 
 
 "I am to have your congratulations, of course," Stor- 
 row suggested. 
 
 As Rennison s silence was maintained, a flush of resent 
 ment stole slowly over the face of the idler. 
 
 "This sort of thing is unlike you, Ren, * he muttered, 
 "but if you know of any reason " 
 
 Dropping slowly back in his chair again, Rennison re 
 garded his companion coldly. 
 
 "Storrow," he began, "when we met before this after 
 noon, over in my rooms, I told you that you would find it 
 to your advantage to leave town on the five-thirty train 
 to-morrow afternoon with Canada as your destination." 
 
 "Oh, yes, you did make some such suggestion," replied
 
 THE IDLER S CHOICE 79 
 
 Storrow, whose dark eyes were beginning to flash wrath- 
 fully. ^ 
 
 "It is unfortunate that I made it too late," Rennison 
 muttered, grimly. 
 
 "True," Storrow assented. "Inasmuch as Miss War- 
 burton is in Washington, and expects to remain here for 
 some weeks, it is only natural that I should be disinclined 
 to leave the city at present." 
 
 "It was not to this fact that I referred when I said my 
 suggestion to you came too late. There is a situation far 
 more serious that now will detain you here." 
 
 "Indeed !" exclaimed Storrow, coldly. 
 
 "Yes. When I spoke to you on the subject this after 
 noon I explained that my motive in doing so was to keep 
 you out of serious trouble that you are a blunderer and 
 that you are keeping dangerous company. You uncon 
 sciously absorb certain sorts of information which may 
 appear innocent enough until it is conveyed, in your gos- 
 sippy manner, to the wrong persons." 
 
 "Do you mean to insinuate, Rennison, that I am a fool 
 that my patriotism is not as untarnished as } r our own !" 
 Storrow demanded, angrily. 
 
 "I have no reflection whatever to make on your patriot 
 ism, Storrow," Rennison replied. "But I am compelled 
 to assert, most unequivocally, that you are a fool." 
 
 Storrow nodded, then rose stiffly. His face was tense 
 and pale. 
 
 "That s all, I think, Rennison," he said. "I am sorry 
 that our pleasant relations should end so unfortunately. 
 I am sorry, too, that, in bidding you good-night, I cannot 
 offer you my hand." 
 
 Rennison, ignoring the hint, did not rise from his chair. 
 Looking thoughtfully at his cigar, he said:
 
 80 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "My language, Storrow, is not more plain than my 
 proof." 
 
 "Proof that I have been a fool, eh?" exclaimed Storrow, 
 bitterly, as, folding his arms, he leaned against the table. 
 "Well, I ll not deny that I am curious. Let us have it, 
 then." 
 
 "You shall have it. You will remember that while I 
 was with you this afternoon I was called to the telephone. 
 When I left the instrument I told you my departure from 
 Washington would be delayed." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "The delay was due to the fact that there just had been 
 committed in one of the big hotels in this city, by a person 
 who apparently was an agent of Seafalcon s Brotherhood, 
 one of the most daring and mysterious crimes this country 
 ever has known. It consisted of murder and robbery. 
 The motive of the crime was obvious, for from the body of 
 the victim was taken a document that was of vital impor 
 tance to certain plans of the United States Government. 
 The loss of this document means not only the sacrifice of 
 thousands of American lives, but its possession by Sea- 
 falcon may secure for him absolute supremacy on the 
 seas." 
 
 "Great Heaven, Ren !" Storrow exclaimed, and there 
 was a note of genuine concern in the new interest that 
 now found expression in his voice and on his features. 
 But scarcely had the exclamation left his lips when a 
 puzzled frown came to his face, and he added: "This is 
 a desperately serious situation, of course, Rennison, but 
 why should you cite the commission of such a crime as 
 incident to what you regard as proof of my tendency to 
 acts of folly?" 
 
 "You will understand, my dear Storrow, that it is very
 
 THE IDLER S CHOICE 81 
 
 much in point when I tell you that there is every reason 
 to believe that this missing document has been for several 
 hours in your possession if, indeed, it is not in your 
 possession now,"
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 A TEST OF X.OYAX.TY. 
 
 GRIPPING the edge of the table on which he leaned, 
 Storrow looked with widening eyes at his guest. 
 
 "Rennison are you mad !" he gasped. 
 
 "It is not my sanity, but your faculty for blundering, 
 that is about to be subjected to a test. It is not with 
 theories, but with evidence, that we have to do." 
 
 "What is your evidence, then?" demanded Storrow, 
 angrily. "What evidence have you of a nature that leads 
 you to believe that my loyalty is not as untainted as your 
 own that I am involved in a conspiracy against our 
 government ?" 
 
 Rennison y s lips were set grimly as he drew from an 
 inside pocket of his coat an oblong object. In a few 
 moments he had taken from the half-towel in which it 
 was wrapped the piece of metal he had found under the 
 edge of a carpet in the Weymouthshire. As he dropped 
 the metal on the table, he glanced interrogatively at his 
 companion. 
 
 "Does this resemble anything you have seen before, 
 Storrow?" he asked. 
 
 Storrow looked at it curiously, then raised it gingerly. 
 
 "Why, no yes," he muttered. "It looks like the 
 broken point of the sort of sword I have in my cane." 
 
 "Does it?" Rennison queried softly. 
 
 His host looked at the metal more narrowly. His 
 
 82
 
 83 
 
 features were tense as he glanced at the young Army 
 officer. 
 
 "The crime of which you have spoken was not com 
 mitted with this !" he exclaimed in a shaking voice. 
 
 "The blade is broken, as you see," Rennison replied. 
 "The next move of this test of ours is up to you, I 
 think." 
 
 Storrow, breathing heavily, was about to touch an elec 
 tric button under an edge of the table when Rennison 
 spoke again. 
 
 "You trust Colton, your man, absolutely, I suppose," 
 he said. 
 
 Storrow stiffened suddenly, and the hand he had ex 
 tended fell to his side. He flushed and the expression 
 of wonder deepened on his face. 
 
 "I trust no one now," he muttered. 
 
 He darted a quick, searching glance at Rennison, and 
 walked briskly toward the entrance hall of his apartment. 
 Rennison hesitated, then, with a dubious, self -reproachful 
 expression on his features, he rose and followed him. 
 
 As Storrow reached the hall he became conscious of the 
 fact that his friend was behind him. 
 
 "That s right, Ren," he said, bitterly. "Like me, 1 
 see, you are going to take no chances." 
 
 "None," Rennison answered. 
 
 Halting at a hat-rack in the hall, Storrow took from 
 beside it his prized Malacca cane. The glances of the 
 two men met, then Storrow led the way back to the room 
 they had left. Arriving there, Storrow laid the cane on 
 the table. Having done this, he bowed curtly to Ren 
 nison, then drew back. 
 
 The bow was returned by the Army man, who waved a 
 hand toward the cane.
 
 84 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "It still is up to you, Storrow," Rennison said. "The 
 stick is yours." 
 
 The idler hesitated. A growing fear was In his eyes 
 as his gaze met that of Rennison. 
 
 "Open the stick," Rennison directed. 
 
 Taking the cane from the table, Storrow unscrewed the 
 ivory head and drew out a blade of steel. Both men saw 
 the point of this had been broken off. 
 
 Beads of perspiration began to gather on Storrow s 
 forehead. 
 
 "Broken broken!" the idler muttered helplessly. 
 "What, in Heaven s name, does all this mean, Ren?" 
 
 The gaze of his horror-dilated eyes was upon the end 
 of the broken blade. 
 
 "It means your thoughts are running along a wrong 
 track, old man," Rennison replied quietly. "The chap 
 who was murdered this afternoon was not killed with this 
 blade of yours." 
 
 This assurance brought omy a momentary expression 
 of relief to Storrow s face. 
 
 "But " he protested, weakly. 
 
 The attention of the cane s owner still was concentrated 
 on the broken blade. Rennison, however, quickly reached 
 for the Malacca sheath which Storrow had tossed to the 
 table. 
 
 Holding the cane in a perpendicular position, with the 
 ferule upward, the Army man struck it sharply, several 
 times, against the table. At length from inside the stick 
 slipped a thin roll of paper, closely bound with florist s 
 wire. 
 
 An incoherent exclamation of amazement escaped Stor 
 row s lips. 
 
 Moving quickly, Rennison unwound the wire from the
 
 A TEST OF LOYALTY 85 
 
 spill, and then spread out on the table five sheets of tissue 
 paper. On one sheet was drawn a checkered heart. The 
 others were filled with close-lined typewriting. 
 
 "That s all," Rennison said shortly. "What is written 
 here is not for your perusal or mine." 
 
 Thus speaking, he folded the sheets carefully and 
 thrust them into a pocketbook. 
 
 There was a hunted look in Storrow s eyes as he said, 
 huskily : 
 
 "Ren, you ve got me in deep water way beyond my 
 depth. You are not a man to make me the victim of a 
 practical joke, of course on a subject so serious as 
 this." 
 
 "No, Storrow," Rennison answered, gravely. "The 
 sheets of paper which you saw were taken by a murderer 
 from the body of a murdered man. The secret which they 
 hold may decide the fate of Seafalcon and his powerful 
 Brotherhood." 
 
 "But how, in Heaven s name, did they get into my 
 cane?" Storrow demanded. 
 
 Rennison looked at him coldly. 
 
 "Well, if you are not a blunderer and are not addicted 
 to the habit of getting into dangerous company, you 
 should be able to answer that question easily," Rennison 
 retorted. "You now will understand that, though I had 
 no suspicion of your predicament when I warned you this 
 afternoon to leave Washington, I was justified in my be 
 lief that, sooner or later, you would become involved in 
 trouble of a serious nature. You demanded proof of my 
 assertion that you are a natural blunderer, and I have 
 given it to you. It now is up to both of us to evolve some 
 line of conduct that will get you out of your difficulty." 
 
 "But, Rennison, I give you my word that I know noth-
 
 86 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 ing of this affair except what you have told me, and 
 that is little enough. Why should that roll of paper 
 be thrust into my cane? * 
 
 "That is something which it is essential that you make 
 clear to me without delay. Inasmuch as the cane is 
 yours and appears to have been continuously in your 
 possession in the last twelve hours, which embrace the 
 period in which the crime was committed, it is obvious 
 that it is up to you to explain how these sheets of paper 
 were placed inside of it. The seriousness of the matter 
 is so great that, from this moment, you must regard 
 yourself as a marked man. On the trail of this paper are 
 the keenest secret agents of several departments of the 
 Government. In the circumstances, the mere fact that 
 these sheets are in your possession to-night might make 
 you the object of the attention of a hangman and his 
 assistants. The person who concealed the sheets in the 
 cane must be identified and quickly." 
 
 "Surely, Rennison, you do not suspect that I " 
 
 "Frankly, Storrow, I believe you to be as loyal to your 
 country as I am," Rennison interrupted, reassuringly. 
 "But your loyalty is now about to be put to the test. 
 As you have said, you have not been made the victim of 
 a practical joke. At three o clock this afternoon those 
 sheets of paper Avere in the possession of a man who was 
 on his way to deliver them to a certain high official of 
 the Navy Department. At four o clock this afternoon 
 the body of this man, the victim of murder, was found in 
 a room in a Washington hotel. The sheets of paper then 
 were missing from the pocket in which he had carried 
 them. Now, a little after eight o clock in the evening, 
 I have found them in a walking stick which you always 
 carry with you. How did they get there?"
 
 A TEST OF LOYALTY 87 
 
 Storrow, bewildered and horrified, shook his head help 
 lessly. 
 
 "I cannot tell you, Rennison," he answered. "I do 
 not know." 
 
 Perspiration was streaming down his face, as, with his 
 hands in the pockets of his trousers, he strode nervously 
 to and fro. Suddenly he stopped and looked again at 
 Rennison who was eyeing him speculatively. 
 
 "You say, Ren, this murder occurred between three and 
 four o clock?" he asked. 
 
 "Yes about three-thirty, I should say." 
 
 "It was about that time I arrived at your rooms to 
 say good-bye to you. I was with you until after four." 
 
 "True," Rennison assented, thoughtfully. "But where 
 did you go after you left me?" 
 
 "I called on a friend in the Columbia Heights section," 
 Storrow answered, abstractedly. 
 
 "Man or woman?" Rennison asked. 
 
 Storrow, hesitating, looked at his companion sharply; 
 then he replied. 
 
 "It was Miss Warburton." 
 
 "What time did you reach there?" 
 
 "About six, I think. I left a little after seven." 
 
 "Where did you have dinner?" 
 
 "With Miss Warburton in her rooms. It was served 
 by a waiter, who brought it up from the restaurant on the 
 first floor of the building." 
 
 "Was any one present besides Miss Warburton, the 
 waiter and yourself?" 
 
 "Miss Warburton s maid was in the apartment." 
 
 "Is a dinner with Miss Warburton, in her apartment, 
 a usual thing with you, Storrow?" 
 
 "No. We usually dine elsewhere. To-night, however,
 
 88 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Miss Warburton was ill a violent headache. She de 
 clined my invitation to dine with me downtown before 
 I was to go to the Guilfords reception, and suggested 
 that we have something sent up from the restaurant." 
 
 "What time was it you were with Miss Warburton at 
 Henneshaw s ?" 
 
 "Why ask me that, Ren?" Storrow said, irritably. "Did 
 you not tell me that you saw us there?" 
 
 "No," Rennison replied. "Though I had reason to be 
 lieve that you and a woman companion were at Henne 
 shaw s to-day, I did not see you there." 
 
 Storrow regarded his friend quizzically. 
 
 "You described rather accurately the costume she wore, 
 Ren," he protested. 
 
 "Perhaps," Rennison answered shortly. "But you are 
 not replying to my question. What time were you and 
 Miss Warburton at Henneshaw s?" 
 
 "Between noon and one o clock." 
 
 "Did you leave her alone in the dining booth?" 
 
 "For only four or five minutes. She asked me to 
 telephone to cancel an appointment she had with her 
 dentist in the afternoon." 
 
 "Did you take your cane with you to the telephone 
 booth?" 
 
 "No. But Rennison surely, you No not that 
 it is impossible!" 
 
 Storrow s face was gray. His hands, clutching the 
 arms of his chair, were trembling. His eyes were dull 
 with fear and wonder. Rennison saw his temples throb 
 bing. 
 
 "Do you mean, Rennison Storrow began, and 
 stopped. 
 
 The gray eyes of Rennison were stern, but on his face
 
 A TEST OF LOYALTY 89 
 
 there was an expression that was indicative of sympathy 
 and pity, as he said, quietly: 
 
 "I mean, Storrow, that the murder in the Weymouth- 
 shire this afternoon was committed by Miriam Warbur- 
 ton the Scarlet Tanager who took from the body of 
 her victim the sheets of paper I found in your sword- 
 cane. The theft of those sheets constituted a crime far 
 more serious than mere murder. It was treason. The 
 evidence has been found in your possession. You may 
 clear yourself by making your choice between a woman and 
 your loyalty to your country. Now, make it. Is that 
 choice Miriam Warburton or the United States?"
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE HOUE OF SACRIFICE. 
 
 STORROW S big frame was shaking as he continued to 
 gaze into the stern eyes of the man who just had charged 
 Miriam Warburton with murder. Dazed as he was, he 
 still was making a powerful effort to regain his self- 
 control. But his voice trembled as he said: 
 
 "There can be no question concerning the choice of 
 which you speak, Ren. There is no man or woman on this 
 earth who can stand between me and loyalty to my 
 country." 
 
 "I believe you, Storrow. 
 
 "But the situation is not quite clear to me," the idler 
 went on. "You have said the crime was committed between 
 three and four o clock at the Weymouthshire. Between 
 noon and one o clock Miss Warburton and I were to 
 gether in Henneshaw s. The cane then was in my pos 
 session. It still was in my possession when, a little after 
 one, I went to the club, and had it checked, with my hat, 
 at the coat room. I had it when, having left the club, 
 about three-thirty, I walked to your room. When I left 
 you, I called Miss Warburton on the telephone, to ask 
 her to take dinner with me, before I was to go to the 
 Guilfords. Learning she was ill, I took a taxi, and went 
 to her apartments." 
 
 "And the cane went with you," Rennison muttered. 
 
 "Yes I took it with me to Miss Warburton s." 
 
 90
 
 THE HOUR OF SACRIFICE 91 
 
 "Well, that part of the affair which has to do with 
 you and your cane is perfectly clear," the Army man 
 said. "It also is clear that the crime was the result of 
 careful premeditation. Its details were conceived in the 
 mind of a master. The task of murdering Channing and 
 obtaining from the body the sheets of paper which were 
 so desirable was entrusted to Miss Warburton. But the 
 master was taking no- chances of discovery. He would not 
 meet Miss Warburton himself, nor would he trust any 
 messenger stranger or friend. The fact that you car 
 ried a Malacca sword-cane, which went with you every 
 where, was known to him. The cane went with you to 
 Miss Warburton s apartments, to your club, to restaur 
 ants, theaters, roadhouses, the golf links and to social 
 functions at night. Incidentally, you were going to take 
 it with you to the Guilfords reception, were you not? * 
 
 "Why, yes certainly." 
 
 "And Miss Warburton knew you were going to the 
 Guilfords ?" 
 
 "Yes I told her of my intention." 
 
 "There really was no need of telling her, of course," 
 Rennison muttered, dryly. "Capital society realizes that 
 no social function of that nature is quite complete without 
 the presence of Hayden Storrow when he is in town. 
 At all events, she knew you were to be there, and that the 
 inevitable stick was going with you." 
 
 Storrow nodded. Rennison went on : 
 
 "Well, so far as you and that precious stick of yours 
 are concerned, the relationship with the crime began 
 at the time you entered Henneshaw s. You have said this 
 was between noon and one o clock, this afternoon." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "You also told me that you left your companion alone
 
 92 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 in the dining booth for four or five minutes, while you 
 went to a telephone, and that your cane remained iri 
 the booth." 
 
 "True, Rennison, but you have admitted that this was 
 at least two hours before the crime was committed." 
 
 "Quite right. But I also have said the crime was care 
 fully premeditated each detail having been carefully 
 worked out. The brief period you were out of the booth 
 gave to your companion an opportunity to loosen the 
 head of the cane, draw out the sword it contained, hold 
 the lower part of the blade under her foot or under 
 one of the legs of the table, perhaps and snap it off. 
 Inasmuch as the edges of the blade were fairly sharp, 
 she used a table napkin to protect her hands. I have the 
 napkin, you see." 
 
 Thus speaking, Rennison drew from a hip pocket of his 
 trousers the napkin he had found behind the bathtub in 
 Room 412, in the Weymouthshire. As he spread it out, 
 Storrow saw the parallel cuts in the fabric, and "Henne- 
 shaw" stamped on the corner. 
 
 "Where did you get that?" demanded Storrow, breath 
 lessly. 
 
 "Within a hundred feet of where the crime was com 
 mitted," Rennison replied. "I found it in the bathroom 
 adjoining the room in which I found your sword-point 
 under the edge of a carpet." 
 
 "But why ?" 
 
 "Is it not clear to you now? Her purpose was to 
 leave in the orifice thus cleared a place in which to put 
 the sheets of paper which, in accordance with her plan, 
 were to be conveyed to her confederate in your cane." 
 
 "You mean ?" 
 
 "I mean that she designed to meet you later in the day
 
 THE HOUR OF SACRIFICE 93 
 
 after the murder should have been committed and 
 slip into the orifice the sheets which were to be taken 
 from the cane by her confederate at the Guilfords re 
 ception." 
 
 "Rennison !" 
 
 Trembling violently, Storrow had risen. The cold gaze 
 of the Army man slowly chilled his blood. 
 
 "Inasmuch as I have taken the sheets from your cane, 
 the purpose has been defeated," Rennison said, calmly. 
 
 Panting heavily, Storrow sank back into his chair. 
 
 "The proof is positive," Rennison went on. "Are you 
 for our country or the woman?" 
 
 Storrow hid his face in his shaking hands. 
 
 "Are you for our country, or the woman?" Rennison 
 persisted. 
 
 Half rising, the idler faced his questioner defiantly. 
 
 "For both," he cried. "Miriam Warburton is inno 
 cent." 
 
 "But you have seen for yourself the sheets I took from 
 your cane. There can be no doubt concerning their iden 
 tification. Confronted with such evidence as this, do you 
 still hope to " 
 
 "Rennison !" 
 
 "Involuntarily, you have become involved in a serious 
 crime against the Government. In the circumstances 
 there is only one course you can take to make clear your 
 good faith, and this I will indicate to you. For the next 
 three hours you must act in accordance with my direc 
 tions. First, you must introduce me to Miriam Warbur 
 ton, and leave me alone with her. Second, you must go 
 to the Guilfords reception and take your cane with 
 you."
 
 94 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "There are no buts. Our friendship has run its 
 course. You are talking now with a United States Army 
 officer who is engaged in the performance of a duty of the 
 most serious and imperative nature. I must have your 
 decision quickly. Make your choice. Will you prove 
 your loyalty to your country or to this woman? Now 
 is the hour of sacrifice. You must take me to Miriam 
 Warburton. There is no alternative." 
 
 Rising, Rennison crossed to where Storrow sat huddled 
 on his chair. 
 
 "You will take me?" the Army man asked. 
 
 "Yes," gasped Storrow.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE INTERLOPER. 
 
 PUFFING hard at his cigar, Rennison turned from his agi 
 tated friend. 
 
 "Call a taxi," he directed. 
 
 Storrow, moving unsteadily, crossed to the telephone on 
 the wall. He called up a garage and ordered his lim 
 ousine. 
 
 Meantime, Rennison stepped to the desk of his host, 
 and, opening one of the drawers familiarly, he took out 
 sheets of paper and an envelope. He wrote for several 
 minutes, then he thrust one sheet into the envelope, which 
 he sealed. Next, taking a large envelope from the drawer, 
 he placed the smaller one within it, with the remaining 
 sheets. The large envelope he addressed to Captain Mer- 
 schon, Room 43X, War Department. 
 
 Rennison now went over to the telephone and called up 
 Merschon, who responded. 
 
 "This is Rennison," the Army officer explained. "Is 
 there anything new, Captain?" 
 
 Merschon hesitated. Rennison heard him speaking in 
 a low voice to some one who was with him in the room. 
 He was unable to distinguish the words, however. 
 
 "Nothing of importance," Merschon replied. "We 
 are looking to you for that, Rennison. How are you 
 making out?" 
 
 "All right," Rennison responded, shortly. 
 
 95
 
 96 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "What do you mean by that?" 
 
 "I mean things are well in hand at my end of the 
 case." 
 
 Faintly, Rennison heard a voice addressing Merschon. 
 He recognized the shaking accents of Horsford. 
 
 "Can t you be a little more specific?" Merschon asked 
 over the wire. 
 
 "No." 
 
 "You have a lead?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 There was more muttering, then Merschon spoke again. 
 
 "Towndrow is here. Do you want to speak with him?" 
 
 "Not unless he has something of importance to say to 
 me. I m in something of a hurry. I am sending to you 
 by a messenger a lettertfor Coughlin and one for yourself. 
 As soon as Coughlin reports to you by phone, tell him to 
 drop anything he may be doing and get to your office at 
 once. When he appears give him my letter. It contains 
 instructions that are of the greatest importance to the 
 case." 
 
 "All right. Towndrow has nothing of importance for 
 you now." 
 
 "Good-by." 
 
 Rennison hung up the receiver. As he flashed a quick 
 glance at his host, he saw Storrow was about to pick up 
 the Malacca cane that lay on the table. 
 
 "Leave that where it is, Storrow," he directed, sharply. 
 
 Storrow, frowning, drew back. 
 
 "Well, Ren, have your way," he muttered. 
 
 Again Rennison took a sheet of notepaper from the 
 desk. Then, sitting down, he wrote: 
 
 Sir: The papers which were placed in this stick for trans 
 mission to you were found and appropriated by a representa-
 
 THE INTERLOPER 97 
 
 tive of the War Department. It may interest you to know that 
 in taking this cane from the Guilford house your identification 
 as a confederate in the perpetration of the murder and robbery 
 at the Hotel Weymouthshire has been made complete. 
 
 (Signed) GEORGE RENNISON, Captain, U.S.A. 
 
 Rennison read carefully what he had written, then, 
 without referring it to Storrow, he rolled the sheet into 
 a spill, and bound it with the florist s wire he had taken 
 from the sheets he had found. He dropped the spill into 
 the cane and returned the blade to its sheath. Crossing 
 to where Storrow stood watching him, he laid a hand on 
 one of his shoulders. 
 
 "Here s your cane, old man," he said, brusquely. "You 
 will take it to the Guilfords* and leave it there, as other 
 canes are left. It is essential that there should be noth 
 ing in your manner to excite suspicion. It is probable 
 that the cane will shortly afterward disappear. You need 
 have no fear, however, that you will not recover it. From 
 this moment the cane and any person who may have it in 
 his possession will be watched unceasingly by the sharpest 
 eyes in the United States. And God will not help the man 
 who, in these circumstances, may attempt to deceive those 
 eyes, Storrow." 
 
 The face of the idler flushed wrathfully. 
 
 "I ll have no threat from you, Rennison," he said, in a 
 low, vibrant voice. "I m going to see this tiling through, 
 in strict accordance with your directions. But, as I see 
 it through, I am moving with the consciousness that you 
 are in error that the woman against whom you have 
 made this damnable charge is as innocent of intentional 
 wrong-doing as you and I." 
 
 "But you will see it through," Rennison said, as he 
 screwed the head on the sword-cane. "And, now, let us
 
 98 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 start. First, we will find a District Messenger office, 
 where I will get a boy to deliver this letter to Merschon. 
 Then we will proceed, by a circuitous route, to Miss War- 
 burton s, for I have a reason for not wanting to arrive 
 at her apartment within the next hour. When we are done 
 at the messenger office, direct your chauffeur to drive us 
 to Georgetown University, and thence to Mount Pleasant. 
 Tell him to take his time in covering the distance that 
 we are in no hurry. After you have introduced me to Miss 
 Warburton, you will leave me with her. Then you will 
 go to the Guilfords*. You will be relieved of your hat 
 and cane in the usual way, and will make no attempt to 
 get them back until half-past eleven. If, at that time, 
 you find your stick is missing, make no attempt to re 
 cover it. Leave the house as quickly as you can, and 
 report to me. I will be awaiting you, with Captain Mer 
 schon, in Room 4-3X, in the War Department Building." 
 
 Storrow s face was white and stern as he picket! up the 
 cane, but he made no comment. When he and Rennison 
 reached the street, they found the limousine awaiting 
 them. In silence they rode to the messenger office, nor 
 did either address the other until, having traversed the 
 circuitous route, they alighted in front of an apartment 
 house on Columbia Heights. Asthey entered the building, 
 Storrow said: 
 
 "Though you and Miss Warburton have never met, your 
 name is not unknown to her. From time to time she has 
 manifested interest in our relationship." 
 
 "Indeed !" Rennison exclaimed, moodily, as he glanced 
 sharply at the uniformed hall-boy and a man who sat at 
 the telephone switchboard. "In that case, I suppose she 
 suspects that I am such a person as you described this 
 afternoon."
 
 THK IN TKRLOPKK 99 
 
 "I ll admit, Ren, that she has reason to believe that, in 
 Washington, certain diplomats have contracted the habit 
 of watching you from the corners of their eyes." 
 
 "I m sorry," Rennison muttered. 
 
 A slowly ascending elevator took them to the sixth 
 floor of the building. 
 
 "Inasmuch as Miss Wurburton s suite consists of only a 
 bedroom, sitting- room and bath, she usually lets her maid 
 go home about seven o clock each night," Storrow ex 
 plained, as they passed along the little hall. A few steps 
 brought them to a door at which Storrow stopped and 
 rang the bell. 
 
 For rather more than a minute the visitors waited in 
 silence. Storrow was about to ring again when they heard 
 the soft click of the latch. Renriisori dropped well back 
 of his companion, and kept close to the wall. The door 
 was opened only a few inches. 
 
 "Oh, it s you, Hayden!" exclaimed a feminine voice. "I 
 thought you were going to the Guilford affair. Come 
 in." 
 
 The sound of the voice indicated the speaker was leaving 
 the door. 
 
 "Come, Hen," Storrow said, over his shoulder, and led 
 the way into a small, dimly lighted hall. 
 
 As Rennison followed, he saw the woman had disap 
 peared through a dark doorway. The hall door was 
 closed by Storrow. A light now flashed up in the sitting- 
 room. 
 
 "I just let Marta go home, Hayden, and when you 
 rang the unseen woman began. Storrow inter 
 rupted her. Halting in the doorway, he said: 
 
 "Miriam, I have taken the liberty of bringing a friend 
 the only one to whom I have confided our secret. He
 
 100 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 may be leaving town to-morrow, and it is probable a long 
 period will elapse before we meet again. Miss Warbur- 
 ton, permit me to introduce to you Captain Rennison." 
 
 Not until his name was spoken did the Army officer, 
 still in the entrance hall, come face to face with the 
 woman in the sitting-room. Passing through the doorway 
 now, he saw her, standing beside a table which she was 
 touching with her finger-tips. Some of the color left Ren- 
 nison s face as he admitted to himself that rarely had he 
 seen a woman so beautiful. 
 
 It was plain that she had not expected the visit of a 
 stranger. She wore a pink silken kimono, which, parting 
 a little above the ankles, revealed a glimpse of a pale blue 
 petticoat and a pair of bare feet, thrust into dainty pink 
 slippers, trimmed with white fur. 
 
 Slightly above medium height, she now stood erect. Her 
 wide, lustrous dark eyes were alight with surprise and 
 growing resentment, as she fastened their gaze on the 
 Army officer. Her exquisitely molded face was strangely 
 pale, the pallor being enhanced by her dark, arched eye 
 brows and the wavy black hair, which, drawn back from 
 her forehead, fell in a long, thick braid behind her. 
 
 Rennison noted darkening shadows under her flashing 
 eyes, then his gaze fell to her lips and chin. As he re 
 flected on the description given by Johnson of the chin 
 and lips of the woman who had introduced herself as the 
 wife of Enderbrook, he saw that the lips of Miriam War- 
 burton were full "and somewhat poutish." Earlier in the 
 day they might have been red, but now they appeared to 
 be almost white. He noted, too, a dimple in her chin. 
 
 As Rennison bowed gravely, Miss Warburton, who ap 
 peared to be about twenty-six years of age, drew closer 
 over her full bosom the filmy kimono that she wore, and,
 
 THE INTERLOPER 101 
 
 by the action, brought into fuller relief the charming 
 lines of a figure that had excited admiration in many Eu 
 ropean drawing-rooms, as well as on the stage. 
 
 For several moments, as Rennison continued to regard 
 his hostess, she returned his gaze. Slowly the surprise 
 and resentment left her eyes. He saw a little convulsive 
 movement of the hand that held the kimono at her throat ; 
 then her lips parted and she smiled. 
 
 There now flashed into the mind of the young Army 
 officer the knowledge that the nature of the woman was 
 about to be subordinated to the art of the actress.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A PAWN AND THE GAME. 
 
 "I REALLY am charmed to meet you, Captain Rennison," 
 Miss Warburton said, in a soft, musical voice. "Though, 
 as you see, I was not prepared to receive a visitor, you 
 are none the less welcome. I have known, of course, that 
 you and Hayden have been intimate friends. It is very 
 good of you to come to see me before your departure. 
 Please sit down here by the table. Hayden shall sit 
 over there as a punishment for not informing me that 
 you were coming, in order that I might have been pre 
 pared to receive you." 
 
 Approaching Rennison, the young woman reached for 
 his hat and cane. 
 
 "Let me relieve you of these, * she said. 
 
 But Rennison shook his head. 
 
 "Don t trouble, Miss Warburton," he said. "I have 
 only a few minutes to stay." 
 
 As the actress drew back she flashed a glance of search 
 ing inquiry at Storrow. She saw his face was grim and 
 pale and that he avoided her gaze. Sinking down on a 
 gilt chair, she rested her elbows on the table in the center 
 of the room. On the other side of the table was a broad, 
 easy chair on which, in accordance with the invitation 
 of his hostess, Rennison seated himself. Storrow sat 
 stiffly on a large rocker to which she had pointed while 
 she was laughingly rebuking him for bringing a visitor 
 without warning. Addressing Rennison, she said: 
 
 102
 
 A PAWN AND THE GAME 103 
 
 "I had understood you were going to leave Washington 
 this afternoon, and that Hayden was going to see you 
 off." 
 
 "That was my intention. But, about an hour before 
 train time, I was ordered to delay my departure. A task 
 was then set for me, and I may not be able to complete it 
 before to-morrow." 
 
 "It is a pleasant task, I hope." 
 
 "No. It is one that is proving very painful to me 
 one that may that must mean loss of liberty or life 
 to others." 
 
 A startled expression came to her face, and she looked 
 at him more intently. Her hands were toying with a 
 bronze paper knife on the table against which she was 
 leaning. 
 
 "Are there many involved?" she asked. 
 
 "Two a man and a woman." 
 
 "A woman!" she exclaimed, faintly. She raised her 
 eyes to his for a moment, then they fell again, as she 
 added: "What have they this man and woman done 
 that they should be threatened with the loss of liberty 
 or life?" 
 
 "They have plotted to rob our Government of a secret 
 which would protect against Seafalcon s submarines all 
 vessels of our merchant marine which cross the Atlantic 
 with American citizens men, women and children 
 aboard of them. On the other hand, should the enemy 
 obtain that secret he would be able to destroy scores of 
 American vessels, without showing himself on the surface 
 of the sea." 
 
 She did not glance at him now. The hand which had 
 been drawing the edges of the kimono together at her 
 throat was lowered and began to finger the bronze paper
 
 104 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 knife. The kimono, falling open a little, revealed the 
 snowy whiteness of the bosom it had concealed. 
 
 The young woman was about to speak, when, from the 
 entrance hallway, there came three faint strokes of a small 
 bell. She listened, hesitated, then rose. 
 
 "Pardon me," she said. "I think the telephone is ring- 
 ing." 
 
 She quickly crossed the room and disappeared in the 
 hall. 
 
 "Storrow," Rennison said, shortly, ^ou d better be get 
 ting to the Guilfords ." 
 
 Storrow, breathing heavily, looked up quickly. There 
 was a threatening glare in his bloodshot eyes. 
 
 "Now?" he queried, thickly. 
 
 "Yes at once. I have told you how to proceed. The 
 game is moving quickly. The sound you just heard in 
 the hall indicates that the message I sent immediately after 
 leaving your rooms has been received. The keenest secret 
 agents of the Government are in action. From this 
 moment you will be under constant surveillance. Do pre 
 cisely what you have been told to do. See to it that you 
 make no mistake." 
 
 The idler rose clumsily. 
 
 "You are going to stay here?" he demanded. 
 
 "For several minutes, at least yes." 
 
 Storrow stepped beside the chair on which the Army 
 man was seated. The eyes of the idler still were blazing 
 and his cheeks were shaking as he looked down at the 
 young officer. 
 
 "Beware, Rennison !" he said, in trembling accents. 
 "God will not forgive you if 
 
 From the hall came the voice of Miriam Warburton, 
 who was saying, petulantly:
 
 A PAWN AND THE GAME 105 
 
 "If you will not tell me who is speaking, I ll ring off 
 at once." 
 
 All she had heard from the time she had taken down the 
 receiver was a question that had been constantly repeated 
 in a rapid monotone "Are you alone are you alone 
 are you alone?" The speaker had given no opportunity 
 for a reply. 
 
 As, with a little exclamation of disgust, the young 
 woman returned the receiver to the hook, Storrow entered 
 the dimly-lighted hallway. 
 
 "You are going, Hayden?" Miriam asked, in accents of 
 surprise. 
 
 "Yes to the reception. I may call you up from 
 there." 
 
 Seizing one of her hands, Storrow raised it to his 
 lips. Then he abruptly opened the door and passed out. 
 Bewildered by the suddenness and strangeness of her 
 friend s departure, Miriam allowed several moments to 
 pass before it occurred to her to call him back. At 
 length, however, she opened the door and looked out. 
 Storrow just had entered the elevator. He waved a hand 
 to her, and the elevator began its descent. 
 
 As the young woman turned back to the sitting-room 
 there suddenly flashed into her mind a premonition of 
 danger. 
 
 Passing through the doorway, Miriam saw Rennison 
 had risen and was standing beside the table. He now was 
 toying with the bronze paper knife which had been in 
 her hands only a few minutes before. 
 
 "Why did Hayden leave like that?" she demanded, half- 
 curiously, half-angrily. 
 
 "He suddenly remembered an appointment which it was 
 necessary for him to keep before going to the reception."
 
 106 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "He is not going directly to the reception, then?" And 
 Rennison fancied he detected a new note of anxiety in 
 her tone. 
 
 * He expects to be there in a few minutes," Rennison 
 assured her. 
 
 The features of Miriam darkened. 
 
 "Won t you sit down?" she asked, coldly. 
 
 Rennison bowed, and again sank on the big chair near 
 the table. Miriam reseated herself on the gilt chair. 
 There was a pause, then she said: 
 
 "You were telling me of the man and the woman who 
 plotted to rob the Government of a great secret. Were 
 they successful?" 
 
 "Yes," Rennison replied. 
 
 Miriam s elbows were on the table. Her chin was rest- 
 ting on her crossed hands. Her dark eyes were looking 
 at him steadily. 
 
 "How did they attain their purpose?" the young woman 
 asked. 
 
 "By leading the inventor into a trap, murdering him 
 and taking from his body the precious secret on which, 
 for many days and nights he had been working, in the 
 service of his country." 
 
 "Murdered!" exclaimed Miriam, faintly. "The inven 
 tor was murdered, do you say?" 
 
 "Yes by the woman." 
 
 Miriam was looking at Rennison intently. One of her 
 hands was gathering the kimono folds at her throat. 
 
 "Where?" she demanded, almost breathlessly. 
 
 "Just outside the door of a room in the Hotel Wey- 
 mouthshire this afternoon." 
 
 In the hallway the telephone bell was ringing viciously. 
 Miriam rose quickly and hurried from the room. When
 
 A PAWN AND THE GAME 107 
 
 she reached the telephone, she took down the receiver 
 and held it to her ear. Again she heard a rapid mono 
 tone, as if a schoolboy were trying to commit certain sen 
 tences to memory. Now, however, the words were differ 
 ent "I want to talk with Mrs. Enderbrook I want to 
 talk with Mrs. Enderbrook I want to talk with " 
 
 "There is no one of that name here," replied Miriam, 
 sharply. "Now stop it. Let this phone alone." 
 
 For several moments the voice at the other end of the 
 wire was still. Then it began again: 
 
 "I want to talk with Mrs. Enderbrook I want to 
 talk with Mrs. Enderbrook Oh, I want to talk with 
 Mrs. Ender " 
 
 Miriam snapped the receiver back on its hook. As she 
 turned from the instrument, she swayed slightly and 
 pressed her clenched hands to her cheeks.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE UNKNOWN VOICE. 
 
 WHEN Miriam Warburton returned to the room in which 
 she had left Captain Rennison, her manner was composed 
 and there was a smile on her wan lips. 
 
 "I m very sorry to have interrupted you, Captain," 
 she said. "The telephone wires seem to be crossed, and 
 there is some foolish fellow speaking one who seems to 
 be talking in his sleep." 
 
 "Pray, don t mention it, Miss Warburton," Rennison 
 replied. 
 
 Again the young woman was seated at the table her 
 chin resting on her clasped hands. 
 
 "You were speaking of the inventor of that great 
 secret," she suggested. "Was he well known I mean 
 was his name one would be likely to hear often?" 
 
 "No. He was a modest college professor, who, however, 
 had ample means of his own. The secret device on which 
 he had been at work was designed as a gift to the Gov 
 ernment." 
 
 "A gift," she murmured. 
 
 "Yes. His name was Channing." 
 
 "Did he live in Washington?" 
 
 "No. He came to this city to deliver the formula of 
 his device to an official of the Navy Department." 
 
 The young woman was looking at her visitor with a new 
 intensity. The gaze of her dark eyes did not shift from 
 his face. 
 
 108
 
 THE UNKNOWN VOICE 109 
 
 "In what manner was he killed? * she asked. 
 
 "By the injection of some poison of great virulence 
 into the fingers of his right hand. So deadly was this 
 fluid that it caused almost instant death. * 
 
 "Oh !" she gasped faintly. 
 
 The telephone bell was ringing again in the hallway. 
 The young woman rose weakly. 
 
 "You must excuse me again," she muttered. As she 
 disappeared in the hall, Rennison heard her murmur: 
 "Oh, my God." 
 
 The young officer rose quickly and followed her. He 
 halted, however, at the threshold of the door. He saw his 
 companion had reached the telephone and was taking down 
 the receiver. 
 
 "Well?" queried Miriam through the transmitter. 
 
 A thrill passed through her as she heard the same 
 quickly speaking, monotonous voice she had heard before. 
 Now it was saying: 
 
 "Give me the life you took from Room 415 give me 
 the life you took from Room 415 give me the life you 
 took " 
 
 With a little cry, Miriam drew back. 
 
 "Is that fellow troubling you again, Miss Warbur- 
 ton?" Rennison asked, solicitously. 
 
 "Yes no no !" she answered, wildly. 
 
 "Perhaps if I were to speak to him " 
 
 She whirled quickly. Fear and horror were in her eyes 
 as she faced him and held the receiver behind her. 
 
 "No no it is quite unnecessary," she gasped. 
 
 "Very well," replied Rennison, with a little shrug. "As 
 you have said, the wires may be crossed. It is possible, 
 too, that the voice of the fellow you have heard is that of 
 a company employe who is testing them."
 
 110 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "True," she faltered. "I had not thought of that." 
 
 Rennison strode slowly into the sitting-room. When 
 Miriam passed through the door, she saw he was standing 
 in the middle of the floor, with his hands in the pockets 
 of his coat. Just inside the doorway she halted, and 
 grasped one of the portieres. 
 
 Looking at him intently, she asked. 
 
 "Why did you not go with Hayden?" 
 
 There was a new note in her voice a note that was at 
 once quavering and harsh. Rennison s gaze fell to the 
 floor. 
 
 "Why well, to be frank with you, Miss Warburton, I 
 hardly know," he faltered, apologetically. "I should have 
 remembered that Hayden told me you had a severe head 
 ache this afternoon. It was thoughtless of me to remain, 
 I ll admit. In the circumstances, perhaps 
 
 He moved toward the chair on which lay his hat and 
 cane. Swaying a little, Miriam moved toward the table. 
 
 "Don t go please," she said, wearily. * I did not 
 mean to suggest that you leave me. But Hayden went 
 out so suddenly leaving you here alone with me. If 
 you and I had met before, I would have thought nothing 
 of it, perhaps but well, the fancy just struck me that 
 it was a little strange that you should be here. That is 
 all." 
 
 Rennison picked up his hat and stick. 
 
 "Please stay a little while," Miriam pleaded, weakly, 
 as she sank on the gilt chair again. "Something very 
 terrible seems about to happen to me to-night, but I can 
 not tell what it is. Oh, why did Hayden leave me? I 
 must not be left alone." 
 
 Rennison hesitated, then tossed his hat and cane to a 
 couch.
 
 THE UNKNOWN VOICE 111 
 
 "Perhaps my story of the murder of young Channing 
 has depressed you," he said. "I m sorry if " 
 
 "You must tell me more," the young woman replied, as 
 she glanced at a little onyx clock on the mantel. "Sit 
 down, please, Captain Rennison." 
 
 Rennison, seating himself, regarded his companion 
 speculatively. She was gazing at the table. Her fingers 
 were toying nervously with the paper knife again. 
 
 "What more is there concerning this unfortunate affair 
 that you would have me tell you?" he asked, quietly. 
 
 "Who was Channing to have seen at the Navy Depart 
 ment?" Miriam asked him. 
 
 "Mr. Horsford one of the Assistant Secretaries." 
 
 "He Mr. Channing was not under any sort of sus 
 picion?" 
 
 "None whatever. His death was one of the most severe 
 if not the severest blow that has been inflicted on the 
 Department for many years." 
 
 Rising slowly, Miriam gripped the edge of the table in 
 front of her. 
 
 "This Channing was not a traitor, then a Seafalcon 
 spy?" she demanded, brokenly. 
 
 Looking at her steadily, Rennison held her gaze. 
 
 "Oh, no, Miss Warburton," he replied, with a smile. 
 "You surely know he was not that." 
 
 Something in Rennison s gaze, as well as in his tone 
 and words, kindled the light of a new fear in her widening 
 eyes. 
 
 "I know he was not that!" she repeated wonderingly. 
 Then, with a sudden change from weakness to defiant 
 anger, she stamped a foot and cried: "Captain Rennison, 
 you lie!" 
 
 The smile seemed to freeze on the face of the Army
 
 112 
 
 officer, as, with a vibrant voice, the young woman went 
 on: 
 
 "You lie! He was a Seafalcon spy as you are." 
 
 Rennison, sinking slowly back on his chair, was think 
 ing quickly. In a flash the whole aspect of the situation 
 had changed. The woman was a professional actress, but 
 was she only acting now? Like most trained thinkers, 
 this young Army officer was averse to rejecting new im 
 pressions quickly. That Miriam Warburton had slain 
 Oliver Channing for the purpose of taking from his body 
 the secret of his invention Rennison did not doubt. But 
 what possibly could have suggested to her the idea of 
 branding her victim as a Seafalcon spy? Channing, 
 the inventor of the device, was on his way to the Navy 
 Department to give the secret of his invention to the Gov 
 ernment. Miriam Warburton must have known that no 
 spy would do a thing like that. 
 
 But, quickly as he thought, Rennison did not allow his 
 thoughts to become confused. In a few moments he had 
 shaped a course. 
 
 "Come, come, Miss Warburton, is it not time that both 
 of us were dropping our masks?" he said, chidingly. 
 "Channing was not a spy, of course. I shall not attempt, 
 however, to deceive you concerning my relation with the 
 affair. But if we are to work together hereafter in the 
 interest of the great Brotherhood and its chief, let us not 
 begin our relationship, as their agents, by pretending 
 that each of us does not know the purpose of the other." 
 
 Miriam seemed dazed. Rennison, watching her closely, 
 saw her throat and temples throbbing. 
 
 "I an agent of Seafalcon s !" she gasped. "Oh, you 
 wretched, cowardly traitor! Do you not know that I 
 know why it is you are here? You, taking advantage
 
 THE UNKNOWN VOICE 113 
 
 of the trust imposed in you by the Government, and util 
 izing your position in the Bureau of Military Intelli 
 gence, have learned how the spy, Channing, lost the papers 
 he had stolen and was about to give to one who was to 
 deliver them to Seafalcon. You have traced them here, 
 and have induced that prince of fools, Hayden Storrow, to 
 introduce you to me. Well, you are here. Now, search 
 search every nook and cranny of my apartments for the 
 papers you are seeking. You are clever, I am told. Men 
 and women have died at your bidding as I may die. The 
 Government still may trust you, but when you are done 
 here, if I still am alive, I 
 
 Rennison, now sitting upright, with his elbows on the 
 arms of his chair, spoke quietly. 
 
 "Stop it, Miss Warburton," he said. "Have I not told 
 you that each of us must trust the other? If I did not 
 know you to be an agent of Seafalcon s would I have been 
 following you all this afternoon for the purpose of afford 
 ing you protection? If you were not a Seafalcon agent, 
 would you have slain that young inventor? Would you 
 have placed the stolen papers in Storrow s stick for 
 transmission to the man who will be at the Guilfords 
 reception to receive them? Oh, no, my dear Miss Warbur 
 ton, you know very well that I am not here to search 
 your apartments for the papers which went out of here 
 with Storrow." 
 
 "You you know that? * Miriam faltered. 
 
 "Of course," Rennison answered, easily. He looked at 
 his watch, then added: "In a few minutes the papers 
 should be in the right hands, my dear. * 
 
 Miriam sank slowly to her chair. It was plain to Ren 
 nison that she was striving desperately to regain self- 
 control.
 
 114 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "You you would have me understand, then, that Cap 
 tain Reifsnyder 
 
 She stopped abruptly. 
 
 The name of her confederate had slipped quickly from 
 her lips. But the features of Rennison expressed neither 
 satisfaction nor surprise. 
 
 "It was only natural that Reifsnyder should be 
 anxious, of course," he said. "He did not doubt that you 
 would carry out your mission successfully, but it was for 
 tunate that I kept after you to cover your trail. * 
 
 "Indeed!" Miriam murmured. 
 
 "Yes. After drawing the body of young Channing 
 into his room, you locked the door without closing it. 
 Then, too, you left in your own room in the hotel the point 
 of Storrow s sword blade, and this 
 
 He tossed on the table the "Henneshaw" napkin. 
 
 Miriam, who had been nervously moving the table 
 drawer in and out, looked at the napkin dully. Her glance 
 wandered to the little onyx clock again. 
 
 "I m sorry I blundered so," she murmured penitently. 
 
 "But, inasmuch as I found the articles, the oversights 
 will not matter," Rennison assured her. 
 
 "I am very glad." 
 
 She reached for the napkin, examined it thoughtfully, 
 then dropped it into the open drawer of the table. 
 
 "I used it to protect my hands from the blade," she ex 
 plained. 
 
 "The cuts in the fabric indicated it had served that 
 purpose," replied Rennison. 
 
 "You are clever," she said, absently. 
 
 "But you will let me have the napkin?" he asked. "It is 
 best, of course, that it should not be found here." 
 
 "Of course," she assented.
 
 THE UNKNOWN VOICE 115 
 
 As she drew the drawer out a little further, she rose. 
 Picking up the napkin, she held it to him across the 
 table. 
 
 "Take it," she said. 
 
 Her eyes flashed at him defiantly, as grasping the 
 crumpled napkin, she held it above his extended hand, then 
 brought it down sharply. 
 
 With a swift movement, Rennison s hand eluded hers ; 
 then caught her wrist. From the napkin something fell 
 noiselessly to the lace cover of the table something 
 pink and white and green a little tea-rose bud, with 
 closely folded petals and without a stem. But, noise 
 lessly as it fell, Rennison saw it. 
 
 Still grasping Miriam s wrist, Rennison raised his gaze 
 to a pair of eyes, which, though flashing defiantly only a 
 moment before, now were wide with growing fear. 
 
 "One hand already has plucked that little flower of im 
 mortality to-day, Miss Warburton," he said, quietly. 
 "There shall be no other." 
 
 The table was between them as she tried to free her 
 hand. In a few moments her feeble efforts ceased. 
 
 "You are wrong, Captain Rennison," she answered. 
 "There shall be one other." 
 
 Then he saw that her free left hand lay, slightly arched, 
 over the death flower on the table. 
 
 "Stand back," she said. 
 
 Though quietly, tensely spoken, the words were man 
 datory.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 A FUGITIVE SHADOW. 
 
 RENNISON knew what the woman, whose right wrist he 
 still was grasping, had it in her mind to do. She had only 
 to flatten her arched left hand on the table, and he would 
 hear her voice no more. 
 
 For only a moment did he hesitate; then he freed her 
 and stepped back. 
 
 "Why did you try to kill me, Miss Warburton," he 
 asked. 
 
 "Because you are an agent of Seafalcon s because 
 you have made me believe that Captain Reifsnyder, whom I 
 trusted before, is one of your confederates because " 
 
 "You are convinced, then, that Reifsnyder and I are 
 Seafalcon agents?" 
 
 "If you were not confederates, the knowledge that Hay- 
 den Storrow has those papers in his cane would not be 
 possessed by both of you. Captain Reifsnyder told me 
 that, despite the trust imposed in you by the Govern 
 ment, you were known to him and others as one of the 
 most dangerous lieutenants of Seafalcon. You have ad 
 mitted to me that you are, and you have told me that 
 Reifsnyder is in league with you. You even profess to 
 believe that I, too, am a traitor that I have killed an 
 innocent man, in order to rob him of a secret that was 
 essential to the success of the Government s war on the 
 
 Brotherhood. You " 
 
 116
 
 A FUGITIVE SHADOW 117 
 
 She stopped. The telephone in the hall was ringing. 
 She listened for a moment, then added, weakly: 
 
 "Yes, I tried to kill you. Because I failed, I must die. 
 I tried to take your life in order that I might prevent 
 what is in Hayden Storrow s cane from reaching Captain 
 Reifsnyder." 
 
 Her eyes again revealed to Rennison the impulse that 
 was dominating her. He dared not look at the hand she 
 held above the little artificial flower. Then an inspiration 
 came to him. 
 
 "It is not unlikely that the person now calling you 
 to the telephone is Storrow," he said. "When he left me 
 I half suspected that it would not be long before " 
 
 "Will you see?" Miriam asked. 
 
 Rennison nodded. 
 
 "Certainly," he replied. 
 
 The Army officer had taken only a couple of steps in 
 the direction of the door, however, when a sound behind 
 him caused him to halt abruptly. It was the sound made 
 by the quick drawing out of a table drawer. 
 
 As he stopped, he turned slowly. Then he saw every 
 trace of emotion had left Miriam s face. She was looking 
 at him over the dark barrel of an automatic pistol. 
 
 "I will answer the telephone call, but you will go into 
 the hall with me," the young woman said, coolly, "Lead 
 the way, please." 
 
 Bowing slightly, Rennison answered, gravely: 
 
 "I am entirely at your service, Miss Warburton. I will 
 lead the way to the hall." 
 
 "Throw back both portieres and step into the right- 
 hand corner," the actress directed. 
 
 Moving deliberately, Rennison carried out his instruc 
 tions. Miriam, with her pistol still pointed at him, fol-
 
 118 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 lowed closely. When he reached the corner, Rennison 
 turned. 
 
 "Put these on your wrists," commanded Miriam, who 
 held toward him a pair of handcuffs. 
 
 Smilingly, he did so. She snapped, then tested each 
 bracelet in turn. Both were fast. 
 
 There was a little note of exultation in her voice as she 
 said: 
 
 "Now you will do just what I tell you to do." 
 
 "Yes," he answered. "I have assured you that I am 
 entirely at your service." 
 
 The telephone bell still was ringing. She stepped 
 quickly toward the instrument and took down the re 
 ceiver. As she placed it to one of her ears, she heard: 
 
 "Give me back the life you took from Room 415. Give 
 me back 
 
 An expression of helplessness came to her features as 
 she lowered the receiver. 
 
 "If that fellow is bothering you again, Miss Warbur- 
 ton, it is possible that I may silence him," Rennison said, 
 quietly. "Shall I try?" 
 
 The actress looked at him searchingly, but did not 
 speak. 
 
 "If you want to talk with Hayden Storrow over that 
 wire, I can get him for you," Rennison added. 
 
 "I do want to talk with Hayden Storrow," Miriam 
 replied, and her voice was shaking now. "You have said 
 you can put me in communication with him. You must." 
 
 Again the dark barrel of the pistol was aimed at him 
 menacingly. He moved toward her, and, with his man 
 acled hands, took the receiver she held toward him. He 
 held it to his left ear. A voice was speaking. It said: 
 
 "Give me back the life you took from "
 
 A FUGITIVE SHADOW 119 
 
 "Glendennen?" Rennison queried. 
 
 "Give me - What was that you said?" the voice on 
 the wire asked. 
 
 "Glendennen," Rennison repeated. 
 
 "All right," replied the voice. 
 
 Stepping back from the transmitter, the Army officer 
 addressed his companion. 
 
 "We may be delayed a minute or two," he explained. 
 
 "Who is Glendennen?" the actress asked, suspiciously. 
 
 "A friend of mine," Rennison answered. "Before we 
 can get the Guilf ord house it will be necessary to free your 
 wire." 
 
 "To free the wire?" Miriam repeated, wonderingly. 
 
 "Yes. You see since I have been in here the wire that 
 runs into this hallway has been what is technically known 
 as set. It has communicated only with a switchboard in 
 the War Department building. During this period a 
 Government man has been in charge of the switchboard of 
 this apartment house. He " 
 
 Rennison, with the receiver still at his ear, turned to 
 the transmitter again and spoke into it. 
 
 "Jimmy," he said. 
 
 "Yes, sir," answered the voice. 
 
 "Connect me with Captain Merschon." 
 
 "Stop !" Miriam directed, sharply. "You are at this 
 telephone to get me into communication with Hayden Stor- 
 row. Until then 
 
 "Such communication will be impossible until the wire 
 is freed," Rennison retorted. "Captain Merschon is one 
 of the officials of the Bureau of Naval Intelligence." 
 
 The eyes of Miriam Warburton flashed scornfully. 
 
 "Another Seafalcon spy, in a United States uniform?" 
 she asked.
 
 120 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "No," Rennison replied. "Merschon s loyalty to the 
 Government of the United States is as unblemished as my 
 own." 
 
 Miriam, who had raised her pistol menacingly, lowered 
 it a little. She was looking at him with an expression in 
 which contempt, bewilderment and solemn warning were 
 mingled. The finger on the pistol s trigger was trembling. 
 
 "Loyalty as unblemished as your own!" she exclaimed. 
 "Have you not confessed to me that you are an adherent 
 of Seafalcon s?" 
 
 "You charged me with being a Seafalcon spy, and I 
 humored your apparent belief in order that I might 
 learn whether in committing that crime this afternoon 
 you knew yourself to be an enemy of our Government, or 
 whether, as you have said, you actually believed you were 
 taking the life of a Seafalcon spy. It also was my pur 
 pose to get you to reveal the name of your confederate 
 the man who was to take those papers from Storrow s 
 cane." 
 
 "Did you not know ?" Miriam began, breathlessly. 
 
 That Reifsnyder was the man?" he asked. "No, I 
 did not know until you told me." 
 
 "But " 
 
 Glancing beyond where she stood, Rennison saw the 
 door communicating with the outer hall opening slowly 
 and noiselessly. At that moment a voice sounded in the 
 receiver he was holding to his ear. 
 
 "Hello!" it said. 
 
 Rennison turned quickly to the transmitter. 
 
 "Merschon?" he asked. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Rennison is speaking."
 
 A FUGITIVE SHADOW 
 
 "How are you making out?" Merschon asked. 
 
 "Moving right along, but I have nothing to report at 
 present. I ll see you about midnight. Meantime, with 
 the exception of those that have to do with Coughlin, all 
 suggestions I made to you in the note I sent this evening 
 are off. Do you understand? All off except the sugges 
 tions concerning the Coughlin end of it." 
 
 "But the woman Mrs. Enderbrook! Have you come 
 up with her?" 
 
 "There was a pause, then Rennison said : 
 
 "There is no longer a woman in the case. There is no 
 Mrs. Enderbrook." 
 
 "All right," Merschon answered, moodily. 
 
 With his handcuffed hands, Rennison returned the re 
 ceiver to its hook. As he turned again toward Miriam, 
 he saw she was trembling. Once more the menace was in 
 her flashing eyes. 
 
 "Just as I was beginning to believe you, you have 
 proved yourself to be as false as I had suspected you 
 were," she said in low, shaking accents which indicated the 
 strength of her emotion. "If Captain Merschon is loyal, 
 why did you tell him there was no woman in the case? 
 Why did you lie to him ? You know a woman killed Chan- 
 ning. You know a woman has sent those papers to a man 
 who, as you have convinced me, is a traitor. If you are 
 loyal, why have you not arrested me? Why have you 
 made no move to prevent those papers from reaching 
 Reifsnyder?" 
 
 While she was speaking Rennison s gaze, shifting 
 slightly, rested momentarily on a gray-clad, stockily 
 built man who, having entered a moment after the door of 
 the hall had been opened so noiselessly, now stood only a
 
 122 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 couple of paces behind the agitated actress. He had 
 closed the door as quietly as he had opened it, but had 
 not removed the Panama hat which shaded his eyes. 
 
 Rennison, smiling, said: 
 
 "Does it not occur to you, my dear Miss Warburton 
 that if I failed to do the things you have suggested it 
 might be because a woman has me at her mercy?" 
 
 "She has no mercy you traitor, or you coward," Mir 
 iam answered, as she slowly raised the black-barreled 
 pistol. "When I took a man s life this afternoon, I was 
 stumbling in the dark. But now my course is clear. 
 Those papers must not reach Reifsnyder. I must get 
 them, myself. The telephone is closed to me. If I were to 
 leave you here alone you would contrive to prevent me 
 from doing what I must do. There is only one thing for 
 me to do, and I 
 
 The hand that raised the pistol was trembling, but the 
 light of desperate determination was in her eyes. 
 
 Behind her the gray-clad man moved quickly and noise 
 lessly. One of his strong hands gripped her wrist ; the 
 other snatched the pistol from her grasp. 
 
 Rennison stepped briskly to the doorway communicat 
 ing with the living-room. In this he halted. 
 
 "Unlock these bracelets, Joe," he directed. 
 
 Miriam, grasping the high back of one of the hall 
 chairs, was swaying and seemed about to fall. Rennison, 
 watching her gravely, held out his manacled hands to the 
 man he had just addressed. The man slipped Miriam s 
 pistol into one of his pockets, and drew out a bunch of 
 keys. 
 
 In a few moments the handcuffs were off Rennison s 
 wrists. 
 
 "That s all, Joe," Rennison said. "You needn t wait.
 
 A FUGITIVE SHADOW 
 
 I think the lady and I will get on very well together now. 
 I may see you as I go out, however. * 
 
 The gray-clad man nodded ; then left the room, closing 
 the hall door behind him.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 TEUE COLORS. 
 
 As Miriam, with bowed head, leaned against the back of 
 the chair which supported her, the kimono seemed about 
 to fall from her white shoulders. She trembled, and 
 Rennison heard her sobbing faintly. 
 
 "Come, Miss Warburton, it is time you were seeing the 
 situation a little more clearly," he said kindly. "Both 
 of us have had mistaken views, for each of us has be 
 lieved that the other has been in the service of Seafalcon. 
 Despite the fact that I know you took the life of Oliver 
 Channing, I am convinced that, before you did so, his 
 character and the nature of his mission to Washington 
 had been misrepresented to you. There is much that is 
 not clear to me, but, before I ask you for further enlight 
 enment, I want to feel that you are satisfied of my loyalty 
 to the Government of the United States. In what man 
 ner do you require me to convince you of this ?" 
 
 Slowly, the actress raised her head and gazed at him 
 searchingly with an expression in which fear, bewilder 
 ment, doubt and appeal were mingled. 
 
 "How am I to know what to believe of you?" she fal 
 tered. "If Reifsnyder, who wears the uniform of an 
 officer of your Navy, is indeed a traitor, why will not 
 you, if you are loyal, aid me in preventing those papers 
 from getting into his hands?" 
 
 124
 
 TRUE COLORS 125 
 
 "Does it not occur to you, my dear Miss Warburton, 
 that, if I were loyal, I would not have permitted that fate 
 ful cane to get out of my sight so long as I knew those 
 papers were in it?" 
 
 "Oh !" gasped the half-fainting woman. "True I had 
 not thought of that. You have them the papers now ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And you you will let me see them that I may- 
 know " she besought him eagerly. 
 
 "That you may know I am not attempting to deceive 
 you again?" he asked, smiling gravely. "Yes, I will 
 show them to you subject to one condition. But come. 
 Why are we standing here? Let us return to the sitting- 
 room." 
 
 Drawing aside one of the portieres, he stepped back to 
 let her pass. As she moved through the doorway, Renni- 
 son took one of her hands. Just inside the sitting-room 
 they halted. Looking, half-fearfully at her companion, 
 Miriam asked: 
 
 "What is the condition?" 
 
 "It is the payment of a price." 
 
 "A price !" she murmured. "To be satisfied that all you 
 are telling me now is true I would give my soul." 
 
 "That is far too precious," Rennison said, kindly. 
 "And yet what I will ask is something which is suggestive 
 of the soul something to which, a few minutes ago, I 
 referred as the flower of immortality. 
 
 She gave a little start and shuddered. Slowly her 
 gaze wandered to where, on the lace cover of the table, lay 
 the little artificial rosebud. Around it was a faint brown 
 stain. 
 
 "You must not touch it," she warned him in a voice 
 that was scarcely louder than a whisper. "Wait."
 
 126 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 But as she started toward the table the tightening grip 
 of the hand which still held hers restrained her. She 
 glanced at Rennison quickly, and there was a faint tint of 
 color on her cheeks as she replied: 
 
 "You may trust me now." 
 
 He released her hand, but kept beside her as she stepped 
 to the table. She drew out the drawer and took from it a 
 little silver vanity box. 
 
 "Put it in this," she murmured, as she held it out to 
 him. 
 
 Rennison took it, and, with a match-stick, he thrust 
 the bud into the box and replaced the cover. After slip 
 ping the box into one of his pockets, he set fire to the 
 match-stick and tossed it into the empty fireplace. 
 
 "Do you value this table cover?" he asked. 
 
 The actress shook her head negatively. 
 
 "I will take it, then," said Rennison. 
 
 He lifted the cover and, after rubbing with it a little 
 spot on the marble top of the table, he glanced about him. 
 On the couch he saw an evening newspaper. He picked 
 up this and wrapped it around the crumpled cover, then 
 he placed the little bundle on a chair beside his cane and 
 hat. 
 
 "And now we come to my part of the agreement, * the 
 officer said, with a sudden assumption of cheerfulness. 
 
 Miriam, again seated beside the table, had hid her face 
 in her hands. Now, as she looked toward Rennison again, 
 she saw he was taking something from a pocketbook. 
 Slowly she sat upright, then leaned forward as he laid 
 before her, on the table, five sheets of tissue paper. She 
 saw one of the sheets bore the design of a checkered heart. 
 
 For several moments she stared dully at the sheets, then 
 again she hid her face in her hands.
 
 TRUE COLORS 127 
 
 "Thank you," she said, brokenly. "I believe in you 
 now." 
 
 Rennison gathered up the papers and replaced them in 
 his pocketbook. He was returning to his chair when Mir 
 iam rose. 
 
 "You will excuse me a few minutes while I dress?" 
 she asked. 
 
 "You are going out?" Rennison queried. 
 
 "The law requires that I should go with you, of 
 course," she answered, coldly. "Am I not a murderess?" 
 
 "There is no hurry," Rennison said. "There is some 
 thing more to be said here, before we go." 
 
 The young woman returned slowly to her chair and 
 sank upon it listlessly. 
 
 "You have not told me how you came to be involved in 
 this affair," Rennison went on. "Do you feel strong 
 enough to tell me now?" 
 
 "Unless you require full details, I can tell you in a few 
 words," Miriam replied. "I am an Englishwoman, and 
 my whole heart and soul were with my country and 
 yours through the terrible war. As an actress, I was 
 playing in The Scarlet Tanager, in New York, when I 
 was informed that a certain man who was forcing his 
 attentions upon me, was one of the most dangerous of 
 Seafalcon s agents in the United States. I was en 
 couraged by a representative of your Department of 
 Justice to receive his attentions and secure certain evi 
 dence against him. I did so, with the result that an im 
 portant discovery, of great value to your Government, 
 was made. 
 
 "This was the beginning of certain services performed 
 by me for your Government. In the course of the per 
 formance of one of these services, I was brought into
 
 128 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 touch with Captain Reifsnyder. He was a graduate of 
 Annapolis and an officer in the Navy. As such he had 
 my entire confidence. 
 
 "A week ago Reifsnyder explained to me that a certain 
 agent of Seafalcon was expected to come into possession 
 of documents that were of the greatest importance to 
 the United States. He did not tell me who the man was, 
 but explained he was on his way from Chicago, and that 
 the documents would be transferred by him, in Washing 
 ton, to a person who was about to go abroad. It was 
 essential, Reifsnyder said, that these papers should be 
 obtained by the Government with the greatest possible 
 secrecy, and that no arrest nor any publicity should 
 result from such action. He asked my aid, and, enthused 
 by my former successes as a secret agent of the Govern 
 ment, I promised to do all in my power. Captain Reif 
 snyder thanked me and explained I would hear from him 
 later, and that immediately after receiving my instruc 
 tions, I would be required to act quickly. 
 
 "Three days ago Reifsnyder summoned me to Baltimore. 
 There, at night, in a little house in a suburb of the city, 
 I received my instructions. I followed them carefully. 
 To-day I prepared Hayden s cane for the papers I was 
 expected to obtain. I went to the Weymouthshire as Mrs. 
 Enderbrook. Through the partly opened door of my 
 room I saw the arrival of Channing, who, as I had been 
 informed, was the Seafalcon spy from whom I was to take 
 certain sheets of paper. 
 
 "I watched Channing s door, and when he came out I 
 entered the hall. Channing was having some trouble 
 closing the door of his room. As a result of this, I was 
 only a few steps from him when he left it. Affecting not 
 to sec him, I brushed against him as he passed.
 
 TRUE COLORS 129 
 
 "Reifsnyder had given to me the little rosebud, which 
 you took from the table. He explained it was covered 
 with little points which, on contact with a hand, would 
 eject a fluid that would cause immediate insensibility. 
 This fluid, he told me, was from an East Indian drug 
 that was used in East Indian hospitals during the per 
 formance of surgical operations, and that, though robbing 
 a patient of consciousness, it could not be fatal. He 
 warned me that, inasmuch as its period of action was 
 limited to a few minutes, I must work quickly. * 
 
 "Well?" Rennison queried, as the young woman paused. 
 
 "Well, as I brushed against Channing, I uttered a 
 little exclamation. *Oh, I ve lost it! I said. He seemed 
 a little irritated, and frowned as he looked at me." 
 
 "Were you veiled?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "No. I had raised my veil." 
 
 The Army officer smiled grimly. 
 
 "Then he stopped, of course," he muttered. 
 
 "Yes he stopped, and asked me if had lost something. 
 I replied I had dropped a little jeweled rosebud. He had 
 just said, We must find it, then,* when .he saw it lying 
 near one of the walls. He stooped quickly and grasped 
 it. He was about to rise when, with a little, choking 
 sound, he fell to the floor. I I thought he was only un 
 conscious that what Reif " 
 
 Her voice failed her, and, sobbing hysterically, she 
 pressed her hands to her eyes. 
 
 "That s enough for the present, Miss Warburton," 
 Rennison said. He rose, and, with his hands behind him, 
 he paced thoughtfully to and fro. 
 
 Miriam soon recovered some of her composure. Look 
 ing at Rennison again, she asked: 
 
 "Who was that who kept calling me to the telephone?
 
 130 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 If, as you have said, the wire was in control of the War 
 Department, who was it 
 
 "The speaker was a young chap who was acting in 
 accordance with directions contained in a letter I ad 
 dressed to Captain Merschon a few minutes before I came 
 here with Storrow," Rennison explained, speaking ab 
 stractedly. "The calls constituted a mild application 
 of what is known as the third degree. 
 
 "It was brutal," Miriam protested, feebly, "but I 
 suppose 
 
 "Its purpose was to put you into a frame of mind that 
 would aid in letting me get at the truth of your connec 
 tion with the case," Rennison went on. "My young friend 
 Jimmy has had occasion to do that sort of thing before." 
 
 "What did you mean when you just said, over the tele 
 phone, that there was no longer a woman in this case 
 that there was no Mrs. Enderbrook?" 
 
 "I meant that, being satisfied that you believed this 
 afternoon you were working, by Government authority, in 
 the interest of the Government, no court would hold you 
 responsible for the acts committed by you in the Wey- 
 mouthshire. I knew, too, that, in the circumstances, the 
 officials of the Government would oppose, by every means 
 in their power, the giving of publicity to any detail in 
 this case. They would prefer that I keep your part in 
 it to myself. The real criminal will well, he will offend 
 no more. The Government will have the missing papers 
 and will be content. There is only one person whom it will 
 be necessary to take into our confidence." 
 
 "You you mean Hayden?" she faltered. 
 
 "Yes. Inasmuch as he knows part of the affair, he 
 must know all. His love and his confidence in you remain 
 unshaken. When all is made clear to him "
 
 TRUE COLORS 131 
 
 "Stop!" Miriam pleaded. "I do not want his love 
 and do not deserve his confidence. I have been a wicked 
 woman, for I have encouraged his attentions to me only 
 that I might meet certain people with whom he is ac 
 quainted people who, unknowingly, have aided me in 
 work I did for the Government. When I first met him it 
 was suspected that he was in sympathy with the Brother 
 hood. There are some who suspect him now. But I know 
 differently. He is a man who can find no serious purpose 
 in his life a pleasure-seeking idler, too fond of his din 
 ners, the company of pretty women, club gossiping 
 and " 
 
 She stopped, for she realized Rennison no longer was 
 listening to her. His hands were thrust into the pockets 
 of his trousers, as he gazed abstractedly toward a covered 
 typewriting machine that stood on a small table in a 
 corner of the room. 
 
 "Typewriting is among your accomplishments, eh?" 
 Rennison muttered. 
 
 A puzzled expression crept over Miriam s face, as she 
 answered, shortly: 
 
 "No." Then, after a pause she added: "I sublet the 
 apartment from two young women who are out of the city 
 for four months. The machine you see belongs to one of 
 them." 
 
 Rennison crossed to the machine and removed its cloth 
 covering. With a few deft touches he assured himself 
 that it was in working order. This done, he drew open 
 the drawer of the table. It contained two open boxes of 
 typewriting paper. 
 
 "You will allow me to use this for a few minutes to 
 make a report?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Certainly," Miriam replied.
 
 122 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Seating himself in front of the machine, the Army 
 officer placed on the roll two sheets of paper. Miriam, 
 continuing to watch him, saw him take out his pocket- 
 book. From this he drew the sheets of tissue paper 
 which, several hours before, the actress had taken from the 
 red pocketbook she found inside the vest of Oliver Chan 
 ging- 
 
 "You you are going to make a copy?" the young 
 woman exclaimed, wonderingly, and again there was a 
 note of suspicion in her voice. 
 
 "No, Miss Warburton," Rennison answered, absently. 
 "No, one would scarcely call it that. *
 
 CHAPTER XVHI. 
 
 FOES IN AMBUSH. 
 
 FOB more than half an hour the silence of the apartment 
 was broken only by the clicking of the typewriter at 
 which Rennison sat. Miriam Warburton, still sitting at 
 the table, watched the Army officer as he worked. Sen 
 tence by sentence, he seemed to be copying what was writ 
 ten on the sheets the actress had taken from one of the 
 pockets of Oliver Channing. Though he paused, from 
 time to time, as if engrossed in thought, he worked rap- 
 idly. 
 
 Twice or thrice Miriam seemed to be on the point of 
 yielding to hysteria as the magnitude of her error and its 
 resultant tragedy became more apparent to her, but in 
 the imperturbable aspect of Rennison, as he worked on, 
 was something that still puzzled and vaguely alarmed her. 
 What was his purpose in copying the great secret which 
 had been committed to these fateful sheets? 
 
 At length, gathering up the sheets, Rennison moved 
 back from the table at which he had been writing. 
 
 "Let me have some ink and a pen, please, Miss Warbur 
 ton, * he said, shortly. 
 
 The actress rose and crossed the room to a little writ 
 ing desk. From this she took the materials for which he 
 had asked. 
 
 " Where will you have them?" she asked, coldly. 
 
 133
 
 134 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Here," Rennison replied, indicating the table from 
 which she had just risen. 
 
 Miriam placed the pen, ink and a blotter on the marble 
 from which he had taken the "flower of immortality" only 
 a few minutes before. He seated himself on the gilded 
 chair, and in a few moments he was tracing on a sheet of 
 paper a facsimile of the checkered heart. When this 
 was done he returned to his pocketbook the sheets of 
 tissue paper he had taken from it. The sheets he had 
 written upon he folded carefully and slipped into an 
 inside pocket of his coat. 
 
 "That s all, I think just now," he muttered, thought- 
 fully. 
 
 Both rose, and Rennison held out a hand. Miriam, ap 
 parently not seeing it, turned aside. The hand fell to 
 Rennison s side again. 
 
 "I ll leave you now, Miss Warburton," he said. "It is 
 idle, of course, for me to say I am sorry that you have 
 had such a hard day of it. When I came here, Storrow 
 told me you had a maid who leaves you at night. I 
 would suggest that you do not remain here alone that 
 you send for the maid and keep her with you until morn 
 ing. Can you not get a message to her that will bring her 
 to you?" 
 
 "I would rather be alone, I think," Miriam replied, list 
 lessly. 
 
 Rennison hesitated, then crossed to the couch, from 
 which he took his hat and cane and the little package he 
 had placed beside them. 
 
 "It is probable that Storrow will communicate with you 
 by telephone in an hour or so," Rennison went on. "I 
 would suggest, however, that, though you may assure him 
 that everything is all right, you witlihold from him all
 
 FOES IN AMBUSH 135 
 
 details concerning the subject of our conversation. I will 
 either see you or communicate with you in the morning. 
 Meantime well, I should feel easier in my mind were you 
 to send for your maid. I really do not think you should 
 remain here alone." 
 
 "What have I to fear?" Miriam asked, bitterly. "Not 
 even death has any terror for me now. Nothing matters 
 nothing. I cannot sleep, of course. Every one seems 
 to have access to my apartments to-night. As you have 
 seen, not even the lock on the door can keep intruders 
 out." 
 
 Coloring slightly, Rennison replied. 
 
 "There will be no further intrusion for which I may be 
 held responsible, Miss Warburton. The man who en 
 tered when I had the handcuffs on my wrists had been 
 stationed in the building for such an emergency. He is a 
 member of the Bureau of Military Intelligence. The 
 name Glendennen, which I gave to my little friend, Jimmy, 
 at the switchboard in the War Department, when I was 
 at the telephone, was overheard by our representative 
 at the switchboard downstairs. It was a signal indicating 
 that I was in need of immediate assistance. While you 
 and I were talking in here, the man you saw obtained a 
 pass key from the janitor, and had opened the hall door 
 long enough to check the lock. Later, my signal for aid 
 was communicated to him by what one might call a re 
 layed whistle from the downstairs switchboard. You 
 are not sorry it reached his ears, I am sure." 
 
 Miriam, with a hand resting on the marble top of the 
 table, was standing upright now and looking at him with a 
 strange intentness. The shadows were darker under her 
 red-lidded, lustrous eyes. 
 
 "I had been told you were clever," she replied, dully.
 
 136 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "But no one ever had told me seriously that I was a 
 fool." 
 
 "I am the fool, Miss Warburton," Rennison answered, 
 gloomily. "Were I clever, I would be able to evade the 
 sort of service the War Department has compelled me to 
 perform to-day." 
 
 He looked broodingly at the little package he was 
 taking with him, then, raising his eyes, he glanced at her 
 again. He saw she had left the table. In another moment 
 she had reached the dark fireplace. As she extended one 
 of her white, shapely arms along the end of the mantel 
 above this, she turned to him again. 
 
 "Good-night," said Rennison, bowing slightly. 
 
 She did not reply, but as the young officer passed out 
 to the hallway he saw she was looking after him with a 
 puzzled expression in the eyes which seemed to have 
 absorbed all the life from her haggard, pallid face. 
 
 And so he left her. 
 
 When the hall door was closed behind him, Rennison 
 walked briskly on toward the elevator shaft. As he 
 halted at the door of this, he heard a faint shuffling of 
 feet on the stone stairway which led down, around the 
 shaft, to the floor below. A few moments later the man 
 who had removed the handcuffs from him a few minutes 
 before appeared at the top of the stairs. 
 
 "All right, sir?" the man asked. 
 
 "All right, Joe," Rennison replied. "Better come to the 
 street with me." 
 
 The elevator soon responded to Rennison s ring, and 
 when the first floor was reached the two men passed out to 
 the street. 
 
 "Is the watch off here, Captain?" Joe inquired. 
 
 "Not yet," Rennison answered. "Keep Ellison at the
 
 FOES IN AMBUSH 137 
 
 switchboard until six o clock in the morning. I want 
 a record of all calls to and from the apartment I have 
 left. I am convinced the woman is all right, but it is 
 just possible that one or more persons who are not all 
 right will learn that certain of their plans have gone 
 wrong and will attempt to get into communication with 
 her. Meantime, you d better hang around, and await de 
 velopments. Miss Warburton, however, is not to be 
 molested in any way and is to have perfect freedom of 
 action. In no circumstances is she to get the impression 
 that she is being watched. It is best, however, that for 
 the next three or four hours a record be kept of tele 
 phone communications with her apartment. I will call 
 you up before I break off work for the night." 
 
 "Very good, sir," Joe replied, respectfully. 
 
 Rennison nodded, and passed on. Joe returned slowly 
 toward the doorway of the apartment house. A few 
 steps took the Army officer to Columbia Road. There he 
 found a taxi and directed the chauffeur to put him down 
 in front of a certain restaurant. Then he lighted a cigar 
 and stepped into the vehicle.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 A DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL. 
 
 WHEN the taxi stopped in front of the restaurant, Ren- 
 nison alighted, paid the chauffeur and entered the build 
 ing. As it was a little too soon for after-theater suppers, 
 the big room was almost deserted. Rennison ordered a 
 meal and ate deliberately. When he was done, he strolled 
 to and through Lafayette Square, and thence to the de 
 partment building. 
 
 As the young officer entered Merchon s office, he saw, 
 sitting around the table, Horsford, Colonel Hawkshurst, 
 Captain Merschon and Towndrow. All seemed to be 
 laboring under suppressed excitement. They were lis 
 tening to Towndrow, whose face was grim and white as he 
 spoke with quiet earnestness. 
 
 Upon seeing Rennison, Towndrow ceased speaking, 
 and all looked at the newcomer sharply. The gloom on 
 his features misled them. 
 
 "It s all right, I think, Rennison," Merschon said, reas 
 suringly. "It looks as if we were in a fair way to get our 
 man." 
 
 "Thanks to Towndrow and his chief," growled Hors 
 ford, flashing a glance of disapproval toward Rennison. 
 
 "But do not forget, Mr. Horsford, that part of the 
 credit goes to Captain Rennison," Towndrow corrected, 
 quickly. Then, addressing Rennison, the Secret Service 
 man went on: "I forwarded to the Chief, in New York, 
 those suggestions you made in the hotel. He found that 
 
 138
 
 A DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL 139 
 
 Captain Reifsnyder had called up Charming, on the tele 
 phone, at Loudenfield, and had told him his friend Ender- 
 brook would not accompany him to Washington, but 
 that he would find a room ready for his own occupancy at 
 the Weymouthshire." 
 
 "Reifsnyder, eh?" Rennison muttered. 
 
 "Yes," Towndrow replied. "There is no question con 
 cerning the identity of the man who sent the telephone 
 message to Channing. It was Reifsnyder." 
 
 "But what of Enderbrook?" 
 
 "We have every reason to believe there was no such 
 person. Moreover, working at this end, I located the 
 booth from which the supposed Enderbrook telephoned to 
 the Weymouthshire this morning, asking that his wife be 
 made comfortable in the room that had been reserved for 
 him." 
 
 "Good," Rennison said, approvingly. 
 
 "Well, the booth was right here in Washington and 
 the man who talked over the telephone has been described 
 in a manner which makes it clear that he was none other 
 than Reifsnyder, himself." 
 
 "That s progress," said Rennison. 
 
 "The Chief also is satisfied that Reifsnyder, an expert 
 on the subject of explosives, placed on the Dragonfly, 
 with his own hands, one of the bombs that had been made 
 by McCormick the inventor of whom I spoke to you 
 for experimental purposes. It long has been a custom of 
 Reif snyder s to carry with him a small camera, with which 
 to photograph the effects of explosives when, as a mem 
 ber of the Bureau of Experimentation, he witnessed their 
 tests. He carried what appeared to be a box camera 
 when he went aboard the Dragonfly, and he had it with 
 him when he left the boat. The Chief s theory, however,
 
 140 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 is that from the interior of the box the photographic ap 
 paratus had been removed and that one of McCormick s 
 aerial bombs was in the box when Reifsnyder went on the 
 vessel and was placed by him before the doors and hatches 
 were sealed by Rear-Admiral Longley and himself." 
 
 "But McCormick s bombs, being of the aerial variety, 
 surely were not detonated by clockwork," Rennison pro 
 tested. 
 
 "No, but it is probable Reifsnyder attached to it some 
 clockwork device." 
 
 "All this is pretty strong, but what does Reifsnyder, 
 himself, say about it?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "We have not been in communication with him yet, but 
 we expect " Towndrow began, but Horsford inter 
 rupted him. 
 
 "I have cautioned Towndrow not to proceed too 
 blindly," the Assistant Secretary said. "It is possible that 
 we are taking too much for granted. We must not jump 
 at conclusions. Let us take our time so far as Reif 
 snyder is concerned. Our principal object just now is 
 to regain possession of the papers which were taken from 
 the body of poor Channing. It seems clear that they were 
 taken by a woman. That woman must be found with as 
 little delay as possible. If the trail then leads to Reif 
 snyder, we will deal with him as a confederate. It cannot 
 be denied that you Secret Service people, aided by some 
 suggestions from Rennison, are making a fairly strong 
 circumstantial case against him as a confederate. But 
 it is essential that we get the principal this woman, who, 
 having committed murder, has obtained possession of a 
 secret which means the triumph or annihilation of Sea- 
 falcon. Why do you not find her?" 
 
 Rennison s attitude was one of respectful attention.
 
 A DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL 141 
 
 He was conscious of a strange change that had come over 
 Horsford since the meeting in the afternoon. Then he 
 had appeared to be on the verge of collapse. Now he 
 spoke with restraint. As he began to speak, there was a 
 suggestion of diffidence in his manner, but, proceeding, 
 he grew warmer and then contemptuous, as he referred to 
 their failure to find the woman. He seemed to be address 
 ing Towndrow. Only once did he glance at Rennison, and 
 then it was merely for a moment. 
 
 "We must find the woman quickly," assented Colonel 
 Hawkshurst, who, as head of the Bureau of Military In 
 telligence, was Rennison s immediate superior. 
 
 Rennison s gaze fell thoughtfully to the floor, then he 
 turned to Captain Merschon, who had been eyeing him 
 fixedly. 
 
 "When you gave my note to Coughlin, Captain, did he 
 tell you what it directed him to do?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Why, yes," Merschon answered, reflectively. "He 
 told me you had directed him to go to the Guilfords 
 reception and to shadow a man who might leave the house 
 with a certain kind of cane. He explained that you also 
 told him that when the man reached his destination, the 
 place should be watched for an hour, and every person 
 entering or leaving it should be closely scrutinized. When 
 he was done, he was to report to you here." 
 
 "Reifsnyder understood he was to meet us here at mid 
 night?" Rennison inquired. 
 
 "Yes," answered Hawkshurst. "If he is guilty, it is 
 reasonable to believe that he w r ould be loath to excite sus 
 picion by remaining away. In accordance with Mr. Hors- 
 ford s suggestion, we decided to await his arrival, rather 
 than let him get wind of the fact that we are seeking 
 him."
 
 142 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Hurried footsteps in the hall caused all to turn ex 
 pectantly toward the door. 
 
 "Reifsnyder, perhaps," Hawkshurst suggested. 
 
 But when the door was thrown open, it was Coughlin 
 who entered. His face was flushed and he was breathing 
 heavily. 
 
 "Well, Captain Rennison, I followed the man who went 
 away with the cane," he said. "I shadowed him to his 
 house and waited. He 
 
 "Who was the man and where was the house?" Renni 
 son interrupted. 
 
 "It was Captain Reifsnyder." 
 
 "How long ago was it you saw him?" Horsford in 
 quired. 
 
 "He left the Guilfords about an hour ago." 
 
 "Well?" queried Rennison. "You said you waited." 
 
 "Yes. I saw no one else go in or out. But in about 
 fifteen minutes I heard the sound of a pistol shot. It 
 seemed to come from inside the house, and 
 
 "Oh, my God!" exclaimed Horsford in shaking accents. 
 "We ll never get it now." 
 
 "Go on, Coughlin," Rennison directed, impatiently. 
 
 "A few moments later I heard the shrieking of women," 
 the detective continued. "I ran up the front steps and 
 rang the bell. Three times I rang it before the butler 
 came to the door. I told him who I was and asked him 
 what had happened inside. He seemed too bewildered to 
 answer. But he let me in." 
 
 Stopping for breath, Coughlin mopped the perspiration 
 from his face ; then he went on : 
 
 "I heard voices in a room upstairs, and I ran up to the 
 second floor. A woman, wringing her hands, told me her 
 husband had killed himself. I told her I represented the
 
 A DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL 
 
 police, and went into the room. It was a library. I rec 
 ognized Captain Reifsnyder, who was sitting on a chair 
 in front of his desk. His chin was on his breast. Blood 
 still was flowing from a wound in the middle of his fore 
 head. He was dead. On the floor beside him lay a pis 
 tol. In front of him, on the desk, a slip of paper lay 
 beside a cane. It was a sword cane, Captain, and the 
 blade was out. The point of the blade was missing, and 
 then I knew, Captain, the missing point was the one you 
 had picked up in that room in the Weymouthshire. * 
 
 "But the paper the paper!" Horsford demanded, 
 stridently. 
 
 "It was this note signed by Captain Rennison." 
 
 Horsford seemed to be bereft of the power of speech 
 and motion. Merschon took the paper from the detec 
 tive s extended hand. Merschon glanced at Rennison, 
 who, nodding, said: 
 
 "Read it aloud, Captain." 
 
 Towndrow, leaning forward, gripped the arms of his 
 chair and gazed fixedly at Rennison, as Merschon read: 
 
 Sir: The papers which were placed in this stick for trans 
 mission to you have been found and appropriated by a repre 
 sentative of the War Department. It may interest you to 
 know that in taking this cane from the Guilford house your 
 identification as a confederate in the perpetration of the 
 murder and robbery in the Hotel Weymouthshire this after 
 noon has been made complete. 
 
 (Signed) GEORGE RENNISON, Captain, U.S.A. 
 
 Tottering to Merschon, Horsford snatched the note 
 from his hand. 
 
 "Captain Rennison what does this mean?" the As 
 sistant Secretary demanded, hoarsely. "What was it 
 you meant when you wrote, the papers which were placed
 
 144 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 in this stick for transmission to you have been found and 
 appropriated by a representative of the War Depart 
 ment? " 
 
 From an inside pocket of his coat Rennison drew out 
 the sheets which Miriam Warburton had seen him writing 
 upon as they passed through the typewriting machine in 
 her room. 
 
 "I have them, Mr. Horsford," he answered quietly. 
 
 Clutching the sheets, Horsford unfolded them with 
 shaking fingers. He saw the checkered heart and the 
 closely written typewritten pages behind it. As he glanced 
 at them, one by one, Hawkshurst and Merschon watched 
 him eagerly. The Secret Service man continued to gaze 
 at Rennison, however. As Rennison watched Horsford, 
 his features were expressionless. 
 
 Horsford, fumbling the crinkling sheets, nodded re 
 peatedly and cleared his throat. 
 
 "Yes," he said, in a quivering voice. "Yes, gentlemen, 
 they are here."
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE RENNISON WAY. 
 
 FOR several moments no word was spoken. Those who 
 had risen returned to their chairs. Horsford, whose agi 
 tation now seemed to be subsiding, took a long wallet 
 from one of his pockets and slipped into this the sheets 
 Rennison had given to him. Coughlin, sitting on the edge 
 of his chair, continued to mop his face with his handker 
 chief. The Secret Service man was the first to speak. 
 
 "Well, Rennison, you ve turned the trick," Towndrow 
 muttered. "But how?" 
 
 "Yes, Rennison, let s have it," Hawkshurst said. "The 
 recovery of those papers was the main thing, of course, 
 and it seems pretty clear that Reifsnyder was a confed 
 erate of the person who killed and robbed Channing. But 
 tvho was that person? From what Towndrow told us 
 concerning his experience with you at the Weymouthshire, 
 we have had reason to believe you suspected that the per 
 petrator of the crime was a woman. Merschon tells us, 
 however, that when he had you on the telephone, a couple 
 of hours ago, you assured him there was no woman in 
 volved. Where does this mysterious person who posed 
 as Mrs. Enderbrook fit in the case? By whom was Chan 
 ning murdered and robbed?" 
 
 Rennison, hesitating, looked moodily at a pattern he 
 was tracing on the carpet with the ferule of his cane. 
 
 "The person who caused the death of Channing and tools 
 
 145
 
 146 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 from the body the sheets of paper containing the secret 
 of his invention is not punishable," he replied. 
 
 "Not punishable !" exclaimed Hawkshurst, as all eyed 
 the young Army officer with expressions of astonishment. 
 
 "Great Heaven, man, are you mad?" faltered the be 
 wildered Merschon. 
 
 "Perfectly sane, I assure you," Rennison answered, 
 calmly. "In the eye of the law the person of whom I 
 speak is entirely innocent of crime." 
 
 "You will let us be judges of that, Captain?" Hawks- 
 hurst asked, grimly. 
 
 "I will explain my position briefly," said Rennison. 
 "For the present, at least, I should prefer to withhold 
 certain details. In accordance with a plan that had 
 been carefully formulated by Reifsnyder the papers were 
 taken from the body of Channing by a person who had 
 been led by Reifsnyder to believe that Channing was a 
 dangerous enemy of the United States and that the Gov 
 ernment, for serious diplomatic reasons, could obtain 
 possession of the papers only by stealth even if it were 
 necessary to have recourse to a criminal proceeding in or 
 der to secure them. This person also had been given to 
 understand, by Reifsnyder, an officer in the Navy, that a 
 certain fluid, which, caused Channing s death, would pro 
 duce only temporary unconsciousness. Having adminis 
 tered this fluid and obtained possession of the papers, 
 from the supposed enemy agent, this person placed them 
 inside a sword cane belonging to a man who had no 
 knowledge of the crime. Reifsnyder had designed taking 
 them from the cane to-night, after having obtained pos 
 session of the cane at the Guilford reception. Inasmuch 
 as the cane came into my hands before it reached Reif- 
 snyder s, he did not find the papers, but he did find my
 
 THE RENNISON WAY 147 
 
 note, which plainly gave him to understand that he was 
 discovered." 
 
 "Was the person to whom you refer a man or a 
 woman?" Merschon asked. 
 
 "What does it matter?" Rennison replied. "That per 
 son, ultra-loyal, is innocent of any attempt to commit a 
 crime. In the circumstances, I have given my assurance 
 of protection. Why, in a case of this sort, should a 
 knowledge of all details be necessary? You have the 
 papers we have been seeking. The man who was respon 
 sible for the murder and theft is dead. Inasmuch as he 
 was an officer of the Navy, it is plain that the less that 
 is said about the case, the better." 
 
 "You have given an assurance of protection, eh? * 
 Hawkshurst muttered, disapprovingly. 
 
 "Yes, Colonel," Rennison answered, firmly. 
 
 "You may have found such action expedient, perhaps, 
 Rennison," put in Merschon, "but, inasmuch as the affair 
 is of such a distinctly serious character even involving 
 the honor and efficiency of the naval service I would 
 say that it were better that you take some of us into 
 your confidence. Your assurance of protection would not 
 be impaired by a communication of all details to the heads 
 of the two bureaus of intelligence." 
 
 "I would prefer to withhold knowledge of the identity 
 of this particular person even from them," Rennison said, 
 doggedly. 
 
 "Your desire for secrecy is inspired by some personal 
 motive?" Merschon queried. 
 
 "Perhaps," Rennison answered, shortly. There was a 
 pause, then he added: "It is possible, too, that it may 
 be in the interest of the Government service." 
 
 Hawkshurst, who was lighting a cigar, looked at Ren-
 
 148 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 nison sharply. Rennison s gaze had fallen to the floor. 
 Hawkshurst and Merschon exchanged significant glances. 
 The Assistant Secretary cleared his throat. 
 
 "Why quibble why quibble? * he demanded, impatient 
 ly. "Rennison has succeeded in his quest. The missing 
 papers have been recovered, and now are in the depart 
 ment s possession. Of Reifsnyder s guilt there no longer 
 is any doubt. But Reifsnyder is dead. I, for one, am 
 perfectly willing to accept Rennison s assurance that his 
 confederate, whether the person be man or woman, was 
 deceived by Reifsnyder and cannot be punished under the 
 law. By revealing the name of that person, Rennison 
 might satisfy our curiosity, perhaps. But what is the 
 use? In his possession alone, the secret is safe. If he 
 communicates it to others, it might obtain publicity. In 
 a case of this sort publicity is to be dreaded. Captain 
 Rennison s character and services to the Government are 
 such that, I think, his wishes in this matter should be 
 respected." 
 
 "Well, if that is your view, Mr. Horsford, there is 
 nothing more to be said, of course," Merschon grumbled. 
 "For my part, I am perfectly willing to regard this as 
 one of those cases that are to be classified as purely 
 departmental affairs. The papers have been recovered and 
 Reifsnyder, the real criminal, has died by his own hand. 
 That settles it I suppose, and 
 
 "Settled in the Rennison way," Towndrow finished, 
 moodily. 
 
 As the Secret Service man spoke, Rennison, glancing 
 at him sharply, flushed darkly. Towndrow, meeting his 
 gaze, smiled grimly. 
 
 Merschon turned to the city detective. 
 
 "The department is grateful to you for the aid you
 
 THE RENNISON WAY 149 
 
 have given to us in this affair, Coughlin," he said. "You 
 will be compensated for your services, of course. It is 
 essential, however, that you take no one into your con 
 fidence concerning anything that you have seen or heard 
 in connection with the case we have had in hand. You 
 will report to your superiors that your work in connec 
 tion with the Channing death brought you into coopera 
 tion with the Navy Department. At our request the Cor 
 oner will find, of course, that Channing died from natural 
 causes. The department will formally thank your chief 
 for your services. If you have occasion to reveal the fact 
 that you were in Reifsnyder s house, after his suicide to 
 night, you merely will say that you chanced to be in the 
 vicinity of the place in connection with a matter that 
 had to do with this department, and that any explanation 
 concerning your relation with the Reifsnyder affair must 
 come from me. That will let you out, I guess." 
 
 "Sure," Coughlin assented, affably, as he grasped the 
 hand which Merschon extended to him. "Nobody s going 
 to hear a word of this from me. The fact is I couldn t 
 tell much, if I tried. The game has been a little too big 
 for me, and I ve been guessing most of the time. When we 
 flatfeet of the city force find ourselves working with you 
 Federal men, we feel like catfish going up a rapids along 
 side a trout. Well, so long, gentlemen. Good-night. * 
 
 And Coughlin went out. 
 
 The telephone on the desk was ringing. Hawkshurst 
 answered it. 
 
 "Some one for you, Rennison," the Colonel said. 
 
 Rennison went to the instrument, and took up the re 
 ceiver. 
 
 "Hello," he called. 
 
 "That you, Rennison?" asked a voice over the wire.
 
 150 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "This is Storrow, Ren. I have something of importance 
 to say to you. How soon will you be leaving the depart 
 ment?" 
 
 "I am preparing to leave now." 
 
 "Well, in five minutes I ll have my car at the Pennsyl 
 vania Avenue side of the building. Can I take you to 
 your hotel? I m in no hurry, and can wait." 
 
 "Thanks, old man. I ll be along in about ten or fifteen 
 minutes." 
 
 "Good. You ll find me waiting. Is everything all right 
 with you?" 
 
 Rennison hesitated. There was a note of apprehension 
 in Storrow s voice that was not to be mistaken. 
 
 "Yes all right," Rennison replied. 
 
 "Fine," said Storrow. "I ll see you later, then. Good- 
 by." 
 
 Rennison heard a click which indicated that the receiver 
 at the other end of the wire had been returned to its hook. 
 Then, frowning thoughtfully, he rose. 
 
 When the five men had filed out to the dimly lighted 
 corridor, Horsford, turning, addressed his companions. 
 
 "Well, gentlemen, inasmuch as I will have to use a tele 
 phone for a few minutes, I will bid you good-night," he 
 said. "It has been a nerve-racking day for all of us, and 
 I still am too dazed to think clearly on all we have been 
 through. It has been a day and night of terrible fears 
 and amazing results. We have earned our rest. Good 
 night." 
 
 Walking with long, nervous strides, Horsford hurried on 
 to a sound-proof telephone booth. Merschon stopped to 
 snap the lock of the door. Hawkshurst moved on alone. 
 Rennison, addressing Towndrow in a low voice, said:
 
 THE RENNISON WAY 151 
 
 "Wait for me at the main entrance of the building. 
 It is of the utmost importance that I have a few words 
 with you. I ll be along in eight or ten minutes." 
 
 "I ll wait," the Secret Service man answered curtly. 
 
 "Meantime, I have something to say to the Colonel," 
 Rennison explained.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PITFAIXS OF DEATH. 
 
 IN a few moments Hawkshurst was overtaken. Ren- 
 nison slackened his pace. 
 
 "Good-night, Colonel," Towndrow said, continuing on 
 his way. 
 
 "Good-night," replied Hawkshurst. He turned as 
 Rennison laid a hand on one of his shoulders. 
 
 "Going to your office?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "No," was the reply. "Home will just about meet all 
 my requirements now. As Horsford has said, we have 
 earned our rest. * 
 
 But when they reached a corridor which crossed the 
 one they had been traversing, Rennison said abruptly: 
 
 "I ll not delay you long, Colonel, but I d like a little 
 chat with you before we part for the night. It would be 
 better, perhaps, to have it in your office." 
 
 "All right, my boy," Hawkshurst assented genially. 
 "Come right along." 
 
 As they walked on without speaking, the heels of their 
 shoes, striking the marble floors, awakened the echoes of 
 the gloomy, faintly lighted corridors echoes that sounded 
 like the sullen, hollow knocking of spirit hands on doors 
 and walls and windows. Now and then the dark, funereal 
 figures of night watchmen, issuing from dark recesses, 
 would peer at them. They were quickly recognized, how 
 ever, and the departmental owls vanished as weirdly &* 
 
 152
 
 PITFALLS OF DEATH 153 
 
 they appeared, to be seen later, sitting in window em 
 brasures, behind a marble column, in an office doorway, 
 or at the foot of a flight of stairs. 
 
 At length the two men halted in front of a big door. 
 This was unlocked and thrust open by Hawkshurst, who 
 led the way into the room. He was about to switch on 
 the electric lights when Rennison laid a hand on his 
 extended arm. 
 
 "No lights just now, Colonel," he said quietly. "What 
 we have to do can best be done with our pocket flash 
 lights in the dark." 
 
 "As you please, Rennison," replied the wondering 
 Hawkshurst. Then, when Rennison had closed and locked 
 the door through which they entered, he added: "Now, 
 what s up?" 
 
 "It s just as well that no watcher outside should see 
 any sign of activity in here to-night," Rennison ex 
 plained. "Lighted windows would excite suspicion. 
 Let s get into your private room." 
 
 They had entered the ante-room of the Bureau of Mili 
 tary Intelligence, and from this they made their way into 
 a narrow hallway, and thence to Colonel Hawkshurst s 
 private office. Both men had taken their little flashlights 
 from their pockets and now and then the rays of these 
 pierced the darkness. 
 
 When Hawkshurst s office was reached, Rennison led 
 the way to a wide, leather-cushioned sofa. 
 
 "Now, let s sit down," he said. 
 
 When both were seated, Rennison, in the darkness, drew 
 out his pocketbook. 
 
 "A little of that light of yours, please, Colonel," he said. 
 
 A moment later the ray of Hawkshurst s pocket lamp 
 was flashing on Rennison s hands.
 
 154 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "What have you there?" Hawkshurst asked. 
 
 "The papers that were taken from Channing s body 
 this afternoon," Rennison answered. 
 
 "But but didn t you give them to Horsford?" Hawks- 
 hurst faltered. 
 
 "No. The papers I gave to Horsford may deceive him 
 for a day or two, but they are not even copies of the 
 originals, which are here." And, as he spoke, he took 
 from the pocketbook the sheets of tissue paper he had 
 found in Storrow s cane. 
 
 "But Rennison!" protested the bewildered chief of 
 the Bureau of Military Intelligence. "What, in Heaven s 
 name, is the purpose of this deception? What do you 
 mean by ?" 
 
 "I mean that, at this hour, you and Towndrow are the 
 only persons in Washington I am willing to trust," Ren 
 nison replied. "I think Merschon is all right, but well, 
 there is nothing that it is necessary to put up to Merschon 
 now. These papers, however, must be kept safely, and 
 in my possession they can no longer be regarded as safe. 
 You must take them and put them in the safest place you 
 know in one of the boxes behind B Panel the secret 
 of which is known only to you and me." 
 
 Hawkshurst, too dazed to reply, was silent. Mechan 
 ically his fingers closed on the sheets Rennison thrust 
 into one of his hands. 
 
 "You will do this at once?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Certainly, Rennison since you ask it," Hawkshurst 
 muttered. 
 
 "As quickly as you can, then," said Rennison with a 
 note of impatience in his voice. "The sooner we get out 
 of here the better." 
 
 Hawkshurst rose and crossed the room.
 
 PITFALLS OF DEATH 155 
 
 "There s no light coming from outside, Rennison, but 
 I think I can make out without a spark," he said quietly. 
 
 To the eyes of Rennison, still seated on the sofa, the 
 figure of Hawkshurst no longer was visible. In the course 
 of the next two minutes the silence of the room was broken 
 only by a series of faint clicks and rattles which emanated 
 from the wall on the opposite side of the apartment. 
 Then Hawkshurst returned to where he had left his com 
 panion. 
 
 "All right, Rennison," he said. "It s done." 
 
 "Behind B?" Rennison asked, as he rose. 
 
 "Yes in number five." 
 
 VGood," Rennison muttered. "Well, then, let s go." 
 
 But, as he started toward the door, Hawkshurst 
 plucked his sleeve. 
 
 "You have some reason for distrusting Horsford?" the 
 Colonel asked. 
 
 Rennison hesitated. 
 
 "No no reason," he answered abstractedly. "It s only 
 what might be called a hunch that s all." 
 
 "Acting on a hunch in an affair so serious as this is 
 risky business, my boy," Hawkshurst cautioned. "It is 
 a Navy Department case. We in the War Department 
 were called in as outsiders. The papers you recovered 
 were the property of the Navy Department, and, in its 
 relations with us, Assistant Secretary Horsford is its 
 representative. Morally, as well as technically, we should 
 not deceive him. Only the soundest kind of a reason 
 certainly no mere hunch could justify us in doing what 
 we are doing now." 
 
 "You may be right, Colonel," said Rennison moodily. 
 "But well, we must not waste time that may be precious. 
 Let us go."
 
 156 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Slowly and silently, with Rennison in the lead, they 
 returned to the corridor. Not until they reached the 
 entrance to the building did Hawkshurst speak. 
 
 "I don t approve this chance you are taking, Rennison," 
 he said gruffly. "It is too irregular. Whether you win 
 or lose, you are open to censure both of us, in fact. 
 It is unnecessary, of course, for me to tell you that I hope 
 your hunch is proved to be absurd. The fact remains, 
 however, that you got Reifsnyder a Naval officer an 
 Annapolis man. It is true, too, that the man you now 
 suspect is, according to our view, considerably less than 
 that being only a civilian. But I hope you are wrong. 
 I believe we are riding for a fall. Good-night." 
 
 Thus speaking, he thrust open the door, waved a hand 
 and hurried down the steps to the street, where his touring 
 car awaited him. 
 
 As Rennison halted outside the entrance, two figures 
 that had been standing in the shadow of a stone column 
 approached him. He recognized Towndrow and Coughlin. 
 
 "What s keeping you, Coughlin?" Rennison asked with 
 an affectation of geniality. "You left more than a quar 
 ter of an hour ago." 
 
 "Oh, I jollied one of your watchmen into letting me 
 make a call on a department phone," Coughlin replied 
 airily. "I ve had a long day of it, and I wanted to report 
 to headquarters by wire instead of going around myself. 
 It s all right now, and I m headed for home. I ll walk 
 with you as far as the Avenue." 
 
 Rennison, hesitating, frowned as he glanced at the 
 sullen face of Towndrow. 
 
 "All right," he muttered. "Has Merschon gone?" 
 
 "Yes five minutes ago," replied Towndrow. 
 
 "And Horsford?"
 
 PITFALLS OF DEATH 157 
 
 "Not yet." 
 
 "Looks like we are going to get a bit of a shower," 
 Coughlin remarked as they descended the steps to the 
 street. 
 
 His companions, walking a little behind him, were 
 silent. 
 
 "Is that limousine waiting at the corner for you, Cap 
 tain?" the detective asked. 
 
 "I think so," Rennison replied. "A friend of mine said 
 he would wait for me there." 
 
 When the corner was reached, Coughlin again bade 
 Rennison and Towndrow good-night, and strode quickly 
 across Pennsylvania Avenue. 
 
 "Confound the fellow !" Rennison muttered. "There 
 was something I wanted to say to you before I reached 
 this car. However, this will get us away from here. 
 Then we must get another." 
 
 "We!" growled Towndrow. 
 
 "Yes, Towndrow. We ve passed only the first mile 
 stone on the road we began to travel when we set out 
 together for the Weymouthshire. The going will be 
 pretty hard before we pass the next one, but we ve got 
 to keep together." 
 
 Towndrow was about to reply when the chauffeur of 
 the limousine, marking their approach, stepped from the 
 front of the vehicle and raised a hand to his cap. Ren-* 
 nison nodded, and the man threw open the door. 
 
 "Captain Rennison is here, sir," he said. 
 
 As the man drew back, Rennison, advancing, thrust his 
 head through the door. 
 
 "Did I keep you waiting long, Storrow?" he asked cheer- 
 fully. 
 
 There was no answer. Rennison saw his friend was
 
 158 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 sitting well back on the seat, and that his chin was on 
 his breast. The brim of his Panama hat was drawn well 
 down on his forehead. 
 
 "He s a bit tired, I guess, and has fallen asleep," the 
 chauffeur suggested. 
 
 "Storrow, old man wake up !" called Rennison, and, 
 as he spoke, he grasped one of the shoulders of the idler. 
 
 But Storrow didn t wake. As Rennison shook him, his 
 figure lurched forward and would have fallen to the floor 
 of the car had Rennison not grasped it with all his 
 strength. 
 
 "Storrow!" Rennison repeated, as he thrust the inert 
 figure back upon the seat. 
 
 The Army officer moved a switch which lighted the lamp 
 inside the car; then, leaning forward, he looked into the 
 face of his friend. With a low exclamation of horror 
 he shrank back from the open, dull-glazed eyes of the 
 man who, only a few hours before, had confessed his love 
 for Miriam Warburton the "Scarlet Tanager." 
 
 "God!" Rennison muttered hoarsely. "God! He s 
 dead!"
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE ENEMY S HOUR. 
 
 "DEAD !" exclaimed the startled chauffeur, and, as 
 Rennison slowly backed out of the door of the limousine, 
 the wondering man, shouldering past him, peered within. 
 
 "What s happened, Captain?" Towndrow asked, moving 
 closer. 
 
 To the question of the Secret Service man Rennison 
 made no answer. Slowly the expression of horror was 
 fading from his eyes. His face was white and stern as 
 he stepped toward the rear of the limousine. For several 
 moments he fumbled in one of the outside pockets of his 
 coat, then from this he drew a police whistle, which he 
 placed to his lips. 
 
 Scarcely had the shrill whistle died away when there 
 came to the ears of the little group the sounds of running 
 feet. Two uniformed policemen quickly reached the car, 
 but to these Rennison gave no heed, as his gaze searched 
 the dark shadows of Lafayette Square. Then he saw 
 the man for whom his whistle had been sounded. It was 
 Coughlin. 
 
 "What s the trouble?" queried one of the uniformed 
 men. 
 
 "Wait," directed Towndrow, extending a restraining 
 hand. 
 
 "What s the waitin* for?" growled the policeman. 
 
 "You blew that whistle, didn t you? If " 
 
 159
 
 160 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 He stopped as Coughlin reached the curb. Rennison, 
 advancing to meet the detective, took his arm. 
 
 "Coughlin," Rennison said quickly, "when you left us, 
 I told you this car belonged to a friend of mine who was 
 waiting to meet me here. I found him dead on the rear 
 seat. His chauffeur, who had been sitting at the wheel, 
 appeared to be as staggered by the discovery as I was. 
 My friend was Hayden Storrow, a man of wealth and high 
 social position. He 
 
 "I knew him by name and sight, all right," Coughlin 
 interrupted. 
 
 "You do not know, however, that he was the owner of 
 the Malacca sword cane you saw to-night in a certain 
 house which you had occasion to enter, and that 
 
 "Good Lord, Captain!" the detective exclaimed. 
 
 "And that I have reason to believe that his death was 
 not due to natural causes," Rennison went on. "He was 
 a guest at the Guilford reception to-night. About the 
 time you left Captain Merschon s office he telephoned to 
 me, making an appointment to meet me here for the pur 
 pose of taking me to my hotel. He also told me he had 
 something of importance to communicate to me." 
 
 "Another Channing case, eh?" Coughlin muttered. 
 
 "You may regard it as a continuation of the Channing 
 case, and, in working upon it, you must keep in view the 
 fact that it has certain Government aspects, which must 
 not be revealed even to your superiors in the Police 
 Department. Your task, for the time being, is to learn 
 all you can from the chauffeur concerning Storrow s 
 movements to-night, and to report the case to Police 
 Headquarters and to the Coroner." 
 
 "But you you aren t you going to take a hand in
 
 THE ENEMY S HOUR 161 
 
 it, Captain?" asked the puzzled detective. "Since he was 
 a friend of yours 
 
 "I can do nothing to aid you to-night. As soon as 
 possible after nine o clock in the morning, try to get into 
 communication with me through Colonel Hawkshurst. 
 That s all I can tell you now, Coughlin. The rest is up 
 to you. Handle the case just as you would do if you 
 had none of this information from me." 
 
 "I understand, Captain. * 
 
 "Now get the machine and the body away from here 
 as quickly as possible to Police Headquarters, the 
 Morgue, anywhere you please. But act quickly." 
 
 As Coughlin hurried toward the limousine, Rennison 
 made a signal that brought Towndrow to his side. 
 
 "This is another murder in the Seafalcon game, Town 
 drow," he explained. "Storrow, the man you saw dead 
 in that car, was working with me to-night. Our enemies 
 are striking more quickly than I expected them to do. 
 You and I are on their death list. If we do not get them 
 first, they will get us." 
 
 "That so?" drawled Towndrow. "Well, I m always 
 ready for action, Captain, but I hate to be kept guessing. 
 Where do we start from? Who or what are we after? 
 I ll have to have some sort of a light if I am going to 
 work in the dark." 
 
 "You ll have it within half an hour," Rennison 
 answered irritably. "But now I ll have to get back to the 
 department. You must keep away from the building 
 staying near enough, however, to see and follow Horsf ord 
 when he comes out." 
 
 "Horsf ord!" Towndrow exclaimed. 
 
 "Yes. You " He stopped as a taxicab swept
 
 162 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 around the corner and headed toward the front entrance 
 of the department building. "Hang it !" he muttered. 
 "That s for Horsford as sure as Kentucky meadow- 
 grass is blue. We must follow it." 
 
 He glanced quickly up and down the Avenue. Several 
 automobiles were in sight, but the speed at which they 
 were going plainly indicated they were not in search of 
 fares. The two uniformed policemen were stepping back 
 from the limousine in which lay the body of Hayden Stor- 
 row. The chauffeur already was at the wheel, and 
 Coughlin was stepping to the place beside him. Rennison 
 called to the detective, who, with a foot on the step of 
 the car, turned quickly. Rennison ran toward him. 
 
 "You can make the cabstand at the New Willard in a 
 minute, Coughlin," Rennison said sharply. "Towndrow 
 and I must have a taxicab at the southwest corner of 
 Lafayette Square three minutes later. You ll get one 
 there?" 
 
 "Sure," Coughlin replied. 
 
 The detective slipped into the seat beside the chauffeur, 
 and the limousine moved off. It rapidly described a semi 
 circle across the Avenue, then sped past the White House 
 grounds. At the bend of the Avenue, at the Treasury 
 Department, it disappeared. Again turning to Town 
 drow, Rennison said: 
 
 "I am going now to get in touch with the telephone 
 switchboard of the War Department. This switchboard, 
 for the last three hours, has been in charge of Jimmy 
 Boxfield, a War Department boy, who was put there to 
 night in accordance with a request made by me in a note 
 to Merschon. Jimmy is a wise lad, and has been keeping 
 watch on certain wires for me. I must talk with him at 
 once. While I am in the building, Horsford probably
 
 THE ENEMY S HOUR 163 
 
 will come out. You will follow him in the taxi which 
 Coughlin is sending to the corner of the Square. Don t 
 let him out of your sight. If he goes to his home, con 
 tinue to watch the house. You have a key to the police 
 telephone boxes. At the earliest possible opportunity, 
 get Police Headquarters to connect you with the War 
 Department switchboard. Refer to me as Robinette, to 
 Horsford as Racecraft, and to yourself as Grover. Have 
 you clinched the names?" 
 
 "Sure," Towndrow growled. "Racecraft is the only 
 one we ve not used before. * 
 
 "Right," said Rennison. "The position of the taxi 
 indicates Horsford will leave the building by the main 
 entrance. I will enter and leave by the basement door 
 at this end. Keep in touch with Jimmy. I ll be up with 
 you soon." 
 
 "All right, Rennison," Towndrow sighed as he turned 
 away. "It looks as if we were in for a night of it. But 
 I ll see it through." 
 
 As the two men separated, Towndrow headed for 
 Lafayette Square. Rennison hurried in the direction of 
 the basement door he had indicated. 
 
 In response to Rennison s ring the door was opened 
 by a watchman. 
 
 "Thanks, Barlow," Rennison said as he entered. 
 
 "You re workin late, sir," remarked the man, to whom 
 Rennison was well known. 
 
 "True, Barlow," Rennison replied. "But it is essential 
 that no person other than you and myself should know 
 I am in the building." 
 
 "But the other watchmen " the puzzled Barlow 
 
 began. 
 
 "There s a telephone in that storeroom, is there not?"
 
 164 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Rennison asked, nodding toward a door a few paces 
 distant. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "You have a key?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Then open the door and let me in." 
 
 A few moments later Rennison, closely followed by the 
 watchman, entered a dark room. 
 
 "I ll give you some light, sir." 
 
 "It is not necessary if you will show me where to find 
 the telephone." 
 
 Barlow led him to an instrument which stood on a desk. 
 
 "Thanks, Barlow. That s all now. Just leave me 
 here, and close the door." 
 
 When Rennison was alone he took the receiver from its 
 hook. 
 
 "Hello," called a voice. 
 
 Rennison softly whistled a few bars of a popular musical 
 air. 
 
 "Severn?" queried the voice. 
 
 "Yes, Jimmy. Anything breaking?" 
 
 "Nothing I can make out. But Joe Slade was trying 
 to raise you about five minutes ago. I couldn t get any 
 one in Room 43X. Joe didn t tell me anything, but he 
 sounded sort of anxious and made me ring 43X again. 
 When I told him there was nothing doing, I heard him 
 swear. Then he hung up.** 
 
 "Jimmy, for some hours to come, Fm Robinette, Town- 
 drow is Grover, and get this, Jimmy Horsford is Race- 
 craft." 
 
 "Spell that last, will you?" Jimmy asked. 
 
 Rennison did so, then added: 
 
 "For several minutes he has been in Public Booth 25."
 
 THE ENEMY S HOUR 165 
 
 "Oh, that s the chap, hey!" Jimmy exclaimed. "I 
 wondered who it was. He called Unlist 91. 
 
 "That s his residence." 
 
 "Well, he got it. Then there was a wait. After a bi 
 there came a call for War Public 25. It was from 
 Baltimore. The fellow was waiting in the booth, all 
 right." 
 
 "Did you listen in?" 
 
 "No, sir. It was just before Joe called up. They 
 were talking while I was talking to Joe. All I heard was 
 what the Baltimore chap said just before he rang off. 
 He told Racecraft he would call him up again in about 
 ten minutes." 
 
 "Listen in when he calls, Jimmy; then locate, through 
 the Baltimore office, the phone from which the Baltimore 
 man was talking." 
 
 "All right." 
 
 "Now give me Joe at the Columbia Heights number. 
 Hurry it, Jimmy." 
 
 In a few moments the connection was made. 
 
 "Did Jimmy tell you I called?" Joe asked, when he 
 learned he had Rennison on the wire. 
 
 "Yes. What s on your mind?" 
 
 "I wanted to ask you if there was any use in me and 
 Phil waiting around here any longer now the woman s 
 gone?" 
 
 "What do you mean by now the woman s gone ?" 
 
 "Why, she went out soon after you were talking to her 
 on the wire." 
 
 "I haven t talked to her on the wire to-night or at any 
 other time, Joe. What are you driving at?" 
 
 A low exclamation at the other end of the wire was 
 followed by a short pause. Then Joe spoke again.
 
 166 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Along about three-quarters of an hour ago a District 
 Messenger boy came here with an envelope for Miss W.," 
 he began. "He said he was to take it to her apartment, 
 and he went right up. Three or four minutes later he 
 was down again. I saw his number was 917, but didn t 
 interfere with him, having in mind what you said that 
 the woman was not to get the impression that she was 
 being watched." 
 
 "All right, Joe," Rennison muttered. 
 
 "Nearly half an hour later there was a call at the 
 switchboard for Miss M. s apartment. Phil made the 
 connection and listened in. The voice was a man s 
 sounded like yours. It said, Is that Miss Warburton? 
 She answered Yes. Then the man said, This is Ren 
 nison. Did you get my note?* Yes, said she. You ll 
 find a touring car at the door in five minutes, he said. 
 I will not be in it, but the driver has his instructions, 
 and will pick me up a little farther on. Are you ready 
 to leave? Yes, she replied. Good, said he. Take a 
 raincoat with you, for it looks like rain. Do not expect 
 another call from me. The car will be at the door in five 
 minutes. Get right in. We must act quickly. That 
 was all that was said." 
 
 "You saw her leave?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. In five minutes she came down to the hall 
 and went to the door. Just then a touring car slowed 
 down in front of the place. I followed her out. Is this 
 car for me? she asked the chauffeur. It s for Miss 
 Warburton, ma am, said the man. I am Miss War- 
 burton, she replied, and got in. It went east." 
 
 "Did you get the number of the car?" 
 
 "Yes. It was DC-BY40,634 a black-bodied Bevel- 
 stoke twin six. The chauffeur was a husky-looking chap
 
 THE ENEMY S HOUR 167 
 
 of about twenty-five, with dark hair and a little mustache. 
 He wore a brown leather cap and a dark weathercoat." 
 
 "How was Miss Warburton dressed?" 
 
 "Small black hat, with a little purple feather on the 
 left side. She wore a snugly fitting black suit, with short 
 skirt and jacket. She carried a brown raincoat and a 
 brown automobile veil. She looked sort of pale and 
 worried, and her hair was a bit mussed." 
 
 "All right, Joe," Rennison muttered. 
 
 "What do you want me to do now?" Joe asked 
 anxiously. 
 
 "Stay where you are and await developments. Watch 
 all telephone calls for Miss W. s apartment. Report to 
 Colonel Hawkshurst at nine o clock. He will send a relief 
 and will put you in touch with me." 
 
 "I suppose I ve bungled things somehow," Joe grumbled. 
 
 "Between us we ve made a sad hash of it," Rennison 
 replied. "The fault appears to be mine, however. Yes, 
 Joe, there s going to be the devil to pay. But well, I 
 wasn t looking for further developments in that direction 
 to-night. As I have said, the fault is mine. We ll have 
 to make the best of it. That s all. Good-night." 
 
 Rennison thrust down the receiver hook, and a few 
 moments later released it. 
 
 "Hang up," directed the voice of Jimmy. "Something 
 doing. I ll call you."
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE BREATH OF FAILURE* 
 
 RENNISON replaced the receiver on the hook and waited. 
 Nervy and resourceful as he was, he was becoming more 
 and more conscious of a sense of failure. The death of 
 Storrow had fairly dazed him, and he was still combatting 
 the depression resulting from this when Slade had in 
 formed him that, yielding to representations of some un 
 identified enemy who was masquerading as Rennison, 
 the actress had been lured from her apartment, under 
 the very eyes of Rennison s assistants, and now was 
 in the hands of pitiless enemies those who had given to 
 her the "flower of immortality" and who had so myste 
 riously slain Hayden Storrow while he was seated alone 
 in his own limousine. 
 
 Rennison s disordered thoughts were put to flight by 
 several faint strokes of the telephone bell. He placed the 
 receiver to his ear. 
 
 "Hello," he said. 
 
 "Who s that?" queried Jimmy s voice. 
 
 "Robinette." 
 
 "Party s been talking," Jimmy said. "I located the 
 speaker over another wire before I connected him with 
 Racecraft. He was in the Hotel Flanders, Baltimore. 
 I ll get his description later." 
 
 "Good, Jimmy! What did he say?" 
 
 168
 
 THE BREATH OF FAILURE 169 
 
 "1*11 read you what I wrote down. Baltimore said 
 Who s that?* Answer was Mr. Horsford. Baltimore 
 asked, Know my voice?* Racecraft said Frobisher of 
 course. Then Baltimore said It s got to be done. The 
 hour is three. You ll be there ?* He spoke sort of angry- 
 like as if he was giving an order. Then Racecraft said : 
 It s after midnight now. I may not be back before day 
 light. That s fool business. You know the kennel is wide 
 open and the big dog is ranging free. We ve had proof 
 to-night that he s getting mighty close.* Baltimore sort 
 of laughed and said : The Government is big enough and 
 strong enough to protect its own. Don t be afraid of 
 dogs. But make no mistake about being on hand at three.* 
 Then he hung up." 
 
 "All right, Jimmy," Rennison said. "Where is the 
 regular switchboard man?" 
 
 "Sleeping on a couch over in the corner. If he was 
 awake, though, he couldn t hear what I said. I ve been 
 talking too low." 
 
 "Well, keep charge of the board until nine o*clock. 
 It s a long drive for you, but you ll get well paid for it. 
 Let it be known you are there by Colonel Hawkshurst*s 
 orders. * 
 
 "Right, sir," Jimmy sighed. "I ll have a description 
 of that fellow who talked from the Flanders when you 
 call again." 
 
 "Thanks, Jimmy." 
 
 Rennison hung up the receiver and groped his way to 
 the door. In the hall he found the watchman, who had 
 admitted him to the room. As he slipped a bill into one 
 of the hands of the watchman, he said: 
 
 "Much obliged to you, Barlow* But not a word of 
 this to any one.
 
 170 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Not a word, Captain," replied the man, smiling, as he 
 nodded his thanks. 
 
 Rennison left the building by the basement door he had 
 entered and hurried onto the sidewalk. The Avenue was 
 deserted, and as he crossed it quickly toward Lafayette 
 Square he listened apprehensively for the sounds of the 
 taxicab he knew had been waiting in front of the build 
 ing s main entrance. All was still. 
 
 At length, however, he reached a point which com 
 manded a view of the front of the department building. 
 There he saw the taxicab, standing opposite the wide 
 flight of steps leading up to the main entrance. The 
 lights of the vehicle showed it was facing Pennsylvania 
 Avenue. 
 
 Rennison s next thought was of the taxicab he had 
 directed Coughlin to hurry to the Square. He had not 
 expected to see it in full view at the corner, of course, 
 and for a couple of minutes the trees and shrubbery of 
 the park prevented him from locating any waiting vehicle 
 on the street toward which he was heading. Not until 
 he had crossed the Square and was about to step out on 
 the sidewalk did he see the dark outlines of a taxicab on 
 the further side of the street. The chauffeur was un 
 known to him, but Towndrow, seated inside, hailed him. 
 
 "Well," said Towndrow, "you ve beaten us to it." 
 
 As Rennison stepped in, the chauffeur, swinging around 
 on his seat, addressed the Secret Service man. 
 
 "It s off," he said. 
 
 "Wait until you are sure of its direction, then follow 
 it," Rennison directed. "Don t get too close, but make 
 sure it doesn t shake you off." 
 
 "I ll hang to it, all right," the man assured him, as he 
 peered through a little rift in the foliage. One hand
 
 THE BREATH OF FAILURE 171 
 
 was on the steering wheel, and his manner was alert. A 
 moment later he was in action. "It s heading along the 
 other side of the Square," he said. 
 
 The car began to move. Instead of attempting to 
 make a turn, the chauffeur headed toward Pennsylvania 
 Avenue, then past the White House grounds, and, round 
 ing the further corner of the Square, moved rapidly along 
 the course taken by the other taxicab. 
 
 Rennison and Towndrow, on the rear seat, saw the 
 taxicab ahead of them. Once it disappeared around a 
 corner and the chauffeur of the pursuing vehicle put on 
 more power. The leader quickly was sighted again, how 
 ever, as it sped on toward Thomas Circle. Just above 
 this it turned into L Street. 
 
 "He s going to his home," Rennison said, and Town 
 drow fancied there was a note of disappointment in his 
 voice. 
 
 "Where were you expecting him to go?" the Secret 
 Service man asked, with some of his wonted gruffness. 
 
 "He ll be headed for Baltimore within twenty minutes, 
 and we must follow him," Rennison replied in a low voice. 
 He then left his seat, and, bending over the chauffeur, 
 gave some hurried directions. 
 
 The car, slowing down, turned the next corner, swung 
 round in a semicircle, and came to a standstill on the 
 further side of the street, just below L Street. Rennison 
 stepped out and hurried to the corner. Looking around 
 this, he saw that Horsford, having alighted in front of 
 his house, was paying and dismissing the driver. As the 
 taxicab moved off, Horsford went up the steps of the 
 house. 
 
 Scarcely had the taxicab disappeared, however, when 
 Rennison saw the Assistant Secretary descending the
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 steps, then set off in the direction taken by the cab he 
 had sent away. 
 
 Rennison motioned to Towndrow, who quickly reached 
 his side. 
 
 "He s probably footing it for another machine which 
 is waiting for him somewhere around here," Rennison said. 
 "I ll walk after him. Give me time to reach the next 
 corner, then come after me in the cab. Explain to the 
 driver who you are, and direct him to cover this block 
 without lights. * 
 
 Towndrow nodded. Rennison quickly turned the 
 corner and started after Horsford. 
 
 The Assistant Secretary, after crossing the next street, 
 kept on. Rennison, confident that Towndrow, in the 
 slow-moving, darkened taxicab, would keep him in view, 
 followed. When the next street was reached Horsford 
 turned to the right. Rennison quickened his pace. Just 
 as he rounded the corner he saw Horsford stepping into 
 a large touring car. 
 
 Rennison, hurrying back, drew out a pocket lamp and 
 flashed it toward the cab that had been following him. 
 In a few moments the cab came up and halted. Rennison 
 leaped into it, and, after a few words of instruction to 
 the driver, he seated himself beside Towndrow. The head 
 lights were flashed on again and the chase was begun. 
 
 The minutes that followed were uneventful. Despite 
 the lateness of the hour, many automobiles were moving 
 on the city thoroughfares, but the driver of Rennison s 
 cab had little difficulty in keeping in view the car in which 
 his passengers were interested. Not for a moment did 
 Rennison or Towndrow relax their vigilance as the pursuit 
 led eastward and northeastward by turns.
 
 THE BREATH OF FAILURE 173 
 
 Not until Washington was behind them and their cab 
 was passing through Hyattsville did the pursuers breathe 
 easily, however. In their minds there now was little doubt 
 that the car ahead of them was setting a straight course 
 along the system of highways paralleling the line of the 
 railroad between Hyattsville and Baltimore. 
 
 The storm which had been threatening for several hours 
 now seemed about to break. Moon and stars were invisible 
 and the atmosphere, which had been humid throughout the 
 day, was becoming fresher. A northerly breeze was stir 
 ring branches which for many hours had been motionless. 
 
 In directing Coughlin to obtain a taxicab instead of a 
 touring car, Rennison had in view the greater degree of 
 privacy it assured. With the window back of the chauf 
 feur closed, conversation with Towndrow could not be 
 overheard. Satisfied that the driver was keeping the 
 leading car in view, Rennison now closed the window. 
 
 "Well, Captain, what s the game?" Towndrow asked. 
 
 "It s a continuation of the one which took us to the 
 Weymouthshire," Rennison replied. "I have reason to 
 believe the man we are following is heading for a Sea- 
 falcon rendezvous in or near Baltimore." 
 
 "Great Heaven, Rennison !" exclaimed the startled 
 Secret Service man. "Horsford? It is impossible!" 
 
 "You would have said the same thing of Reifsnyder six 
 hours ago," Rennison reminded him. 
 
 "True but but how long have you suspected this 
 thing? Do you mean to say we were working together 
 on the Channing case under the direction of a confederate 
 of Seafalcon?" 
 
 "It looks like it now." 
 
 "And you gave to him the papers you recovered ? n
 
 174 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "No, Towndrow. Those I gave to him may deceive him 
 for a time, but, except in appearance, they have nothing 
 in common with the originals." 
 
 "But you did recover the originals?" 
 
 "Oh, yes. They are safely placed, however. It is cer 
 tain they will not be in Baltimore to-night." 
 
 Towndrow was about to speak when there was a sudden 
 flash of lightning, closely followed by a sharp crack of 
 thunder. The cab was slowing down. Both passengers, 
 leaning forward, lowered the window and protested against 
 the slackening pace.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 A STORM-SWEPT TRAIL. 
 
 "WHY are you stopping here?" demanded Rennison as 
 the automobile stopped under a wide-spreading maple tree 
 at one side of the road. 
 
 The chauffeur switched off the lights of the car, and 
 Rennison and Towndrow heard him swearing. Lightning 
 flashed again as he turned in his seat. 
 
 "What s ahead of us is going to be work for a sub 
 marine, not a taxi," grumbled the man. "This storm 
 is going to make it a case of submerging. Them fellers 
 ahead of us have stopped to get down storm covers and 
 make everything snug for a stiff blow and drivin rain." 
 
 Looking ahead, Rennison and Towndrow saw the man 
 had spoken truthfully. About two hundred and fifty 
 yards distant they made out the red tail-light of an auto 
 mobile, which was standing at the right side of the road 
 way. 
 
 "This ain t the first time I ve driven for you Secret 
 Service fellers," the chauffeur went on. "I ve never had 
 either of you before, perhaps. But you re all alike in 
 your ways. You don t trust nobody what wants to help 
 you. You think the only way to get a thing done is to 
 do it yourselves. But, take it from me, gents, there ain t 
 a man in Washington that s got a better eye than Sam 
 Gulick when it comes to trailin an auto even when it s 
 
 175
 
 176 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 stickln to crowded streets. There s a certain private 
 detective agency that s kept me pretty busy at this sort 
 of game. I m no amateur." 
 
 "That assurance is good enough for me, Sam," laughed 
 Rennison. "I m glad chance led us to a live wire. Satis 
 fied that you are all of that, I ll tell you, in confidence, 
 you are working to-night on one of the biggest cases with 
 which the Secret Service ever has had to do. The three 
 of us must do our utmost." 
 
 "I m on, sir," Gulick answered shortly. He paused, 
 then added : "They won t shake me off, but we ve got to be 
 careful not to run past them, if they slow down after 
 roundin a curve. If they get an idea they re bein 
 shadowed, that s what they are likely to do so they can 
 see who is in the car behind them. Once they do that, 
 it s goin* to be hard to fall in behind again, without 
 excitin suspicion." 
 
 "You are perfectly right, Sam," Rennison replied ap 
 provingly. "We must be careful of that, of course." 
 
 Drops of water now began to patter on the cover of 
 the taxicab, which was shaken by a fierce rush of wind. 
 
 "It s off again !" Gulick muttered as he once more 
 grasped the wheel. 
 
 Gulick put on the power and the cab moved forward 
 slowly. A sharp crack of thunder followed an exception 
 ally vivid flash of lightning ; then, driven by violent gusts 
 of wind, sheet after sheet of falling water lashed the creep 
 ing taxicab. 
 
 Again the chauffeur flashed on the lights which had 
 been extinguished while the cab stood beside the road. 
 But the rays of these were so dimmed by the fury of 
 the downpour that Gulick was unable to see more than
 
 A STORM-SWEPT TRAIL 177 
 
 twenty feet ahead of him. Once more the two men on 
 the rear seat heard him swearing quietly. In a few 
 moments he turned his head. 
 
 "They re hardly fools enough to drive ahead in this/ 
 he said. 
 
 "They ll have to," Rennison answered. "They must 
 be somewhere in Baltimore by three o clock." 
 
 Still muttering, Gulick increased the speed of the 
 vehicle. 
 
 Rennison s prediction soon was proved to be correct. 
 When they reached the place at which the leading auto 
 mobile had been standing they saw it had disappeared. 
 
 For five minutes the violence of the storm was unabated. 
 Though the road had few turns that could be accounted 
 dangerous, Gulick took no chances and the car moved 
 slowly. 
 
 At length, however, the wind died away and the down 
 pour gradually lost its vigor. The thunder was more and 
 more distant. The lightning ceased. 
 
 "It s only a shower, after all," Towndrow muttered as 
 Rennison, half rising, anxiously peered forward into the 
 darkness. 
 
 "We ll soon pick em up now," Gulick said reassuringly, 
 as he increased the speed of the machine. 
 
 Rennison, still frowning, reseated himself. He was 
 about to speak when he heard a low exclamation from 
 Gulick. There was an abrupt slackening of the cab s 
 pace and the lights went out. 
 
 Then the two men in the rear seat saw the red tail-light 
 of an automobile only a hundred yards ahead of them. 
 A moment later it disappeared around a curve in the 
 road.
 
 178 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "It sure is clearin all-fired quick," the chauffeur 
 growled. "It might be, though, they had their back 
 lights out." 
 
 "If that is so, they saw us coming," said Rennison. 
 "If they saw our lights go out immediately afterward, 
 they must know that, trying to conceal ourselves from 
 their view, we are shadowing them." 
 
 "That s one on me, all right," Gulick answered gloomily. 
 "But what do you want me to do now? Put em on?" 
 
 "Yes and keep them on," Rennison replied, after a 
 pause. "You may need them more than you did before, 
 for it may occur to them to put something in the road 
 for us to strike. Keep right after them now, but be 
 careful as you take the curves." 
 
 "I m on, sir," Gulick answered grimly. 
 
 The chauffeur cautiously rounded the curve at which 
 the leading machine had disappeared. A short distance 
 beyond this curve was another, then a long, straight 
 stretch of roadway. In the distance was a little point 
 of light. 
 
 "They are racin* for it now !" exclaimed Gulick. 
 "They re goin* to try to shake us off. But if they knew 
 the brand of car they ve got behind them 
 
 He put on more power and drew his cap lower over his 
 forehead. 
 
 "Keep close to your seat," he warned. "There s goin* 
 to be some skiddin . We ain t got no time to get on the 
 chains now." 
 
 "Might as well leave it to him, Captain," Towndrow 
 said as Rennison sank back beside him. "His eyes are 
 better trained to this sort of work than ours." 
 
 "If they suspect they are followed, we have lost our 
 game," Rennison muttered.
 
 A STORM-SWEPT TRAIL 179 
 
 "Well, now, let me get the thing clear," said Towndrow, 
 closing the window behind the chauffeur. "You have 
 told me you suspect our naval friend is in league with 
 Seafalcon, and that he is on his way to a rendezvous in 
 Baltimore. * 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Your object in following him, then, is to locate the 
 rendezvous and to identify the persons who visit it?" 
 
 "Exactly. But it is clear that if they suspect that 
 machine ahead of us is being shadowed, its occupants will 
 not go to the rendezvous until they are assured we have 
 been thrown off the trail." 
 
 "True. But what reason have you for suspecting 
 Horsford, Captain? The thing seems preposterous. The 
 manner in which Channing was murdered and the papers 
 taken from him seems to prove the innocence of Horsford. 
 Horsford was one of the few men who, as an official of 
 the Navy Department, knew the vital importance of those 
 papers. He knew Channing was coming from New York 
 with no other object than putting those papers in his 
 hands." 
 
 "Quite true," Rennison assented. 
 
 "In that case, why should Horsford have been a party 
 to a plot designed to frustrate that delivery? Whether 
 he was a representative of the Government or a repre 
 sentative of Seafalcon, it plainly was in his interest to 
 obtain possession of those sheets with the least possible 
 delay, was it not?" 
 
 "No," Rennison replied. 
 
 "It was not?" exclaimed the astonished Secret Service 
 man. "In Heaven s name, Captain, what process of 
 reasoning brings you to that conclusion?" 
 
 "The process is perfectly simple," said Rennison. "Let
 
 180 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 us assume, first, that I found in a comparatively trivial 
 incident something that caused me to suspect some sort 
 of an understanding between Horsford and Reifsnyder 
 an understanding that put both in league with Seafalcon." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Well, in that case, it would be essential that Horsford 
 should be viewed rather as an agent than as a principal, 
 would it not? He merely was acting as an agent for the 
 principal. It was to this principal that these papers 
 were to go ultimately whether they were obtained by 
 Horsford or by some one else. * 
 
 "That is plain enough, of course." 
 
 "Now, as we have been informed, several officers of the 
 Navy knew Horsford was to receive those papers from 
 the hands of Channing. Horsford, however, is only a 
 subordinate in the department. There was at all times 
 a possibility that the Secretary of the Navy might take 
 the thing out of his hands." 
 
 "He is in a Philadelphia hospital." 
 
 "But he is convalescent so nearly recovered from his 
 operation for appendicitis that he is likely to be back in 
 Washington almost any day. That was not the only 
 possibility, however. It was not improbable that the 
 Secretary would decide to have some member of the Gen 
 eral Staff deal with the matter a course which, to my 
 thinking, would have been the most reasonable in the first 
 place. Horsford is only a sort of sub-caliber man, at 
 best a round peg which political influence has thrust into 
 a square hole and I do not doubt that he would be 
 required to surrender the papers a few minutes after 
 receiving them, had they reached him on schedule time. 
 They would have been delivered to him in the presence
 
 A STORM-SWEPT TRAIL 181 
 
 of others, and he might have been required to yield them 
 to some one else immediately. If, however, he had been 
 permitted to retain them for a few hours, any accident 
 that might have occurred to them would have exposed him 
 to suspicion. * 
 
 "I m beginning to see your drift," said Towndrow 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 "It is safe to assume, therefore, that Horsford would 
 naturally balk, in the circumstances, at being required to 
 receive the papers for the purpose of losing them to 
 Seafalcon. On the other hand, Seafalcon might have been 
 unwilling to rely on Horsford to see the thing through. 
 So he decided to play the game both ways. He figured 
 he couldn t lose. Channing was to be murdered and the 
 papers taken from him, in accordance with a plan that 
 seemed reasonably certain of success. If, however, this 
 failed, the papers would go to Horsford, after all and 
 thence to Seafalcon, provided the situations I have sug 
 gested could be avoided. You will see, then, that the first 
 plan seemed more certain of success than the second." 
 
 "But, despite all you have said, Captain, you must 
 admit that this is mere theorizing," Towndrow expos 
 tulated. "All is based on the assumption that you have 
 had some reason to suspect Horsford. What ground 
 have you for such suspicion? Why are you so certain 
 concerning this rendezvous in Baltimore? It is clear, of 
 course, that Horsford is heading for there as you pre 
 dicted he would do. But how did you learn the nature 
 of his purpose?" 
 
 "You will remember what I said concerning the decep 
 tion practiced on the person who took those papers from 
 the body of Channing. It was to Baltimore that person
 
 182 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 was summoned to receive instructions concerning the com 
 mission of the crime in the Weymouthshire. The instruc 
 tions were given by Reifsnyder, himself." 
 
 "Did Horsford appear in any way at that time?" 
 
 "Not so far as I have been able to learn. But to-night 
 he was twice in communication, over a War Department 
 telephone, with a man who called him up from Baltimore. 
 This man virtually commanded him to be at a certain 
 place at three o clock this morning. The location of this 
 place was not mentioned in the course of the conversation, 
 but it was plain it was known to Horsford. Protesting 
 against going there, he explained he would be unable to 
 return to Washington before daylight. This led me to 
 infer he was required to go to the city from which the 
 man at the other end of the wire was talking." 
 
 "But what first led you to suspect that Horsford was 
 a confederate of Reifsnyder s?" Towndrow asked. 
 
 "His manner gave me my first cue. When I was called 
 into the Channing case in the afternoon, he appeared to 
 be greatly agitated. Now, the fact is, Horsford always 
 has been a singularly cold-blooded man. It cannot be 
 denied that the loss of papers so vitally important to the 
 Government, with the mystery incident to the destruction 
 of the Dragonfly and the murder of Channing, would be 
 sufficient to shake the nerve of almost any man, no matter 
 how well-balanced he might be in ordinary circumstances. 
 But it seemed to me that, in his display of agitation, 
 Horsford rather overacted his part." 
 
 "It didn t impress me so, Captain," Towndrow said. 
 
 "Then there was another series of incidents that struck 
 me as significant," Rennison went on. "Channing left 
 New York on the nine o clock train yesterday morning. 
 Half an hour later, the Dragonfly, off Haynerville, Long
 
 A STORM-SWEPT TRAIL 183 
 
 Island, was destroyed. This was reported promptly to 
 Horsford, who knew that with the Dragonfly was lost the 
 only completed product of Channing s invention. At that 
 time Channing s train, still on the other side of Trenton, 
 had not covered one-fifth of the distance between New 
 York and Washington. Channing was carrying, as 
 Horsford knew, the only existing description of his device. 
 Realizing that the destruction of the Dragonfly was not 
 the result of an accident, Horsford surely must have 
 suspected that the inventor was threatened by the same 
 agencies which effected the destruction of the vessel. He 
 had ample time and resources to warn and protect Chan 
 ning during the remainder of his journey to the capital. 
 Why did he not do so?" 
 
 Towndrow was silent. 
 
 "Why was the young inventor, unsuspicious of danger 
 and not knowing what had happened to the Dragonfly, 
 allowed to drift into and through spy-infested Washing 
 ton without any Government protection whatever?" Ren- 
 nison went on. "Horsford knew yesterday afternoon 
 there was not in the United States a human life more 
 precious to the Government than Channing s, and he must 
 have suspected that there was no life in such serious 
 jeopardy. Why, then, was he afforded no protection?" 
 
 "I ll admit, Captain, your case is getting pretty 
 strong," the cautious Secret Service man said, half 
 grudgingly. 
 
 "Horsford s overacting and failure to afford Channing 
 protection excited in me, at first, an interest that was 
 scarcely more than casual," continued Rennison. "But, 
 as Reifsnyder s connection with the affair became more 
 and more apparent, I naturally wondered whether any 
 other official of the Navy was involved. This line of
 
 184 THE SCARLET TAN ACER 
 
 speculation made me cautious, so after I obtained the 
 sheets which were taken from Channing s body, I took the 
 precaution to prepare substitutes for them not copies, 
 of course. These sheets I held for an emergency. It 
 was well I did so." 
 
 "Those were the papers, then " 
 
 "When I returned to the War Department, I was quick 
 to observe that, though my recovery of the sheets had 
 not been reported, Horsford had lost much of his former 
 agitation. When, however, the death of Reifsnyder was 
 reported by Coughlin, it was plain he was hard hit. His 
 agitation then was not feigned. He believed the sheets 
 actually were lost. My suspicions of the man took defi 
 nite form. Distrusting him, I gave to him the substitute 
 sheets." 
 
 "It was risky business, Captain," said the Secret Serv 
 ice man, with a dubious shake of his head. 
 
 "So Hawkshurst said." 
 
 "Hawkshurst knows what you have done?" 
 
 "Yes. Before I " 
 
 Rennison stopped abruptly. To the left, and a little 
 behind them, a whistle sounded shrilly.
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 A HALTED PURSUIT. 
 
 RENNISON quickly opened the window behind the chauf 
 feur. 
 
 "What s happened now?" he demanded as he saw the 
 will-o -the-wisp light of the vehicle ahead again had dis 
 appeared. 
 
 "Traffic officer," Gulick replied. "I saw him half ,a 
 mile back lurking by a crossroad. I slowed down a bit 
 and didn t think he would follow us. There s no use try 
 ing to shake him off, for it s probably Delafield, and when 
 Delafield has a motorcycle under him " 
 
 As the cab came to a standstill a sputtering motor 
 cycle drew up beside it. 
 
 "That will do for you people," said the motorcycle s 
 rider, as he swung himself to the ground. "If you think 
 you re on a Vanderbilt Cup course, you ve got another 
 guess comin to you. Come right out all of you so I 
 can look you over." 
 
 "All right, Delafield," Gulick replied resignedly. 
 
 As the chauffeur alighted, the tall, lanky officer eyed 
 him sharply. 
 
 "Hello, Gulick," said Delafield, and there was an accent 
 of surprise in his tone. "I d hardly have expected a fool 
 stunt like this from you. Going forty miles an hour on 
 a public highway is bad enough of itself, but when a 
 fellow does it without chains after the sort of shower 
 we ve been getting, he must be either drunk or crazy. 
 
 185
 
 186 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 I m sorry it s you, Gulick, but you ve got to take what s 
 comin* to you." 
 
 "There s nothing coming to him," Towndrow said as 
 he stepped from the cab. "This cab is in the Government 
 service. Already you have delayed it too long." 
 
 Thus speaking, Towndrow threw open his coat and, 
 with the aid of his pocket flashlight, displayed the steel 
 badge of the United States Secret Service. Delafield, 
 leaning forward, looked at it closely. Then he drew 
 back. 
 
 "All right," he muttered. "You win. It s no business 
 of mine, of course, but you Secret Service fellows seem 
 to be having some sort of outing to-night." 
 
 He was about to remount his motorcycle when Town 
 drow spoke. 
 
 "Stop wait !" called the Secret Service man ; then, as 
 Delafield again turned to him, he added: "What do you 
 mean by that? Have you seen other Secret Service men 
 to-night?" 
 
 "Sure," replied Delafield. "I stopped the limousine 
 ahead of you. I suppose I m not telling you something 
 you don t know when I say one of the chaps inside flashed 
 the same sort of badge you ve got." 
 
 "You say it was a limousine?" asked Rennison, who 
 now, for the first time, stepped out of the taxicab. 
 
 "Brown limousine," answered Delafield. 
 
 "Did you get a good look at the people in it?" Ren 
 nison queried. 
 
 "Not very good. I saw one was a woman, though." 
 
 "What sort of a woman? How would you describe 
 her?" 
 
 "I didn t get a good look at the woman. She was 
 young somewhere in the twenties, I should say."
 
 A HALTED PURSUIT 187 
 
 "Was she veiled?" 
 
 "No. There wasn t anything over her face or her 
 hat. In the quick glance I had of her, I saw she was a 
 mighty pretty woman, but her face was rather pale. She 
 wore a small dark hat that had a feather in it. They 
 might have been black or dark blue. In that light I 
 couldn t tell the difference between dark colors." 
 
 "Did she make any attempt to get out of the car? * 
 
 "No. She leaned forward, though, and took a good 
 look at me. The man sitting beside her seemed to draw 
 her back." 
 
 "Did he use force?" 
 
 "No not that I could see." 
 
 "What sort of looking fellow was he?" 
 
 "Well, he was a square-faced, clean-shaven, good- 
 looking chap, with lightish hair. It might be his hair 
 was red; I m not sure as to that. He wore a plaid golf 
 cap and brown raincoat. Inside the coat he had a Secret 
 Service badge, and he flashed it on me." 
 
 "He got out of the machine while he was talking with 
 you?" 
 
 "Yes. Whenever I stop a car for speeding, at night, 
 I always make the people in it step out so I can look them 
 over. If I don t size em up, I can t identify them, 
 can I?" 
 
 "In what sort of a light did you see them?" 
 
 "I have the light of my motorcycle fixed so that I can 
 tilt it and cover the whole side of a car." 
 
 "The woman stayed quietly inside the car while you 
 talked with the man?" 
 
 "Yes. I only saw her once the time I told you 
 about." 
 
 "How many persons were in the car?"
 
 188 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "The woman and three men. Two of the men were on 
 the front seat. One I didn t see plain enough to identify 
 if I were to see him again. I can t tell you anything 
 about him. I got a pretty good look at the chauffeur, 
 though. He was thickset, with a small, dark mustache. 
 He wore a leather cap and coat. 
 
 "Did you get the number of the car?" 
 
 "It was Md. 942BX." 
 
 "Were you told where the car was headed for?" 
 
 "No. When that badge was flashed on me, I asked no 
 more questions. The fellow got into the car again. In 
 a few seconds it was off like a streak." 
 
 "Had you noticed another car speeding on ahead of 
 the limousine?" Rennison asked. 
 
 Delafield shook his head. 
 
 "Two or three minutes before I held up the limousine 
 a touring car went by, but, though it was going at a 
 fairly good clip, I couldn t quite size it up as speeding," 
 he replied. 
 
 "You didn t stop it, then?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Did you get a glimpse of its occupants?" 
 
 "No not a glimpse." 
 
 "That s all," Rennison said as, followed by Towndrow, 
 he reentered the taxicab. "Thanks, Delafield. Good 
 night." 
 
 At a word from Rennison, Gulick again sent the cab 
 on its way. The chauffeur, having undertaken to keep 
 the leading car in view, felt that his professional repu 
 tation was at stake, and was plainly chagrined when 
 Delafield had revealed the fact that a limousine, instead 
 of a touring car, was the first vehicle he had ahead of him. 
 
 "That darned limousine must have cut in ahead of us
 
 A HALTED PURSUIT 189 
 
 during the storm," Gulick grumbled as he gradually in 
 creased the speed of the machine. 
 
 "Perhaps," said Rennison. "It is not unlikely, how 
 ever, that it was the limousine we saw beside the road 
 when we stopped." 
 
 "You may be right, but our chances of getting ahead 
 of it aren t any better for that long talk you had with 
 Delafield. If you fellows had been satisfied to go on, 
 after flashing that badge, we d have been by the limousine 
 and had the touring car in sight by now," the chauffeur 
 growled disgustedly. 
 
 "Don t let that worry you," Rennison replied. "The 
 information we got from Delafield more than compensated 
 for the delay. The fact is I am rather more interested 
 in the limousine than in the touring car ahead of it. 
 Unless I am greatly mistaken, both are headed for the 
 same destination." 
 
 "Do you mean that, Captain?" Towndrow queried in 
 a low voice as he and his companion settled back in their 
 seat. 
 
 "Yes. Delafield s description of the woman indicates 
 she is the one who took the papers from the body of 
 Channing. Before we started on this ride I learned she 
 had been lured from her apartment by some one who led 
 her to believe she was being taken to me." 
 
 Both were silent for several moments, then the Secret 
 Service man spoke. 
 
 "Do you think, Captain, that the two of us will be able 
 to handle this job without assistance?" he asked. 
 
 "I think so," Rennison answered confidently. "Our 
 purpose now is not to effect a round-up of suspects, but 
 to locate a rendezvous and identify the persons who attend 
 the secret meeting. There is little doubt that, following
 
 190 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 the meeting, Horsford will return as quickly as possible 
 to Washington. It is probable, however, that we will find 
 it desirable to follow one or more of his friends, in order 
 to make identification complete. Our course is one of 
 observation, rather than of action." 
 
 Towndrow lighted a cigar. 
 
 "The appearance of the woman out here complicates 
 the situation, of course," Rennison went on meditatively. 
 "There can be no doubt that she is in danger. She is 
 in the hands of enemies, and we must afford her pro 
 tection." 
 
 "Who is the woman?" Tondrow asked abruptly. 
 
 Rennison hesitated. 
 
 "Miriam Warburton," he replied, now revealing the 
 name he had guarded so determinedly during the council 
 at the War Department. 
 
 The lighted tip of the Secret Service man s cigar sud 
 denly grew brighter. 
 
 "The Scarlet Tanager!" he exclaimed. 
 
 "You know her, Towndrow?" Rennison asked 
 quickly. 
 
 "No man ever knows a woman," Towndrow muttered; 
 then, after a pause, he added: "And the Scarlet Tanager 
 is the biggest puzzle of them all." 
 
 "What do you mean by that?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "More than I am able to explain more than is clear 
 to me," Towndrow said. "All I can tell you of her is that 
 twice, in the last two years, men of our service, working 
 on important trails, have come suddenly upon this woman 
 in circumstances which indicated that she was involved 
 in a conspiracy against the Government. Each time, 
 however, a halt was promptly called in our investigations. 
 The case was dropped and our men were pledged to
 
 A HALTED PURSUIT 191 
 
 secrecy. It was clear she had the protection of some 
 one higher up. 
 
 "What was the nature of the cases?" 
 
 "I have told you the members of the Secret Service have 
 been pledged to secrecy concerning the Tanager s relation 
 with them. The cases themselves are well known to you, 
 and, inasmuch as we have to do with the Tanager in con 
 nection with this one, I think I am justified in telling you 
 the nature of the others. One was the attempt to effect 
 an alliance between Mexico and the colored populations 
 of our Southern States and the British West Indies. The 
 other was the breaking up of that revolutionary society 
 known as the Jupiterians. It is clear that to both of 
 these plots the Scarlet Tanager bore some relation. It 
 is equally certain that she was not working in the interest 
 of the Secret Service. We virtually got her with the 
 goods before we were called off. Both plots were frus 
 trated, of course, and I always have suspected that you 
 had a hand in the extirpation of the Jupiterians. In that 
 case, you doubtless know more concerning the Tanager s 
 relation with it than I do." 
 
 "I did have a hand in it," Rennison admitted. "But, 
 though this is true, I will confess to you frankly that not 
 until after the murder of Channing did I ever have reason 
 to suspect that Miriam Warburton was in league with 
 conspirators or was a Government agent. I never met 
 her before to-night. At this meeting, however, she did 
 tell me she had done some service as a confidential agent 
 of the Government. I believe she spoke truthfully." 
 
 "But she did kill Channing?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And you did not get those stolen papers directly frontt 
 her hands?"
 
 192 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "No. I obtained them before I met her. They had 
 been concealed in Storrow s cane." 
 
 "What relation did she bear to Storrow?" 
 
 "They were engaged to be married." 
 
 "And Storrow, having lost the papers from his stick 
 has been slain. Now the woman is hurrying on, after 
 Horsford, to this rendezvous in Baltimore." 
 
 "I have told you that she left her apartment in accord 
 ance with what she believed to be a summons to meet me. 
 My faith in her is still unshaken." 
 
 "All right, Captain," Towndrow sighed. "Your 
 shrewdness is beyond question. But in dealing with this 
 mystery woman you ll require more than mere human 
 shrewdness. No matter how shrewd a man may be, he 
 can t tell how a flea is going to jump. It s a case for 
 the exercise of a sixth sense. I have a premonition that 
 if you don t keep on your guard this woman you are 
 trusting will double-cross you." 
 
 Rennison made no reply. Leaning forward, he lowered 
 the window and placed a hand on the back of the driver s 
 seat. 
 
 The car, having left Laurel behind it, now had covered 
 more than half the distance between Washington and 
 Baltimore. The only traces which remained of the storm 
 which had passed a few minutes before were little pools 
 of water in the roadway, the refreshing odors of moist 
 fields and woodlands and drops which were flicked, from 
 time to time, from overhanging branches as the night airs 
 stirred them. So fleecy and scattered had the clouds 
 become that they failed to dim the light of the half moon. 
 
 The cab had been speeding onward at a pace that caused 
 it to skid dangerously as it rounded curves. Despite the 
 serious nature of his conversation with Towndrow, Ren-
 
 A HALTED PURSUIT 193 
 
 nison, looking ahead, had not relaxed his effort to discern 
 again the tail-light of the car which had disappeared 
 when Delafield had halted them. 
 
 "No sign of them yet, eh?" Rennison muttered, ad j 
 dressing the driver. 
 
 "Not yet, but if this pace keeps up much longer one 
 of us is going to get the ditch," replied Gulick. "There 
 isn t - Hold fast hold fast!" 
 
 Again the cab was taking a curve, and it seemed plain 
 that the driver had flung discretion to the winds once 
 too often. The tires lost their grip on the mud-spread 
 roadway, and the rear wheels of the machine swerved to 
 the left so sharply that the machine appeared to be about 
 to overturn. 
 
 "Look out!" Gulick shouted hoarsely. 
 
 A dark bulk loomed suddenly beside the road and a 
 collision with it seemed inevitable. Two or three violent 
 jolts of the vehicle almost flung Towndrow and Rennison 
 from their seat. Then the swerving ceased. The dark 
 bulk passed behind them as their cab moved on and headed 
 toward the middle of the road. In a few moments it came 
 to a standstill. 
 
 "Close call that," Towndrow muttered. 
 
 Gulick, shaking his left hand in a manner which indi 
 cated he had strained his wrist, looked over his shoulder. 
 
 "There s your darned limousine ditched," he growled. 
 "Do you want to stop to look it over? Or shall I keep 
 on after the other one?" 
 
 "We ll look it over, Sam," said Rennison.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 A VOICE IN THE WOODS, 
 
 ALIGHTING from their car, Rennison and Towndrow 
 glanced quickly toward the dark object which their skid 
 ding taxicab had grazed only a few moments before. In 
 passing it they, like Gulick, had seen it to be a limousine. 
 From where they now stood the outlines of the vehicle 
 were indistinguishable, but Rennison estimated it was 
 about a hundred yards behind the point at which their 
 own car had stopped. 
 
 Without speaking, Rennison and Towndrow made their 
 way back along the road. To their right was a thick 
 wood which was separated from the road by a narrow 
 strip of depressed ground and a stone wall. 
 
 "Look sharp and keep your gun handy," Rennison 
 cautioned. 
 
 The two men had proceeded about thirty paces before 
 the limousine again became visible. Its lights were ex 
 tinguished and no voices were audible. As Rennison and 
 Towndrow neared it they moved more warily. 
 
 About twenty feet from the car they halted. As Gulick 
 had said, it was "ditched. * That it was not overturned 
 was due to the fact that at this point the ground between 
 the road and the stone wall was only about two feet 
 below the level of the road, and that, when the machine 
 had skidded onto this, several stout saplings checked its 
 impetus before it came into contact with a sturdy hickory 
 
 194
 
 A VOICE IN THE WOODS 195 
 
 tree, against which it finally had lodged. Two of the 
 saplings were broken off, but the body of the limousine 
 appeared to be only slightly damaged. 
 
 After a brief survey of the disabled car Rennison again 
 moved slowly toward it. 
 
 "Anybody hurt?" he called. "Do you need help? * 
 
 There was no answer. 
 
 Closely followed by Towndrow, the army officer kept on 
 until he reached the limousine. The chauffeur s seat was 
 deserted. In another moment he had thrown open the 
 door. No one was within. Rennison stepped inside, 
 stooping as he moved toward the opposite door. His 
 effort to open this was vain. It was pinned against the 
 tree which had prevented the vehicle from toppling over. 
 
 Still crouching, Rennison drew out his flashlight and 
 passed its beam over the seat and floor of the car. At 
 one end of the seat he saw a gold-embroidered bag of 
 crimson silk. A little thrill passed through him as he 
 remembered that he had seen such a bag lying on top of 
 the upright piano in the sitting-room of Miriam War- 
 burton. 
 
 Quickly dropping on the seat, Rennison opened the bag 
 and drew out its contents. These consisted of a small 
 chain purse, a vanity box, two envelopes and a pocket 
 handkerchief. Both envelopes had passed through the 
 post and were addressed to Miriam Warburton. At one 
 corner of the handkerchief was worked in white silk the 
 initial "W," and both the purse and the silver vanity box 
 bore the monogram of the actress who had won popularity 
 with theater-goers as "The Scarlet Tanager." 
 
 Moving quickly, Rennison dropped the several articles 
 into the receptacle from which he had taken them; then, 
 rolling up the bag, he descended from the car.
 
 196 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "What have you found, Captain?" Towndrow asked. 
 
 "A handbag belonging to Miss Warburton," Rennison 
 replied. "She either is being concealed somewhere around 
 here or 
 
 Both men straightened suddenly as, from the dark 
 recesses of the wood, came the shrill cry of a woman, 
 closely followed by the hoarse shout of a man. 
 
 Turning to Towndrow, Rennison thrust into his hands 
 the bag he had found in the limousine. 
 
 "Take this," the army man directed sharply. 
 
 "Be careful, Captain," Towndrow warned him. "Don t 
 forget there is something more vital than the safety of a 
 woman in this business we are on to-night." 
 
 "I forget nothing, but 
 
 Again a shrill shriek came from the wood, then the voice 
 of the unseen woman called: 
 
 "Help help me help! Oh !" 
 
 As Rennison turned away, Towndrow gripped one of 
 his arms. 
 
 "Be careful, boy !" he cautioned. "If they are not 
 setting a trap for us, I miss my guess." 
 
 "I m going alone," Rennison replied. "Stay here. Fm 
 likely to get lost in there unless you are here to guide 
 me out. When you hear my whistle, sound your own. 
 I ll be careful enough. Have no fear for me." 
 
 Thus speaking, Rennison shook off his companion s 
 restraining hand, then ran toward the stone wall. He 
 quickly leaped over this and disappeared in the wood. 
 
 Left alone, Towndrow walked slowly around the car. 
 In the course of his survey of the machine, he observed 
 that its left rear axle was broken. Now and then he 
 stopped and listened attentively. In the dark, dripping 
 wood all was still. At length, coming again to the road-
 
 A VOICE IN THE WOODS 197 
 
 way, he glanced toward the taxicab he and Rennison 
 had left, about a hundred yards distant. He saw its red 
 tail-light glowing and its dark bulk faintly outlined at 
 the right of the road. As the Secret Service man took 
 a position beside the trunk of a large tree, he trans 
 ferred his automatic pistol from a hip pocket to the right 
 outer pocket of his coat. 
 
 Meantime, Rennison, having entered the wood, pro 
 ceeded as rapidly as possible in the direction from which 
 the woman s voice had come. Over the soggy ground he 
 moved noiselessly, but at almost every step wet saplings 
 whipped his face and hands and spattered him with rain 
 water. 
 
 When he had advanced a little more than two hundred 
 feet into the wood, he halted and listened. No sound 
 came to guide him. He knew it would be idle to call, in 
 order to attempt to evoke a response from the woman. 
 By revealing his position he would make it easier for the 
 party he sought to elude him, if, indeed, one or more did 
 not turn back to waylay him in the darkness. 
 
 The Army officer, now moving more uncertainly, was 
 continuing to penetrate deeper into the wood when he was 
 brought suddenly to a standstill by a hoarse shout that 
 seemed to come from the roadway. This was followed by 
 a pistol shot ; then, from another point, the whistle of 
 Towndrow sounded shrilly. In another moment, Renni- 
 son s whistle replied. 
 
 One whistle replied to the other as Rennison, stumbling 
 and groping and lashed by unseen saplings, ran back to 
 ward the roadway. 
 
 Two more shots sounded in quick succession ; then, just 
 as the army officer reached the stone wall, he heard the 
 sputtering of an automobile s exhaust.
 
 198 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 The sounds that followed were unmistakable. The 
 taxicab which had brought him from Washington was 
 getting under way. 
 
 As Rennison leaped over the wall he saw that the point 
 to which the whistle of Towndrow and the reports of 
 the pistol shots had guided him was that at which he and 
 the Secret Service man had left their car. On the further 
 side of the road were two figures. One was leaning against 
 a tree. Rennison hurried toward them. As the Army 
 officer drew nearer he saw Towndrow and Gulick. 
 
 "Well, Rennison, I was right, you see," said Towndrow. 
 "Their trap was well set, and we fell for it. They ve 
 got our car." 
 
 "What s happened to you, Gulick?" Rennison asked 
 as he saw the chauffeur weakly trying to remove his coat. 
 
 "He s been shot through the right arm," Towndrow 
 explained. "Soon after } T OU went into the woods the 
 men Delafield described came out of it. The woman was 
 with them. Gulick was standing beside the car, and one 
 of the men ordered him away from it. Gulick showed 
 fight, and shouted for help, thinking you and I would 
 hurry to him. One of the fellows drew a gun and fired. 
 As Gulick drew back, another member of the Tanager s 
 party dealt him a blow on the side of the head, and he 
 fell into the ditch. The woman, standing in the glare of 
 one of the lamps, watched the assault. As Gulick rose 
 he saw her running to the step. She made no attempt 
 to get away, and got into the car unaided. The woman 
 Gulick described was the Tanager. There is no doubt 
 about that. Her calls were for the purpose of drawing 
 us away from our taxicab, so that they might seize it and 
 make off. I fired two shots after them, but they did no 
 harm at that range, of course."
 
 A VOICE IN THE WOODS 199 
 
 "Well, the fellows appear to have attained their pur 
 pose," Rennison replied meditatively. "They are clever, 
 but, sooner or later, we will come up with them. Mean 
 time, this wound of Gulick s must be dressed. You ve had 
 some experience with that sort of thing, and, while you 
 are fixing him up, I ll see if I can find another car. Wait 
 for me here. I ll be back in a few minutes." 
 
 As Rennison hurried off, Towndrow addressed himself 
 to the task of examining and binding the chauffeur s 
 wounded arm. He found the bullet had passed through 
 the biceps, but had not come into contact with the bone. 
 
 "You Secret Service fellows do get caught napping 
 now and then, I see," the wounded chauffeur grumbled. 
 
 "Oh, yes," Towndrow said. "We are not supermen, 
 but, sooner or later, we land the chaps who get us 
 guessing. That is what we are going to do with this 
 bunch." 
 
 More than half an hour passed before Rennison re 
 appeared. He was driving a "flivver" which, he explained, 
 he had borrowed from a family that lived on a cross 
 road, a little further on. The owner of the machine, 
 though badly ruffled as a result of being routed out of 
 his bed by a stranger at that hour in the morning, had 
 yielded it readily enough when he was informed it was 
 required by the Government. 
 
 In accordance with Rennison s directions, Gulick took 
 the rear seat, and Towndrow sat beside Rennison, who 
 essayed the task of driving the car. Heading again for 
 Baltimore, the little party soon was under way. 
 
 "You surely have no hope of overtaking them now," 
 Towndrow said. 
 
 "No," Rennison answered, gloomily. "They have 
 reached Baltimore by this time, and our chance of strik-
 
 200 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 ing their trail again is so slim that it would be folly to 
 attempt it. By making inquiries of strangers we might 
 spoil our game. If we have been identified by those peo 
 ple who just got away with our car, it is probable that 
 they believe a search for the Tanager led us out here 
 from Washington. We must not let them suspect we 
 have been following the man higher up. 
 
 "But, since the trail is lost, why do we keep on toward 
 Baltimore?" Towndrow asked. 
 
 "It is in Baltimore that we must start to work on our 
 new lead as soon as we have snatched a few hours sleep. 
 My friend Jimmy has located the booth from which the 
 Assistant Secretary received the directions which sent 
 him from Washington to Baltimore, and it is essential 
 that we get a description of the speaker as soon as pos 
 sible. Already we have descriptions of two of the three 
 men who were in the car with the Tanager. We may be 
 compelled to seek the cooperation of the Baltimore detec 
 tive bureau, but we must avoid doing this if possible." 
 
 "What are your plans for the night ?" 
 
 "I shall put up at the Chichester. It is a cheap hotel, 
 with a somewhat shady reputation, but one at which I am 
 likely to escape recognition. I would suggest that you 
 go to the Chelmford. I will give you a telephone call 
 about six o clock. If you hear nothing from me by six- 
 thirty, call me up at the Chichester, where I will register 
 under the name of Severn. Should you fail to reach me, 
 get into communication with Jimmy, at the switchboard 
 of the War Department." 
 
 When Baltimore was reached, Towndrow took Renni- 
 son s place at the wheel of the machine. Two blocks 
 from the Chichester Rennison alighted and made his way 
 to the hotel. The machine then headed for the hospital,
 
 A VOICE IN THE WOODS 201 
 
 into which Gulick was taken by Towndrow, who explained 
 that the wounded man was to be regarded as a Govern 
 ment patient from whom no explanation was to be re 
 quired concerning the manner in which he received his 
 injury. The Secret Service man took the machine to a 
 garage, and then hurried to the Chelmford Hotel, where 
 he registered under his own name. 
 
 Upon reaching the room to which he was assigned at 
 the Chichester, Rennison lighted his pipe, removed his 
 coat and spread on the table the contents of the handbag 
 he had found in the deserted limousine. From the two 
 envelopes he drew out the notes they contained. It was 
 plain that neither bore any relation to the case he had 
 in hand. One was from a woman, apparently an actress, 
 who asked Miss Warburton to lend her $50. The other 
 was from a New York banker, who notified her that, in 
 accordance with her directions, he had invested for her 
 $2,500 in stocks of a Western copper company. 
 
 Half an hour after entering his hotel room, Rennison 
 removed part of his clothing, assured himself that he had 
 bolted the door, extinguished the light and stretched him 
 self on the bed. Ten minutes later, fatigued by the long 
 mental strain to which he had been subjected, he was 
 asleep. 
 
 The Army officer was awakened by the ringing of the 
 telephone bell in his room. His first thought was that it 
 was six o clock and that the desk clerk, in accordance with 
 his request, was giving him a waking call. Then he 
 realized that day had not dawned. He hurried to the 
 telephone and took down the receiver. 
 
 "Hello!" he called. 
 
 "That you, Mr. Severn?" came the query, in the voice 
 of a man.
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "The night clerk is speaking. Mrs. Severn is here, and 
 wants to see you." 
 
 Rennison hesitated, but he thought quickly. 
 
 "Mrs. Severn, eh !" he murmured, wonderingly. 
 
 A woman s voice, so low that the words were not dis 
 tinguishable, was speaking at the other end of the wire. 
 The speaker apparently was addressing the hotel clerk. 
 Then, now clearly, he heard: 
 
 "Is that Mr. Severn?" 
 
 "Yes," answered Rennison. 
 
 "This is Miriam, George," the woman s voice went on. 
 "The car in which I started from Baltimore skidded from 
 the road this side of Laurel, and we had to get another 
 one. That is why I failed to meet you, as I promised. I 
 have explained matters to the clerk. Shall I go right 
 up to your room? It will not be necessary for you to 
 come down." 
 
 "Why yes," Rennison answered, thoughtfully. 
 "Come up."
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 SPIDERS AND FLIES. 
 
 THINKING quickly, but moving deliberately, Rennison 
 hung up the telephone receiver, switched on the electric 
 light and put on the garments he had removed when he 
 lay down to rest. Scarcely had he completed dressing 
 when a low knocking on his door apprised him of the ar 
 rival of his visitor. 
 
 From a hip pocket of his trousers Rennison quickly 
 drew a stubby automatic pistol. This he dropped into 
 the right outer pocket of his coat. He then unbolted the 
 door and opened it. 
 
 Miriam Warburton, with one of the bellboys of the 
 hotel, stood at the threshold. 
 
 "Hello !" Rennison greeted her, cheerfully. "Come 
 in. So your car left the road, eh? Too bad. I couldn t 
 imagine what had held you up. * 
 
 He drew a coin from one of his pockets and gave it to 
 the bellboy. 
 
 "Here s a half dollar for you, son. Much obliged to 
 you. Good-night." 
 
 When he closed the door, he bolted it again. Then he 
 turned to his visitor. 
 
 "It is unfortunate you had such a reckless driver," 
 he said. "Permit me to congratulate you on your escape 
 from injury." 
 
 She did not answer. Without glancing at him, she 
 
 203
 
 204 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 slowly unbuttoned the raincoat she was wearing and 
 crossed to one of the two windows of the room. The 
 shade had been lowered by Rennison. Miriam raised it, 
 then, after fumbling with it several moments, she drew 
 it down. 
 
 "A signal, eh?" Rennison muttered. 
 
 "Yes," the actress answered, coldly. "It is known 
 now that I have found you here that we are together." 
 
 Rennison, with his back to the door and his hands 
 thrust into the outer pockets of his coat, was watching 
 her speculatively. 
 
 "And how are your friends likely to profit by the knowl 
 edge?" hs asked her. 
 
 She slipped off the raincoat and tossed it to the back 
 of a chair, then faced him. 
 
 "They will infer that I am in a fair way to attain the 
 purpose that brought me here," she replied. 
 
 "Indeed!" exclaimed Rennison, quietly. "Would I be 
 presuming too much were I to ask you the nature of 
 that purpose?" 
 
 "Oh, no. I will tell you. I am here because I have 
 undertaken to obtain from you the sheets of paper you 
 took from inside Hayden Storrow s cane." 
 
 "You have reason to believe, then, that they still are 
 in my possession?" Rennison asked, smiling faintly. 
 
 "Well, I hardly know. It is certain, however, that you 
 did not deliver them to a tall, lean, nervous old gentle 
 man who thought he was receiving them from you at the 
 War Department after you left my rooms." 
 
 "You look a little fatigued overwrought, Miss War- 
 burton," Rennison said solicitously. "Won t you sit 
 down?" 
 
 "Yes, thank you, * replied the actress.
 
 SPIDERS AND FLIES 205 
 
 The Army officer placed a chair for her, in the middle 
 of the floor. She nodded an acknowledgment of his court 
 esy, then moved the chair toward a small table that was 
 standing near. Rennison watched her curiously. After 
 seating herself, she began to remove one of her long 
 gloves. 
 
 "Do you chance to know the name of the tall, lean, 
 nervous old gentleman* to whom you have referred?" 
 Rennison asked. 
 
 "The name of the gentleman is Horsford Andrew 
 Horsford Assistant Secretary of the Navy, you know." 
 
 "Oh, yes Horsford, of course," Rennison said, as, 
 with an appearance of abstraction, he drew a cigar from 
 a pocket of his coat. "Yes, Horsford is as you have 
 described him tall, lean, nervous and old isn t he?" 
 
 He was about to return the cigar to his pocket when 
 Miriam spoke. 
 
 "Smoke it please," she urged. She laughed a lit 
 tle nervously as she added. "Tobacco smoke never 
 annoys me at all." 
 
 Rennison lighted the cigar deliberately, then dropped 
 the match-stick in an ash-receiver. 
 
 "So you have been informed that I met Mr. Horsford 
 at the War Department to-night and that I did not give 
 to him the papers I took from Storrow s cane," he said. 
 
 "Yes," the actress replied. "But won t you, too, sit 
 down? Since you are asking me to put my cards on the 
 table, will you not sit opposite me while you look them 
 over?" 
 
 Rennison, puffing at his cigar, eyed her coldly. This 
 handsome woman who was facing him so calmly was baf 
 fling him. She was moving as if she were sure of her 
 ground. It was plain that she was commanding, rather
 
 206 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 than inviting, his confidence. In a vague sort of way he 
 realized he was surrounded by formidable enemies and 
 that he would be required to meet them single-handed. 
 On one of the walls of his room was a telephone, but into 
 his mind flashed the suspicion that no call of his would 
 get further than the operator of the hotel switchboard 
 
 "Why do you not sit down?" persisted the actress, and 
 there was a new sharpness in her tone. 
 
 Without speaking, Rennison placed a second chair 
 at the table, then seated himself, facing his visitor. 
 
 Miriam, having removed her secpnd glove, now folded 
 her bared hands on the table-top. 
 
 "Well, Miss Warburton, I have understood you to say 
 that you are prepared to put your cards on the table," 
 Rennison began. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Then " 
 
 With a little gesture, she stopped him. Glancing 
 toward the door, she asked: 
 
 "Did you lock the door after you let me in?" 
 
 Rennison nodded. 
 
 "I am glad it is only a one-door room," said Miriam. 
 "Now, let s talk quietly very quietly. That is why I 
 wanted you to sit like this with only the table between 
 us. But where shall we begin?" 
 
 A new light had come to her eyes, a new color to her 
 face. Her manner suddenly had become confidential. 
 
 "Well," Rennison hazarded, "suppose we take things 
 in the order in which they occurred after I left you 
 alone in your apartments." 
 
 "Very well," Miriam assented. Hesitating, she looked 
 thoughtfully at the table, her expression indicating that 
 she was formulating the story he had asked her to tell.
 
 SPIDERS AND FLIES 207 
 
 "For nearly two hours after you left me I felt as if I 
 were about to lose my reason," she began. "My growing 
 fears and the feeling that I was completely isolated from 
 all my friends became so unendurable that I had about 
 decided, despite the lateness of the hour, to telephone 
 for Marta, my maid, when the telephone bell rang. When 
 I responded, a man s voice addressed me a voice I failed 
 to recognize. Speaking quickly, and a little huskily, it 
 asked who was at the telephone. I replied it was Miss 
 Warburton. The speaker then informed me that a mes 
 senger boy was downstairs, with a note addressed to me, 
 and I was asked whether he should be sent right up to my 
 apartments. I directed that the boy be sent up at 
 once. 
 
 "Two or three minutes later there was a ring at my 
 door. I opened it and saw a uniformed boy, who gave 
 to me a sealed envelope. I receipted for this, and, telling 
 the boy to wait, I opened the envelope and drew from it 
 the note it contained. I have it with me." 
 
 Thus speaking, she took a sheet of crumpled notepaper 
 from the bosom of her dress and passed it across the 
 table to Rennison. The army officer smoothed it out 
 and read: 
 
 My dear Miss Warburton: I have reason to suspect that 
 in the course of the night you will be disturbed by visitors 
 who must be regarded as undesirable. In order that such a 
 situation may be avoided, I am going to ask you to accept my 
 protection for the next twenty-four hours, and to be governed 
 entirely by my advice. I am confident that at the expiration 
 of this period there will be nothing more for you to fear. 
 Meantime, without confiding to any one the nature of your 
 plans, please prepare to leave your apartment house in a 
 touring car which will call for you promptly at 12:45 this 
 morning. It is especially desirable that you enter the car
 
 208 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 immediately upon its arrival, in order to reduce to the minimum 
 the possibility that it be observed and followed. I would 
 suggest, therefore, that you should be at the street door on 
 the minute of 12:45. The chauffeur will be the only person 
 on the machine. You may identify him by his action in con 
 tinuing to adjust his cap until you address him. 
 
 Yours, 
 (Signed) RENNISON. 
 
 "The note was not from me, of course," Rennison said, 
 after he finished reading it. "It is plain that the writer 
 knew you were not familiar with my handwriting, for he 
 has made no attempt to counterfeit it." 
 
 "It did not even occur to me to doubt that it was 
 from you," said Miriam. "I believed that your visit to me 
 was known only to persons who had your confidence." 
 
 "So you prepared to act in accordance with the in 
 structions given in the note?" 
 
 "Yes. My preparations soon were completed, but be 
 fore it was time for me to go to meet the car I had 
 what purported to be a second message from you." 
 
 "Another note?" 
 
 "No, it was not a note. Half an hour after the de 
 parture of the messenger boy there came another ring 
 on my telephone bell. Again a man s voice addressed me 
 a voice that was rather clearer than the one which had 
 spoken before. The speaker asked if I were Miss War- 
 burton. When I replied I was, he said, This is Ren 
 nison. Did you get my note?* Again I replied in the 
 affirmative. The speaker then told me the touring car 
 would be at the door in five minutes. He advised me to 
 take a raincoat, inasmuch as it looked like rain. He 
 cautioned me to act promptly. I did not doubt the 
 speaker was you."
 
 SPIDERS AND FLIES 209 
 
 "One scarcely could have expected you to doubt it, in 
 the circumstances," Rcnnison muttered. 
 
 "Five minutes later I went down on the elevator," the 
 actress went on. "As I passed out of the street door, 
 I saw a touring car drawing up at the curb. The chauf 
 feur was adjusting his cap." 
 
 "One moment, Miss Warburton," Rennison interrupted. 
 "Before you proceed further, you might tell me whether 
 or not you had been in any sort of communication with 
 Ha3 T den Storrow." 
 
 Miriam frowned slightly as she replied: 
 
 "No. I neither have seen nor heard from Hayden 
 since he left us together in my apartment." 
 
 Shifting his position, Rennison stared moodily at the 
 tip of his cigar. Thus far he had found little time to 
 reflect on that phase of the situation that had to do with 
 Storrow, after the idler had left the Guilfords recep 
 tion. The Army man now recalled the note of appre 
 hension he had marked in the voice of his friend when 
 he last had spoken over the wire. He then had explained 
 he had something of the greatest importance to com 
 municate. In the circumstances, the loss of his fateful 
 stick scarcely could have surprised him. What was the 
 new development in the case that he had been so anxious 
 to reveal when he had hurried to the War Department. 
 
 Something in Rennison s expression apparently piqued 
 the curiosity of his companion. Looking quizzically at 
 him, she queried : 
 
 "Have you talked with him since I saw him last?" 
 
 "Only over the telephone," Rennison answered. After 
 a brief pause, he went on : "But all this is immaterial to 
 your story, perhaps, Miss Warburton. Pardon me for 
 interrupting you. You have said that, as the automo-
 
 210 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 bile drew up at the curb, the manner in which the chauf 
 feur adjusted his cap enabled you to identify him as the 
 man who had been sent for you." 
 
 "Yes. Approaching the car, I asked the man if it had 
 been sent for me. He replied the car was for Miss War- 
 burton. I explained I was the person he had named. He 
 nodded and I stepped in." 
 
 "Did you observe any person other than the chauffeur 
 as you entered the car?" 
 
 "Yes. As I left the house, I was followed by the man 
 who, earlier in the night, had taken from me the pistol 
 with which I had threatened you. Knowing him to be 
 one of your associates, it occurred to me that he, too, 
 might be a passenger on the car." 
 
 "His presence there had the effect of reassuring you? * 
 
 "I scarcely can say that. I didn t doubt that the 
 car had been sent for me by you. The appearance of 
 your man on the sidewalk neither disturbed nor reas 
 sured me. I accepted it as a parfect matter of course. * 
 
 Rennison nodded. Miriam continued: 
 
 "The car sped eastward at a moderate pace, and then 
 turned northward along a road that was unknown to me. 
 At length it slowed down in a sparsely settled district 
 on the outskirts of the city. When it stopped, the 
 chauffeur alighted and looked up and down the road. 
 I opened one of the doors and asked him if we were to 
 meet any one there. He seemed a little reticent, at first, 
 then he explained that another car should have been 
 awaiting us there. 
 
 "Signs of an approaching storm now became unmis 
 takable. From time to time the chauffeur, stepping into 
 the glare of the headlights, glanced nervously at his
 
 SPIDERS AND FLIES 211 
 
 watch. His manner plainly indicated that he did not 
 want me to enter into conversation with him. 
 
 "From the time you told me Channing had died as a 
 result of the action of the fluid in the little bud I caused 
 him to pick up, my overwrought nerves produced vary 
 ing effects upon me. Now I would seem to be on the 
 point of hysterical collapse, then I would find stealing 
 over me the numbness of complete despair. In the over 
 whelming sense of horror which oppressed me, all fear 
 of bodily peril or punishment that I might be required to 
 face was lost. And so, as I sat alone in the car, my 
 environment had little place in my thoughts. I believed 
 you had sent for me. Why you had done so, I did not 
 know. After you left me the silence of my apartment 
 almost maddened me. In speaking to the chauffeur, I 
 sought the comfort that might be yielded merely by the 
 sound of a human voice a voice that would make my 
 isolation from the world seem less complete. 
 
 "Succumbing to mental and physical fatigue, I was 
 sinking into a sort of stupor when I was aroused by the 
 approach of a machine behind the one in which I was 
 seated. A few moments later it slowed down and I saw 
 it was a limousine without lights. From it two dark 
 figures stepped out and moved toward the car in which 
 I was seated. My chauffeur met them, and for a little 
 more than a minute, perhaps, they stood talking to 
 gether, then the newcomers again came toward me. A 
 few steps brought them in front of the headlights of the 
 car. The features of one of the men I did not recognize. 
 But when I saw the face of the other I knew I knew 
 either you had lied to me and were in league with Seaf al- 
 con, or that it was some voice other than yours that had
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 directed me to leave my apartments that it was the hand 
 of one of your enemies that had penned the note which 
 had been sent to me by the messenger. I still believed in 
 you, however, and this belief made me know I was in the 
 hands of foes who were pressing you more closely than 
 you had reason to suspect." 
 
 Reaching across the table, she grasped one of Renni- 
 son s hands and pressed it convulsively. Her voice shook 
 as she added: 
 
 "Having blundered so yesterday, I should have been 
 glad to die. But it suddenly flashed into my mind that, 
 in the fight against Seafalcon, you, with the strange 
 qualities that are attributed to you, might prove the 
 American Government s most effective instrument that 
 you must be saved. And so I fought off the great horror 
 that had overwhelmed me, and, as I fought, I began to 
 think clearly." 
 
 She stopped, and again Rennison felt the pressure of 
 her trembling hand, which had retained its grasp on his. 
 He was about to speak, when Miriam raised her head and 
 darted a startled glance toward the door. Listening, 
 Rennison heard the sounds of heavy footsteps. In front 
 of the door these ceased abruptly. Then something fell 
 with a soft, faintly rattling sound, to the hall carpet. A 
 couple of seconds later the sounds of footfalls indicated 
 that the unseen person was continuing on his way. 
 
 Glancing at his companion, Rennison saw a strained ex 
 pression on her pallid face. She shivered, as if a sudden 
 chill had passed over her. Then her gaze met his ques 
 tioning eyes. 
 
 "Yes it was another signal," she faltered. "The fall 
 of a bunch of keys outside the door was designed to give 
 me to understand that any telephone message sent by
 
 SPIDERS AND FLIES 
 
 either of us from this room would be picked up and re 
 ported to those who sent me here. Both of us are firmly 
 in their grip. I must die, but you you must live to 
 break their power. It is because I believe you can and 
 will do this that I am here."
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY. 
 
 IT was plain that Miriam was making a determined effort 
 to regain the composure she had lost when the footsteps 
 in the hall had diverted her mind from the story of her 
 adventure. Rennison relighted his cigar and smoked 
 silently for several minutes. Then he said : 
 
 "I am grateful to you for your confidence, Miss War- 
 burton, and shall try to prove myself worthy of it. Still, 
 it seems to me you are wrong in assuming that the mat 
 ter on which you are engaged must be fatal to yourself. 
 Now, let us get back to the point at which we had ar 
 rived when we were interrupted. You have said that 
 one of the two men who advanced toward you from the 
 limousine was unknown to you, but that you immediately 
 recognized in the other a man whom you had some reason 
 to believe was an adherent of Seafalcon s." 
 
 "Yes. It was Forney Kerfoot." 
 
 As she spoke, she looked at him as if he expected some 
 manifestation of surprise. But she saw none. Over 
 the features of the Army officer came no change. His 
 gaze was fixed abstractedly on a wreath of tobacco smoke 
 which just had issued from his lips. 
 
 "Kerfoot, eh?" he murmured. 
 
 "You know him, of course. * 
 
 "Oh, yes a former American college professor, who 
 became a soldier of fortune first, in Mexican revolution 
 ary activities, then in the Polish Army and afterward 
 
 214
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY 215 
 
 with the Russian Bolsheviki. He tried to start trouble 
 for the British in India, and finally appeared in Paris, 
 .where he became a leader of the French Communist move 
 ment. So Kerfoot is back in the United States, eh?" 
 
 Miriam flushed resentfully. 
 
 "Why will you not be frank with me?" she demanded. 
 "Despite the secrecy with which his movements have been 
 invested, it is not possible that his presence in this coun 
 try has been unknown to you." 
 
 "We are getting away from your story again, my dear 
 Miss Warburton, and it is essential that you tell it to 
 me as quickly as you can," Rennison answered, shortly. 
 
 "Yes," she assented, wearily. "I will tell it as quickly 
 as I can." She paused, passed a hand over her eyes, and 
 then went on: "The man I did not know passed behind 
 the touring car and disappeared. Kerfoot opened the 
 door, stepped in and sat down beside me. In a surly 
 voice he addressed me. 
 
 " Well, Miss Warburton, I suppose it is quite in order 
 for your friends to congratulate you now on the manner 
 in which you have unmasked Captain Reifsnyder, he 
 said. 
 
 " No, Mr. Kerfoot,* I replied. All who are indeed my 
 friends will know I am not responsible for any misad 
 venture that has come to Captain Reifsnyder. 
 
 " Ah, you do know me, then ! Kerfoot exclaimed. I 
 had understood you came here expecting to meet Captain 
 Rennison. 
 
 " I did understand that this car had been sent for me 
 by Captain Rennison, who, as a Government agent, has 
 fastened on me responsibility for the death of Oliver 
 Channing and the theft of certain papers he brought with 
 him to Washington.*
 
 216 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "It was plain that he was fairly staggered by the na 
 ture of my reply. After hesitating a bit, he asked : 
 
 " What disposition did you make of those papers, 
 Miss Warburton? 
 
 "I told him the truth." 
 
 "You told him the truth !" Rennison exclaimed. 
 
 "I told him I had slipped the papers into Hayden s 
 cane while he was having dinner at my apartments, and 
 that Hayden then had left me to go to the Guilfords 
 reception, not knowing, of course, that the papers were 
 in his cane. I also explained that, later, Hayden came 
 with you to my apartments, and that you had learned I 
 had taken the papers from Channing. I told him, too, 
 how you had found the broken sword-point and the Hen- 
 neshaw napkin and that, as a result of these discoveries, 
 you had identified me as a murderer and a thief and had 
 found the papers in the cane." 
 
 "It is plain that Kerfoot was not long in winning your 
 confidence," Rennison put in, grimly. 
 
 "It was his confidence, not mine, that was the stake 
 in the game," Miriam corrected. "As I proceeded, I saw 
 he was becoming more and more impressed by my straight 
 forwardness." 
 
 "I should think he would be," Rennison agreed. 
 
 "At length he put the question to which my course had 
 been directed," Miriam continued. "He said: And now, 
 Miss Warburton, please tell me in whose interest you were 
 working at the time you took those papers from Chan 
 ning? I replied I had been working in the interests rep 
 resented by Captain Reifsnyder. 
 
 " And what interests were those?* he asked. 
 
 " The interests of Seafalcon, I answered him. 
 
 "He stopped his questioning, then. For two or three
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY 217 
 
 minutes he sat beside me without speaking, then he laid 
 a hand on one of my shoulders, and said, quietly: 
 
 " All right, Miss Warburton. There are certain cir 
 cumstances connected with this affair that I did not 
 understand. 
 
 "He rose, as he spoke, and stepped out of the car. 
 As he moved away, he was joined by the man I had seen 
 with him at first. They halted, and for two or three min 
 utes they conversed earnestly together. Then Kerfoot 
 again approached my car. Flinging open the door, he 
 said: 
 
 " I must ask you to leave this car, Miss Warburton, 
 and come with us in the limousine. The change should be 
 a desirable one, I think, for it looks as if we were about to 
 have a storm. 
 
 " Where am I to be taken? I asked. 
 
 " Our destination is Baltimore, he replied. If what 
 you just have told me is true, you will find yourself with 
 friends who will afford you all necessary protection 
 against any unpleasant consequence of your service to 
 Captain Reifsnyder yesterday afternoon. 
 
 "Strange as it may seem to you, I was unconscious 
 of any sensation of fear as I rose. In a vague sort of 
 way I felt there was opening to me an opportunity to 
 undo, in a measure, the evil into which I had been led by 
 Reifsnyder. It was impossible, of course, to restore life 
 to poor Channing, but the idea came to me that I, who 
 had taken his life, might avenge his death in a manner 
 that might hasten the fall of Seafalcon. 
 
 "And so it was not with fear, but with eagerness, that 
 I trembled as I left the car and allowed Kerfoot to con 
 duct me to the waiting limousine. As I sank back on 
 the rear seat, I saw that the chauffeur s place was being
 
 218 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 taken by the man who had called for me at my apartments. 
 The stranger I first had seen with Kerfoot sat beside the 
 chauffeur. Kerfoot came in with me and closed the door. 
 The man who had been driving the limousine went over to 
 the touring car. 
 
 "Once we were in our places in the machine, there was 
 little delay in getting under way. At the next street 
 intersection the limousine was headed northward, and it 
 was not long before we came to a road which I recog 
 nized as constituting the most direct route to Baltimore. 
 
 "Though Kerfoot s general appearance was indicative 
 of calmness, I fancied that beneath the surface were evi 
 dences of unrest. As we passed the lamps with which the 
 road was lighted, I was conscious of the efforts he made 
 to scrutinize my face. When he first broke the silence 
 it was to ask me if I objected to smoking in the car. I 
 replied that I did not, but the coldness of my perfunctory 
 answer apparently led him to believe that such action 
 would be undesirable, for he did not light the cigar 
 which he took from his pocket. 
 
 "At length he spoke again. 
 
 " And so you have believed yourself to be working in 
 the interest of Seafalcon? he said. 
 
 " Yes, I answered, shortly. 
 
 " But Reifsnyder gave us gave me to understand 
 that, though you were working in accordance with his di 
 rections, you believed Channing and others associated 
 with him to be engaged in a conspiracy against the 
 Government. 
 
 "I laughed a little as I replied that Captain Reif- 
 snyder and I understood each other perfectly. 
 
 "For several minutes he was silent, then he asked a 
 question I had been expecting.
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY 219 
 
 " How does it happen, Miss Warburton, that Renni- 
 son, knowing you to be guilty of the death of Oliver Chan- 
 ning, did not take you into custody at the time he visited 
 you in your apartment? 
 
 "And then, in your interest and in that of the Gov 
 ernment of the United States, I lied to him. I told him 
 that you and I had been friends for many months, 
 but that, despite this fact, you had not suspected my 
 interest in the cause of Seafalcon." 
 
 "You have been playing boldly," Rennison muttered, 
 thoughtfully. "Your purpose is becoming clear to me, 
 however. The plan was well devised, and I must con 
 gratulate you on having made such a clever beginning. 
 So we had been friends for several months, eh?" 
 
 "He asked me if our friendship had been known to 
 Hayden Storrow," Miriam went on. "I told him that 
 Hayden did not know we were acquainted. I explained, 
 then, that, having traced the crime to me, you were 
 greatly agitated and seemed in doubt concerning the 
 manner in which you were to proceed, but that I defied 
 you, and directed you not to spare me." 
 
 "You told Kerfoot you saw in my possession the papers 
 you had taken from Channing?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Yes. I told him also that I attempted to take your 
 life in order to regain them. Incident to this, I described 
 your talk over the telephone with Captain Merschon and 
 how your friend had entered the apartment and released 
 you from the handcuffs which I had placed on your 
 wrists." 
 
 "Did you tell him I made a copy of the papers before 
 I left you?" 
 
 "Not at the time we were talking in the limousine. 
 Afterwards "
 
 220 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Well, let us continue with the incidents in the order 
 in which they occurred," Rennison said. 
 
 "Our conversation in the limousine lasted scarcely more 
 than ten or fifteen minutes," Miriam continued. "Kerfoot 
 already had been silent for several minutes when the 
 storm struck us." 
 
 "Did the storm cause your machine to stop?" Renni 
 son asked. 
 
 "Yes we stopped a few miles the other side of 
 Laurel, I should say. The car was run into a side road 
 that looked to be little more than a lane. Kerfoot put 
 on a raincoat, and while the machine stood still, he left 
 me and had a conversation with the men on the front 
 seat. It still was raining when we continued on our way, 
 but the violence of the wind and rain had abated. 
 
 "In a few minutes we were back on the main road 
 again. Just as we entered this, a touring car sped by 
 us. Kerfoot remarked that, like ours, the touring car was 
 without tire chains. The sight of this car seemed to have 
 a disquieting effect on Kerfoot, who said it appeared to 
 be in a hurry and that he would be glad to know who its 
 occupants were. 
 
 "We had been on the main road only about five min 
 utes, during which time we struck a pace that, at times, 
 seemed dangerous, in view of the slippery condition of the 
 roadway, when something occurred that caused Kerfoot 
 to half rise from the seat on which he was sitting be 
 side me. The limousine was slowing down, and, looking 
 on ahead, I saw that a lantern was being swung from 
 side to side about a hundred yards ahead of us. As we 
 swept on toward it, it disappeared. 
 
 "The limousine came to a standstill at the right of the
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY 
 
 road and beside what appeared to be an open field. Ker- 
 foot flung open the door beside him and stepped out. 
 He had moved only a couple of paces from the machine 
 when I saw two strangers approach him. Retaining my 
 place in the machine, I heard distinctly the conversation 
 that followed. I was unable, however, to see the faces of 
 the speakers. The first to speak was one of the strangers, 
 who said: 
 
 " You ve got Horsford right ahead of you and Renni- 
 son behind you. Rennison and a Secret Service man have 
 struck some sort of trail that leads to Horsford and 
 Baltimore. We haven t been able to get this to the Chief 
 or to head off Rennison, but it looks like it was up to you 
 to deal with the Government men. You ve got to hurry, 
 for Rennison is close behind. 
 
 " How ? Kerfoot began, but the stranger inter 
 rupted him. 
 
 " I don t know anything of the "Hows," he said. All 
 I have is a quick telephone tip of the situation as it 
 stands and instructions to put Horsford wise. You d 
 better overhaul him if you can, for he might take a side 
 road as he nears Baltimore and miss the parties that are 
 being sent out to meet him from there. 
 
 " All right, Bill, Kerfoot answered, quietly, as he 
 turned away. He then directed our chauffeur to use 
 every effort to overtake the touring car ahead of us. In 
 a few seconds we were tearing forward again this time 
 at a speed that fairly put my nerves on edge. Kerfoot, 
 half-kneeling on the seat, continued to peer out of the 
 rear window of our car. Apparently he failed to see your 
 machine, for he made no comment on the situation. 
 
 "Suddenly the limousine began to slow down again. As
 
 222 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 I looked about to learn the cause of this, I saw a motor 
 cycle was following us closely. Kerfoot swore quietly, 
 but did not address me. 
 
 "When the limousine stopped, Kerfoot got out. I saw 
 him show some sort of badge to a man in the uniform 
 of a traffic policeman, who got off the motorcycle. In 
 a few moments the policeman stepped back, Kerfoot re- 
 entered the machine and once again we were on our 
 way. 
 
 "It soon became apparent that what the policeman 
 had said concerning our pace had had little effect on the 
 driver of the car, for in two or three minutes we were 
 speeding as rapidly as we had done before. Twice or 
 thrice I heard Kerfoot muttering, but the words he ut 
 tered were unintelligible to me. Occasionally he rose to 
 look out of the back of the car, but, for the most part, 
 he sat quietly beside me. He now had lighted his cigar 
 and was puffing at it vigorously. 
 
 "In this manner we passed through and beyond Laurel. 
 Once, as Kerfoot rose to look along the road behind us, 
 the car swerved sharply, with such force that my com 
 panion s hand rested on my shoulder for support. He 
 apologized as he sank back to the seat. 
 
 "Then came the accident. This occurred at a time 
 when the machine was being slowed down. The car had 
 skidded so often before that I was not seriously alarmed 
 at its sudden swerving now. But this time our chauffeur 
 had us too near the middle of the slippery road when 
 the sharp curve was taken. Beyond the curve the limou 
 sine left the roadway, careened, then crashed against a 
 light tree or two which broke the force of its collision 
 with a larger one. 
 
 "Despite the shaking up to which we were subjected,
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY 223 
 
 none of us was injured. I heard several oaths from one 
 of the men on the front seat of the car, but Kerfoot, 
 beside me, was silent. The violence of the crash had 
 flung him against me, but as he drew back he neither apol 
 ogized nor asked me if I had been hurt. Apparently 
 oblivious of my presence, he rose slowly, opened the door 
 on his right and stepped out. 
 
 "After exchanging a few words with the men on the 
 front seat, Kerfoot returned to where I remained seated. 
 
 " We must get away from here quickly, Miss War- 
 burton/ he said. You must come with us into the 
 woods. 
 
 "I made no protest, of course. But, as I was about 
 to pick up the handbag I had brought with me from my 
 apartment, the thought came to me that you, being 
 behind us, were likely to enter and examine the car we 
 were about to abandon. For this reason, therefore, I 
 decided to leave the bag on the seat. In the bag were 
 envelopes addressed to me, and I did not doubt that you 
 would find them, and thus learn that, having been in 
 the machine, I still was near the scene of the accident. 
 You did find the bag and see the letters?" 
 
 "Yes," Rennison answered. "The bag is now in one of 
 the drawers of that dressing case." 
 
 The actress went on: 
 
 "Scarcely had I alighted from the disabled machine 
 when Kerfoot grasped one of my arms and hurried me 
 to a stone wall. Over this I was helped, none too gently, 
 by him and his companions. At times I was almost 
 dragged through the rain-soaked underbrush, and now 
 and then I was more than ankle-deep in mud or pools of 
 water. 
 
 "At length we stopped. Kerfoot then told his com-
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 panions that every effort must be made to get possession 
 of the car that was following us, but that an exchange of 
 shots with its occupants must be avoided. 
 
 " We ll deal with Rennison at another time and in our 
 own way, Kerfoot said. There is a good reason why 
 he should not be brought to account to-night. 
 
 "Scarcely had he spoken when we heard the approach 
 of an automobile. It soon became apparent this was 
 slowing down. Kerfoot now turned to me, and, gripping 
 one of my arms, said: 
 
 " That is Rennison, and we must have his car. You 
 have said you are loyal to the cause of Seafalcon. You 
 now must prove to me that you are. Your cries for aid 
 must lure him into this wood. 
 
 " You are going to attack him there? I asked, sus 
 piciously. 
 
 " No, Kerfoot replied. If he comes in here he will 
 have others with him and there are good reasons for 
 avoiding a clash to-night. They must be lured into the 
 woods in order that we may get their machine and con 
 tinue on our way to Baltimore with the least possible 
 delay. Your loyalty now is being put to the test. You 
 must do as I tell you to do. 
 
 " I will meet the test, I answered. 
 
 " I knew you would, he said, as he pressed my arm. 
 We must wait a few moments, however. When the time 
 comes to act, I will tell you what to do. 
 
 "In a few moments the sounds that came to us from 
 your machine indicated that it was stopping some dis 
 tance beyond the point at which ours had come to grief. 
 Kerfoot then remarked that it was probable you and 
 your friends were going back, on foot, to where the limou-
 
 A WOMAN S STRATEGY 225 
 
 sine was ditched. While we waited, Kerfoot told me 
 how and what to call. At length he gave me the signal, 
 and I called for help. Immediately after my second call, 
 Kerfoot again seized one of my arms, and our party hur 
 ried toward the road. 
 
 "When the road was reached, we clambered over the 
 wall and the man who had been riding beside the chauf 
 feur ran forward. Kerfoot was close after him. Our 
 chauffeur kept close to me, apparently guarding against 
 any possible attempt by me to escape. 
 
 "I saw Kerfoot open fire on your chauffeur, then some 
 one down the road shot twice at our party as we made off 
 in your machine. Your chauffeur appeared to be shot, as 
 well as beaten. Was he injured seriously?" 
 
 "No," Rennison assured her. "The wound was com 
 paratively slight. He is in a hospital, but in no danger." 
 
 "The remainder of our ride was uneventful," Miriam 
 continued. "As we were about to enter Baltimore, a 
 roadster met us and made some sort of a signal which 
 caused us to stop. Kerfoot got out and had a brief 
 conversation with one of the occupants of the other ma 
 chine, who, remained in his seat. We then entered Balti 
 more. 
 
 "Scarcely had we crossed the city line, however, when 
 something occurred that plainly gave me to understand 
 that I had not succeeded in winning the entire confidence 
 of Kerfoot. He rose and lowered each curtain of the 
 limousine, making it impossible for me to observe the 
 course we were taking. I made no comment on his action, 
 nor did he vouchsafe any word of explanation. 
 
 "We sat in silence, but the time passed quickly. The 
 machine was proceeding now at a moderate pace. We
 
 226 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 made several turns, and once we stopped, but Kerfoot, 
 puffing at a cigarette, did not leave my side. In a couple 
 of minutes we were on our way again. 
 
 "At length the machine began to jolt, as if it were 
 moving over rough ground. Finally it stopped. I heard 
 Kerfoot sigh in a manner that was indicative of relief. 
 
 " All right, Miss Warburton, he said. I think we 
 are at our destination now.* 
 
 "He rose, threw open the door and stepped out. A 
 moment later he thrust his head inside the limousine and 
 directed me to follow him. As I obeyed, I began to 
 tremble. Whether this was due to fear I do not know. I 
 was conscious, however, of a premonition that I was 
 about to be confronted by a situation that was likely to 
 impose upon me a strain more severe than any to which 
 I had been subjected since I had addressed myself to the 
 terrible task that had been set for me by Captain Reif- 
 snyder."
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 THE INNER CIRCLE. 
 
 PAUSING in her narrative, Miriam Warburton looked ab 
 stractedly at the gloves she had been twisting nervously 
 as they lay on the table before her. Rennison, looking 
 back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head. For 
 several moments the silence was unbroken, then Rennison 
 rose and crossed quickly to the door. Opening this 
 quietly, he looked out. He closed the door again and 
 returned to the table. Beside this he reseated himself. 
 Miriam glanced at him anxiously. 
 
 "There is no one there," the Army officer said, reas 
 suringly. 
 
 "You thought you heard some one?" the actress asked. 
 
 "No. It occurred to me, however, that you had not 
 been speaking the last five minutes as carefully as you did 
 at first. That s all. Now let me hear the rest of your 
 story." 
 
 "As I stepped out of the limousine, I saw it had stopped 
 only six or eight yards from a bungalow," Miriam went 
 on. "About a hundred feet to the left the moonlight was 
 shining on the surface of a river. I just had glanced 
 in the direction of this when Kerfoot gripped one of my 
 arms, a little roughly. 
 
 " Come, Miss Warburton, we must hurry in/ he said. 
 Then, still holding my arm, he led me to the door of the 
 bungalow. This already had been opened by some one 
 
 227
 
 228 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 within some one who stepped back as we passed inside. 
 Kerfoot and I entered together. The two men who had 
 been on the front seat of the limousine remained on the 
 machine. 
 
 "As the entrance door was closed behind me, I became 
 conscious of the fact that the atmosphere of the bunga 
 low was heavy with the smoke of tobacco. The room in 
 which we now found ourselves was unlighted, but I had a 
 feeling that in it there were others than my companion 
 and myself. I was not mistaken, for we had advanced 
 only a couple of paces when a man s voice said, quietly: 
 
 " Well, Kerfoot, you are late. 
 
 "Scarcely had he spoken when there was a sudden 
 flare of an electric light, under a green-shaded lamp on 
 a table. 
 
 "I now saw that I was in a room about thirty by 
 twenty-five feet, furnished in a manner which plainly indi 
 cated that its owner was a person of varied musical 
 tastes. At one side of the room was an upright piano, 
 with a cloth-covered harp beside it. Not far from this 
 was a large, glass-doored cabinet containing a couple of 
 violins, a guitar and a ukulele. On the top of the piano 
 lay a flute. The apartment had a disordered, dust-cov 
 ered appearance. Ash-receivers on the tables were filled 
 to overflowing, and tobacco ashes, match-sticks and cigar 
 and cigarette stumps were scattered over the polished 
 floor and the rugs. The furniture, consisting, for the 
 most part, of comfortable chairs and couches, was of a 
 miscellaneous nature. There were several large, well- 
 filled bookcases. The pictures were of the sort one sees 
 displayed in the cheaper art stores pictures of cathe 
 drals, Venetian scenes, bathing girls and photographic re 
 productions of paintings by old masters. There was
 
 THE INNER CIRCLE 229 
 
 something in the aspect of the place that seemed to sug 
 gest the absence of womanly interest in it." 
 
 "It is evident that the premonition of evil, to which 
 you have referred, did not have the effect of so agitat 
 ing you that you were unobservant of details," Rennison 
 remarked, with a smile. 
 
 "I will confess frankly that I was very nervous and 
 was making a hard struggle to retain my composure," 
 Miriam explained. "My observation of these details was 
 partly the result of my apprehension. Like many other 
 persons, I often am inclined to estimate the characters 
 of men and women by their environment by the things 
 which they select and the manner in which they place 
 them about them. As I glanced about me I was relieved 
 to find that the place to which I had been brought was 
 the abode of a person of culture, rather than the haunt of 
 human animals." 
 
 The smile faded slowly from Rennison s face. He nod 
 ded gravely, and the actress went on: 
 
 "But I had no opportunity to indulge in speculation, 
 for I now found myself in the presence of two strangers. 
 One of these a short, broad-faced, bald-headed man, 
 with a florid complexion and surly expression had op 
 ened the door through which we had entered the bungalow. 
 The other stood, near the middle of the room, beside the 
 table that held the electric lamp which just had lighted 
 the apartment. 
 
 "As I glanced at the man beside the table, a great fear 
 gripped me a fear that chilled my blood and stifled me. 
 Trembling, I tottered and grasped the back of a chair. 
 Then I felt Kerfoot pass an arm around me. It was ap 
 parent that he feared I was about to fall. 
 
 "The man who had excited this new fear was about six
 
 230 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 feet tall, long-limbed, broad-shouldered and with the 
 graceful bearing of an athlete. The upper part of his face 
 was concealed by a black mask. His head was well- 
 molded and his carefully brushed black hair was a lit 
 tle gray at the temples. I noticed, too, that his hands 
 seemed rather smaller than was usual in a man of such 
 height. He wore a close-fitting gray woolen shirt, with a 
 collar of the same material. His four-in-hand tie and 
 trousers were of the same color. He had a black leather 
 belt, but no coat. 
 
 "As this stranger stood watching me, with his right 
 hand resting on the high back of a chair, there came to 
 me a suspicion that I was face to face with the arch 
 enemy of the American Government and of the world." 
 
 "You suspected, then, that the man was Seafalcon, 
 himself?" Rennison queried. 
 
 Leaning closer to him, over the table, Miriam asked: 
 
 "You have heard the rumor that, two months ago, Sea- 
 calcon met with some sort of an accident that resulted 
 in the loss of one of his eyes?" 
 
 "Yes," Rennison answered, thoughtfully. "I have 
 heard several such reports, but none appear to have been 
 authoritative. One had it that he was wounded by a 
 woman with whom he had been infatuated and who com 
 mitted suicide after inflicting the injury upon him. An 
 other was to the effect that he was struck by a fragment 
 of a hand grenade that was hurled at him by the officer of 
 one of the American vessels he boarded. All such reports 
 have been denied, of course." 
 
 "Well, these reports came to my mind as I looked at the 
 masked face before me," Miriam continued. "For several 
 moments the sinister appearance of the man and my sus 
 picion concerning his identity overwhelmed me with awe
 
 THE INNER CIRCLE 231 
 
 and horror. But the action of Kerfoot in passing his 
 arm around me effected a revulson of feeling. The con 
 tact inspired me with loathing. As I thrust him aside, 
 my strength began to come back to me. The eyeholes 
 in the stranger s mask had an irresistible fascination for 
 me. One thought was burning in my brain. Trivial as 
 this might seem to you, in the circumstances, I kept re 
 peating, mentally, Two eyes or one two eyes or one? 
 
 "Then I heard the voice of Kerfoot addressing me: 
 
 " Come, Miss Warburton, steady yourself, he said 
 Nothing will occur here that should give you any cause 
 for alarm. 
 
 "He placed a chair for me, and, as I sank onto this, he 
 turned to the man beside the table. 
 
 " Miss Warburton has had a hard day and night of 
 it, Kerfoot explained. She has convinced me that, work 
 ing in accordance with Reifsnyder s directions, she knew 
 she was aiding our cause. 
 
 " Indeed ! exclaimed the man beside the table, and the 
 note of surprise in his tone was unmistakable. 
 
 "Leaning forward, the man in the mask crossed his 
 arms over the high back of the chair. He still was look 
 ing at me over the shaded lamp, and I could not see the 
 light I sought in the eyeholes of the mask he wore. 
 
 "Kerfoot then repeated all I had told to him concerning 
 my experiences of the afternoon and night. So accurate 
 was this repetition that it was unnecessary for me to 
 offer any correction. While he was thus engaged, I was 
 trying to formulate some plan for getting into communi 
 cation with you and acquainting you with the fact that 
 Seafalcon was in Baltimore, for not for a moment did I 
 doubt now that the man before me was the chief of the 
 dreaded Brotherhood.
 
 232 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "The masked man listened in silence until the narra 
 tive of Kerfoot brought us to the door of the bungalow 
 in which I now was seated. 
 
 "When Kerfoot finished speaking, the masked man 
 straightened himself slowly, thrust his hands into the 
 pockets of his trousers and paced thoughtfully to and 
 fro for several minutes ; then, sitting on the arm of a 
 chair, he faced me. 
 
 " Tor what you have done the grateful Brotherhood 
 thanks you, Miss Warburton, he said. But there are 
 several things that still require explanation. You are 
 leading us to view the character of Captain George Ren- 
 nison from a new angle. We had been convinced that he 
 has been unswerving in his allegiance to the Federal Gov 
 ernment, and that it would be useless to attempt to win 
 him to our cause. How, then, does it happen that, know 
 ing you to be the person who took the life of Channing 
 yesterday afternoon, he allowed you to continue at lib 
 erty? 
 
 "I realized that, in order to save myself, to aid you 
 and to defeat the designs of Seafalcon it would be nec 
 essary to employ every art of deception that I could 
 command. And so I lied. I told my questioner that for 
 several weeks you had manifested a strong affection for 
 me that you were appalled when you learned of my 
 part in the death of Channing and the theft of the papers. 
 I told him I tried to win you over to the cause of the 
 Brotherhood, and that, at times, I fancied you were 
 weakening in your loyalty to the Government of the 
 United States. I explained that you had assured me that 
 you would so manipulate the situation that the Govern 
 ment never would know I had been involved in the Chan 
 ning affair.
 
 THE INNER CIRCLE 233 
 
 " Do you believe that your influence over Rennison is 
 so great that, given time, you could win him over to us? 
 the masked man asked. 
 
 " Yes.* I answered. 
 
 " Well, we shall see,* he muttered. He paused, then 
 seemed to be about to speak again when a door in the rear 
 of the room was flung open and a tall, blonde-haired man 
 rushed in. 
 
 " The devil s in it, Chief ! he exclaimed, excitedly. 
 The papers Horsford brought to us are worthless. They 
 describe nothing that ever has been invented by mortal 
 man. Some one has tricked us with a fool s array of 
 meaningless phrases and figures. On these sheets there 
 is not a line that would give us a clue to the secret of 
 Channing s invention. 
 
 "While he was speaking three other men hurried into 
 the room through the door that had been opened by the 
 blonde-haired man. One of the newcomers was a tall, 
 lean, elderly man who was trembling with agitation. It 
 was Andrew Horsford, Assistant Secretary of the Navy. 
 
 " What does this mean, Horsford? the masked man 
 demanded. 
 
 " This gentleman is wrong,* Horsford protested. 
 These are the papers that were taken from the body of 
 Oliver Channing yesterday afternoon. They were placed 
 in my hands by George Rennison himself. There can be 
 no doubt that they hold the secret of Channing s inven 
 tion. 
 
 " You are convinced, Harcourt, that they are mean 
 ingless? the masked man demanded, as he fumbled the 
 sheets. 
 
 " Absolutely, was the reply. It is clear they were 
 prepared for no purpose other thaa deception.
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "A new light seemed to dawn on the mind of the 
 masked man. Again he turned to me: 
 
 " You told Mr. Kerfoot that while Rennison was in 
 your apartment he made a copy of the sheets you believed 
 to be the originals? he asked. 
 
 " Yes, I answered. Then, after a pause, I added : 
 *But it should seem clear to us now that what he made 
 were not copies, after all that he kept the original 
 sheets and gave to Mr. Horsford the sheets he passed 
 through the typewriter in my room.* 
 
 "The masked man looked thoughtfully at the floor for 
 several moments, then he turned to one of the men who 
 had entered with Horsford. 
 
 " Where is Rennison now?* he inquired. 
 
 " He is registered under the name of Severn at the 
 Hotel Chichester, the man replied. 
 
 " Who is with him? 
 
 " He is alone. Towndrow, of the Secret Service, after 
 going with him to Baltimore, took the wounded chauffeur 
 around to a hospital and then put up for the rest of the 
 night at the Chelmford.* 
 
 "Once more the masked man turned to me. 
 
 " You see, Miss Warburton, how solicitously we watch 
 the movements of our friends and enemies, he drawled. 
 
 As he spoke, he raised one of his hands and snapped 
 off the mask that had concealed the upper part of his 
 face. Then I saw that, though a deep scar disfigured the 
 upper part of his left cheek, the injury had not affected 
 the eye above it. His eyes were alight with an expres 
 sion that seemed to bespeak menace first, and then reas 
 surance. 
 
 " And, even as my friends have watched my enemies,
 
 THE INNER CIRCLE 235 
 
 Miss Warburton, they will watch you in the course of the 
 test to which you are about to be subjected,* he con 
 tinued. You have told us that you are loyal to the 
 Brotherhood. An opportunity now will be given to you 
 to prove that loyalty. You have said you exercise a 
 strong influence over Captain George Rennison. You will 
 be required to exercise this in our behalf to-night. There 
 is little doubt that the papers taken by you from the 
 body of Channing yesterday afternoon either still are 
 in Rennison s possession or in some place where he may 
 have access to them. They must reach my hands with 
 as little delay as possible. If they are to be obtained by 
 you, you must act quickly. If Rennison has them now, 
 you must get them from him before his return to Wash 
 ington. If, before coming to Baltimore, he left them 
 with some one in Washington, you must learn what dis 
 position he has made of them, and use every effort to in 
 duce him to get them and deliver them to you. It is 
 unnecessary for me to remind you that the Brotherhood 
 rewards its friends and metes out swift punishment to all 
 persons who attempt to deceive it. Its power is world 
 wide and no man or woman can pass beyond it. 
 
 " For the next twenty-four hours, Miss Warburton, 
 you will act as a free agent. You may go where you will 
 and see any one you please, without being required to 
 explain your motives. But you will carry with you the 
 knowledge that, though unseen, comrades of the Brother 
 hood are moving with you. At all times these will be sub 
 ject to your directions. The services of Mr. Kerfoot 
 now are at your disposal. May success attend your 
 efforts in our behalf. Good-night. 
 
 "Thus speaking, he rose from the arm of the chair on
 
 236 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 which he had been seated ; then, after bowing to me, he 
 disappeared through the doorway in the rear of the room. 
 In a few moments Kerfoot and I were alone. 
 
 "It was in accordance with a plan suggested by Ker 
 foot that I came here to you. It was arranged that by 
 raising and lowering a shade at one of your windows I 
 should signal that I had found you in a mood favorable 
 for the beginning of my task. It also was arranged that 
 the fall of a bunch of keys in the hall outside your door 
 should give me assurance that Kerfoot and some of his 
 friends were quartered in the hotel and might be put into 
 communication with me at any moment by the operator of 
 the hotel s telephone switchboard. 
 
 "Though Kerfoot referred to this arrangement as an 
 assurance of protection, I was not deceived. I knew 
 the fall of the bunch of keys in the hall would constitute 
 a warning possessing the solemnity of a death sentence, 
 for it would give me to understand that you and I stood 
 alone in the palm of a giant s slowly closing hand the 
 hand of the dreadful Brotherhood and that we would 
 continue to live and breathe only at the mercy of Sea- 
 falcon."
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 THE NEW COMRADE. 
 
 As Miriam finished, Rennison dropped his still smoking 
 cigar into the ash-tray on the table. 
 
 "And so you believe that you and I live and breathe 
 only at the mercy of Seafalcon, eh?" he murmured. 
 
 "You must see that it is so," the actress answered, de 
 jectedly. 
 
 From one of his pockets Rennison drew out a pipe and 
 pouch. 
 
 "Why, no, Miss Warburton," he said, as he began 
 thumbing tobacco into the bowl of the pipe. "Really, 
 I do not see it that way at all." 
 
 She glanced at him sharply anxiously, eagerly, doubt 
 fully. 
 
 "You do see a way out of it, for yourself?" she asked. 
 "That there is none for me, I know." 
 
 Rennison frowned. 
 
 "The situation which confronts us is both perilous and 
 difficult, but I see no reason to doubt that we will move 
 through it successfully," he said. "The task which you, 
 with such masterful cleverness, have set for both of us 
 is well begun. Dead or alive, Seafalcon must be taken 
 by the United States Government within the next twenty- 
 four hours. Inasmuch as you have been able to meet me 
 here and communicate to me so fully the details of the 
 adventure through which you have passed plainly indi-
 
 238 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 cates that fortune is favoring us. But it is essential that 
 we make no misstep. 
 
 "Briefly, the situation is this : The Chief of the 
 Brotherhood believes that I either have the sheets in my 
 possession or may be able to get them within the period 
 he designated. You have encouraged him to believe that 
 your influence over me is such that I may be led to de 
 liver the papers to you. He has made it clear he sus 
 pects that, prior to leaving Washington to-night, I either 
 concealed them or left them with somebody in that city. 
 The first of these suspicions is incorrect. I left the 
 papers in Washington, of course. Naturally, you will be 
 allowed sufficient time to enable me to recover possession 
 of them." 
 
 "Yes," replied the actress. "Kerfoot has explained, 
 however, that they must be in his hands within twenty- 
 four hours." 
 
 "No attempt will be made, then, to prevent me from 
 returning to Washington to-day?" 
 
 "No. I will be required, though, to keep him informed 
 of your movements and to tell him who it is you go to 
 Washington to see. From the moment you leave me, you 
 will be under constant surveillance. Should you do or 
 say anything in the next twenty-four hours that would 
 indicate that I am deceiving Kerfoot, you and I would 
 be punished immediately." 
 
 "You will be permitted to return to Washington with 
 me?" 
 
 "No. When you leave this hotel, I must go from 
 here with Kerfoot. What disposition they will make of 
 me until such time as I am to meet you again I do not 
 know." 
 
 "Their plan, then, is to hold you as a hostage, not per-
 
 THE NEW COMRADE 239 
 
 mitting me to see you again until I present the papers 
 which they require?" 
 
 "That is the understanding." 
 
 Rennison puffed reflectively at his pipe. 
 
 "I see," he muttered. 
 
 For several minutes both were silent. Rennison was the 
 first to speak. 
 
 "You have no suggestion to make, Miss Warburton?" 
 he asked, with a sudden affectation of cheerfulness. 
 
 "None," Miriam answered, as, still sitting beside the 
 table, she nervously twisted her gloves. 
 
 Rennison, rising, stretched his arms. 
 
 "Well, both of us have had a rather strenuous day and 
 night of it, Miss Warburton," he said. Then, after glanc 
 ing at his watch, he added : "It is nearly five o clock and 
 if you do not get some sleep soon you will succumb to the 
 strain to which you are being subjected. Have you eaten 
 anything since you had dinner with Storrow yester 
 day?" 
 
 "Yes. Kerfoot insisted that I should have some sort 
 of breakfast before I left the bungalow. I am not hungry, 
 but oh, so tired !" 
 
 Rennison, slowly pacing to and fro, abstractedly 
 stroked the crystal of his watch with his thumb. 
 
 "You must rest," he said. 
 
 "But where?" 
 
 "Here for a couple of hours, at least." 
 
 "But, as soon as you go, I must rejoin Kerfoot." 
 
 "I will remain here until eight o clock. By that 
 time " 
 
 "Well?" Miriam queried anxiously, as he stopped. 
 
 "Much may be accomplished in that time," said Ren 
 nison. "While you sleep, I will watch and wait."
 
 240 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Would it not be better for you to go right back to 
 Washington and get into personal touch with those who 
 are to aid you? * asked the actress. 
 
 "That would leave you at the mercy of our enemies," 
 the Army man replied. "No, Miss Warburton, there is 
 a better way. Their desperate attempt to get those 
 papers is leading Seafalcon and his agents into the play 
 ing of a fool s game. By keeping you in their custody 
 and setting a watch on me they are playing into our 
 hands. It is fortunate for us that their designs make it 
 necessary that I get into communication with my friends." 
 
 As he stepped toward the telephone on the wall, Miriam 
 laid a hand on one of his arms. 
 
 "Do not forget, Captain, that all you say over the 
 wire will be heard and reported," she cautioned him. 
 
 "Have no fear, Miss Warburton," he assured her. "I 
 will not fail to give due regard to your warning." 
 
 As he took the receiver from its hook, he raised a 
 finger in a manner which gave her to understand that she 
 must be silent. 
 
 The operator at the hotel s switchboard responded 
 promptly. The number for which Rennison asked was 
 that of the Chelmford Hotel. The desired connection was 
 made without delay. He asked for Towndrow and in a 
 few moments he recognized as the Secret Service man s 
 the voice that came to him over the wire. Miriam, watch 
 ing him anxiously, saw him take a lead pencil from a 
 pocket of his vest. 
 
 "Severn is speaking," Rennison said. 
 
 "All right, Severn," came the reply. 
 
 "I want to call up Winship, in Washington, but I ve 
 lost his telephone number," Rennison went on. "Do you 
 remember it, Towndrow? *
 
 THE NEW COMRADE 
 
 There was a pause, then the Secret Service man re 
 plied : 
 
 "No, but I have a memorandum of it somewhere. If 
 you ll hold the wire, I ll look it up." 
 
 "All right, old man. Sorry to bother you." 
 
 Miriam, still watching him, saw him place the point of 
 the lead pencil in contact with the rubber diaphragm 
 of the transmitter. She fancied he was tracing some sort 
 of a design on the black surface. 
 
 As the seconds passed, Rennison stood motionless. 
 Twice, apparently irritated by the delay, he called 
 "Hello !" But he got no answer. Finally, he rattled the 
 receiver hook. Again the operator at the hotel switch 
 board responded. 
 
 "I ve been cut off from the man with whom I ve been 
 talking," Rennison exclaimed. "Connect me again, 
 please." And he gave the number of the Chelmford. In 
 a few moments he had Towndrow. 
 
 "They cut us off, old man," Rennison said. "Did you 
 find Wiriship s number?" 
 
 "No, Severn, I ve mislaid it." 
 
 "Well, no matter, then. I ll be going to Washington 
 on the eight-thirty train and will see him personally." 
 
 "You re done here?" 
 
 "Yes. There s no use going further with the thing 
 to-day. Horsford has beaten us out and probably is 
 back at his home by this time. We ve succeeded in keep 
 ing the papers out of his hands, however, and it looks as 
 if we must be satisfied with that for the time being, at 
 least. Meantime, it will be best to say nothing to any 
 one concerning our suspicions of him. We have no 
 direct evidence against him, of course, and, unless we 
 obtain this, we may make trouble for ourselves by taking
 
 242 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 others into our confidence. Anyhow, it looks as if I 
 were about done with the case, for I probably will be 
 ordered to set off for London to-morrow." 
 
 "This trip here looked to me like a fool s chase from the 
 first," Towndrow growled. "Do you want me to take the 
 train back with you? Fve been pressed pretty hard 
 these last twenty-four hours, and since the game is 
 off " 
 
 "Get back to bed, if you like," said Rennison. "When 
 I get to Washington I ll report for you. Keep to the 
 hay until ten or eleven o clock. You can get in touch 
 with me through Merschon this afternoon." 
 
 "All right, Severn." 
 
 "All right, Towndrow. Good-bye." 
 
 Replacing the receiver on its hook, Rennison turned 
 to his companion. Miriam, standing near him, was look 
 ing at him anxiously. 
 
 "Would it not have been better to have seen your 
 friend before you leave Baltimore?" she asked. 
 
 "No. That might have spoiled everything. As a re 
 sult of the course I have taken, he is informed of the 
 situation you and I are facing here, and in a few min 
 utes every necessary resource of the Government will be 
 utilized to afford protection to you." 
 
 "But you only told your friend 
 
 Laughing, Rennison took in one of his the little hand 
 the wondering actress had laid on his arm. 
 
 "What you heard me tell him was for ears other than 
 his the ears which you warned me were alert for any 
 thing I might say over the telephone. All information 
 concerning our situation here was conveyed by means of 
 this pencil during the period my voice was still while
 
 THE NEW COMRADE 
 
 Towndrow was supposed to be seeking the memorandum 
 for which I asked. * 
 
 "I m afraid I do not understand," murmured the puz 
 zled Miriam. 
 
 "The explanation is simple," Rennison assured her. 
 "I asked him for the telephone number of Winship. The 
 name Winship is what we know as a cue word.* This 
 not only gave him to understand that I was about to 
 communicate with him by means of a secret code, but 
 that he must afford me an opportunity to do so. Though 
 the code consists of a series of dots and dashes, produced, 
 in this case, by tapping on the diaphragm of the tele 
 phone transmitter, it differs materially from the gen 
 erally known Morse code, and is a carefully guarded 
 secret of certain Federal agencies. Upon receiving this 
 cue, Towndrow told me he would search for the slip con 
 taining the missing telephone number. He remained at 
 the instrument, of course, receiving the information I 
 tapped out to him with the point of my pencil." 
 
 "Then he knows " 
 
 "He knows you and I are here together, under close 
 surveillance of Seafalcon s spies, that you have seen Sea- 
 falcon in Baltimore, and that you will meet Kerfoot 
 after I, followed by Seafalcon s agents, leave this hotel 
 for Washington. He is now proceeding to put into 
 action agencies which, in their turn, will keep careful 
 watch on you and the Brotherhood men who have you 
 in their charge. As I have said, we will remain here for 
 the next two hours. At the expiration of that time we 
 may be assured that, wherever we may go, we will be 
 moving under Federal protection. I must caution you, 
 however, against any display of confidence or defiance
 
 244 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 that might lead our enemies to suspect that you no 
 longer fear them. * 
 
 Smiling sadly, the actress shook her head. 
 
 "It will be impossible for me to display, even inad 
 vertently, confidence that I cannot feel," she said. "Your 
 success in thus communicating with your friend encour 
 ages my belief that, sooner or later, you will get within 
 striking distance of Seafalcon. But, so far as my own 
 fate is concerned, I have no illusions. When our enemies 
 learn I have deceived them, they will strike quickly. AVhen 
 the blow falls upon me, however, I will be cherishing the 
 belief that you are attaining your object, and that the 
 death of Oliver Channing is about to be avenged in the 
 manner I would have it be." 
 
 "The death of Channing will be avenged," Rennison 
 said grimly. "But it is essential that the power which 
 is to attain that object shall be given time in which to 
 be brought into action. Two hours will be sufficient. 
 This will afford you an opportunity to rest. Your part 
 of the task we have in hand is finished. Until I leave here 
 for Washington, there will be nothing I can do." 
 
 Thus speaking, Rennison took a pillow from the bed 
 and laid it at the head of a couch. 
 
 "Come, now, Miss Warburton," he directed. "You 
 must have strength to meet the ordeal which will confront 
 you. This you cannot have unless you get a little sleep." 
 
 As she glanced at the couch, a strange abstraction 
 came over her. Crossing to where she stood, Rennison 
 slipped a hand under one of her arms. Her gaze shifted 
 toward the door. 
 
 "It is all so strange so terrible," she whispered. "I 
 feel as if I had died as if I were looking at a Miriam 
 Warburton who is dead. It would be so much better if
 
 THE NEW COMRADE 215 
 
 I were dead, for I have blundered so. I sought nothing 
 for myelf. My only motive was to serve my country 
 and yours. But I was wrong. It is always wrong for 
 a woman to use against men those weapons which are 
 forged for her by the spirit of chivalry. Had Oliver 
 Channing not stooped to pick up for me the death flower 
 I dropped he would be living to-day. Had Hayden Stor- 
 row- " 
 
 A chill crept over Rennison as the whispered name fell 
 haltingly from the trembling, white lips of the actress. 
 
 "You have loved Hayden?" he asked, gently. 
 
 Miriam shook her head. 
 
 "No," she answered. "I have done him a great wrong. 
 I sought his acquaintance only in order that I might get 
 in touch with the social circle in which he moved. He 
 knew so many people. Some of them were persons who 
 moved on dangerous ground persons in, or allied with, 
 the diplomatic set. But he was unsuspicious and a care 
 less thinker. Through him I learned much that was of 
 great political significance things of great importance 
 that were unsuspected by him." 
 
 Pausing, she glanced quickly at Rennison s face. 
 
 "You know what it is I mean," she went on. "Some 
 times I have suspected that you had been drawn toward 
 Hayden for the same reasons I had been drawn to him." 
 
 "Yes," Rennison replied, "I know." 
 
 "But I could not love him," Miriam explained. "It 
 never seemed to me possible that a woman really could 
 love a man who was weaker than herself. Hayden has 
 wealth, social position, physical vigor and a good pres 
 ence qualities that should give to him great power were 
 they employed in the service of his country of civiliza 
 tion, in times like these. But he sees in life nothing but
 
 246 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 the comforts and pleasures yielded by each passing hour. 
 While others, far less favored, are working for the salva 
 tion of their country, he 
 
 Flushing suddenly, she looked at Rennison wonder- 
 ingly. There had come to her a realization of the fact 
 that, while she had been speaking, she was holding one of 
 his hands in both her own, and that one of his arms was 
 around her. But in his eyes and on his face was an 
 expression she did not understand. The Army man was 
 gazing toward one of the lowered window shades. His 
 face was pale and there was a new sternness on his fea 
 tures, but there was no mistaking the light of sorrow that 
 was smouldering in his eyes. The arm around her tight 
 ened its pressure. 
 
 "Let us think of this no more just now, Miss Warbur- 
 ton," he said, moodily. "A hard task is set for each of 
 us to-day, and every minute brings us nearer to the 
 zero hour. If you are to have strength for the ordeal, 
 you must rest." 
 
 With his arm still around her, he led her to the couch. 
 
 "You must sleep," he said. 
 
 "I ll try," she sighed. "Everything seems changing 
 now. I feel as if you were about to make all things right 
 that you are taking from me the burden which has 
 borne me down. Even the horror of it but, no that 
 never can pass away. And yet yet you, knowing all 
 I have done, do not believe 
 
 She looked at him pleadingly. Slowly he raised one of 
 her hands to his lips. 
 
 "I think it would be impossible for me to believe any 
 ill of you, Miss Warburton," he assured her. 
 
 "Can you believe that, despite my relations with the
 
 THE NEW COMRADE 247 
 
 stage and the influence I have exerted over Hayden Stor- 
 row, I always have been what even your mother would 
 have described as a good woman? 
 
 A puzzled frown came to Rennison s face as he looked 
 into the e3^es that were regarding him with a strange 
 intensity. But he did not speak. The hands of the 
 actress moved upward until they rested on his shoulders. 
 
 "It may be that you are the last friend to whom I will 
 ever speak," she whispered. "Though I am beginning to 
 have in you a faith that is second only to my faith in 
 God, it still may happen that I may die to-day. In 
 such circumstances it is impossible that I should lie to 
 you. What would be the use? And so, my last friend 
 my faithful comrade I am speaking truth when I say 
 that, no matter what appearances have been, I always 
 have been loyal to the spirit of good womanhood. Until 
 I blundered yesterday, I always have been able to respect 
 myself." 
 
 Her burning, pleading gaze was still upon him. For 
 only a moment longer did he hesitate; then, covering with 
 his own the hands that rested on his shoulders, he said, 
 gently : 
 
 "I believe you comrade." 
 
 Tears gathered in her eyes and, as she turned away her 
 burning lips touched one of his hands. She was trembling 
 as she seated herself on the couch and looked up at him 
 again. 
 
 "You really do believe that?" she asked. 
 
 "Yes," he answered, and his eyes convinced her. 
 
 "I will sleep now," she murmured. 
 
 As her head sank on the pillow, Rennison stepped to 
 the bed and, after snatching up the bedspread, he placed
 
 248 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 it over the recumbent form on the couch. This done, he 
 raised both shades and windows, thus admitting the early 
 morning light and air. Then he extinguished the elec 
 tric light, filled his pipe and seated himself beside the 
 table.
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 THE CURRENT OF DESTINY. 
 
 FOR more than a quarter of an hour, Rennison, moodily 
 puffing his pipe, sat motionless. The city was awakening 
 now, and from the street below rose sounds which indi 
 cated the revival of day activities. The morning sun 
 shine flooded the room, and with it came the odor of 
 newly sprinkled streets. 
 
 During those minutes the thoughts of the Army officer 
 had been occupied by a review of the situation which con 
 fronted him and a formulation of plans for the day. 
 These, however, were more or less fragmentary, and all 
 were tentative. He knew that prior to his arrival in 
 Washington he would be unable to shape a course defi 
 nitely. Meantime, as a result of the information he had 
 given to Towndrow, the Government rapidly was mobil 
 izing its keenest and most trusted secret agents for the 
 work in hand in Baltimore. Until these reached their 
 appointed stations, there was nothing Rennison could 
 do. 
 
 From time to time the smoker beside the table heard the 
 sounds of footsteps in the hall. None of these halted at 
 his door, however, and he gave little heed to them. 
 
 At length, after filling his pipe deliberately, Rennison 
 rose and crossed to one of the open windows. Throwing 
 back one of the white curtains, he looked out. On the 
 opposite side of the street persons were passing in and 
 
 249
 
 250 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 out of shopdoors, while about a score of others, each 
 occupied with his or her own reflections, moved at various 
 degrees of pace over the pavement. In the middle of the 
 block an iceman was removing a square of ice from his 
 wagon. A few paces behind this a short, stout man of 
 middle age, clad in a stained and wrinkled gray suit, was 
 cranking a weatherbeatcn automobile. At the corner 
 below two boys were hawking morning newspapers. 
 
 These persons and objects failed to excite even casual 
 interest in Rennison s mind, however, and his gaze passed 
 over them quickly. With rather more care he scanned 
 several persons who were standing still. He looked spec- 
 ulativcly at three men who were conversing together in- 
 front of a tobacco shop, then his glance wandered to a 
 loutish-looking fellow who was leaning against an electric 
 light pole. A little further to the right, however, he saw 
 a face that at once challenged his attention. It was the 
 face of a negro. 
 
 The eyes of the negro were turned toward the window at 
 which Rennison was standing. The man, who appeared 
 to be about thirty years old, was a little above medium 
 height. He was clad in a suit of blue serge and also 
 wore a blue-striped shirt, a green necktie, a high white 
 collar and a Panama hat. For a couple of seconds, per 
 haps, the gaze of the brown-skinned lounger met that of 
 the Army man fairly, then it fell to the roadway. 
 
 As the negro turned and moved with a slouching gait 
 toward the corner below, it occurred to Rennison that 
 somewhere, in the last three or four weeks, he had seen 
 the man before. He still was trying to identify him when, 
 after taking a few steps, the fellow half-turned and 
 looked over one of his shoulders. Again his gaze met 
 that of Rennison.
 
 THE CURRENT OF DESTINY 251 
 
 "You re a bad actor, my dusky friend," the Army man 
 muttered. "That first look you had at me should have 
 served your purpose. It should have been enough for 
 you to know I was up and stirring and was sizing up the 
 situation on the street. That s going to be the substance 
 of your report to the chap you are going to meet around 
 the corner. Then he ll make a signal or two to asso 
 ciates on the street and telephone messages will warn 
 other confederates inside this hotel to be on their guard 
 lest I get away unseen. That s all right as far as 
 it goes. But you should not have turned to take that 
 second squint at me. I know you now. You used to be 
 a waiter at the Cloister Club. Well, get them all guess 
 ing. It will do them good." 
 
 The negro had disappeared around the corner by this 
 time, and again the gaze of Rennison began to wander. 
 It halted at the wide glass window of a cheap restaurant 
 opposite. Through this he saw two men sitting at a 
 table. The eyes of both were upon him. His observa 
 tion of them appeared to be little more than momentary, 
 but the brief period was enough to enable him to make a 
 mental photograph of each. 
 
 "Only amateur detectives would look like that at a 
 man they were shadowing," he reflected disgustedly. 
 "Well, we have the description of three, at least, of the 
 Brotherhood men who are to be trailed by our boys 
 to-day." 
 
 Dropping the curtain he had held aside, he left the 
 window and returned to his chair beside the table. After 
 reseating himself, he took a memoranda book from one 
 of his pockets and jotted down descriptions of the three 
 men he had taken to be Brotherhood watchers. As he 
 returned the book to his pocket, his glance fell again"
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 on the recumbent figure of Miriam Warburton. Her face 
 was turned toward the wall, and there was little doubt 
 that the actress, completely exhausted by the long ordeal 
 through which she had passed, was sleeping. 
 
 "My wife, eh!" he muttered. "And, while she sleeps 
 here, in my hotel room, I, watching over her, am the only 
 protector she has in the whole, wide world !" 
 
 A strange feeling of depression came over him. The 
 light in his pipe went out, but he did not rekindle it. As 
 the minutes went by, he sat, leaning forward, with his 
 elbows on his knees and his chin resting on one of his 
 hands. 
 
 At length the sleeper stirred. A low cry issued from 
 her lips, then, with quick movements, she rose to her 
 elbow, and, glancing at him over one of her shoulders, 
 turned toward him a blanched face and wide, terrified 
 eyes. 
 
 Rennison rose and stepped toward her. The terror on 
 her features gave place to an expression of wonder. 
 
 "You you are here?" she faltered. "What did Hay- 
 den mean when Oh, it was was just a dream, of 
 course." 
 
 She was breathing heavily, and Rennison placed an 
 arm around her to aid her in her attempt to sit up. 
 
 "You have been dreaming?" he asked, gently. 
 
 "Yes," she murmured. "I thought I heard the sound 
 of struggling in another room. Then, it seemed to me, 
 Hayden came to me and told me you had been killed 
 that he knew I had deceived him, and that, as a result 
 of my baseness to him, I, too, would have to die. But 
 Hayden has not been here?" 
 
 "No, dear, he has not been here," Rennison answered, 
 patting her head as if she were a child.
 
 THE CURRENT OF DESTINY 253 
 
 "And nothing terrible has happened?" 
 
 "Nothing." 
 
 Reassured, she sighed and grasped one of his hands. 
 
 "It is good to know " she began, and stopped. 
 
 "What is the knowledge that makes you glad?" he 
 asked, as she continued silent. 
 
 "It is good to know that you are with me that you 
 believe in me that you are my friend," she went on, 
 abstractedly. "I have known of you for a long, long 
 time. I always thought, though, you were a man to be 
 feared. I did not suspect you could be kind like this." 
 
 "My friends would tell you that I am not a hard man," 
 Rennison protested, chidingly. "The work I have to 
 do is not of my own choosing. If I " 
 
 "Ah, you are more fortunate than I, then if you 
 
 have friends," she sighed. "I have none. For years, 
 j 
 
 "Did you not tell me I was one of your friends just 
 before you went to sleep?" 
 
 "Yes yes, I told you that, for, last night, you laid 
 bare my soul, and, after you saw it, you said you still 
 believed in me." 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "You believe I did not mean to kill poor Channing?" 
 
 "I believe you did not mean to do so." 
 
 "And that I have not been a bad woman?" 
 
 "I am certain you are a good woman." 
 
 Slipping her hands over his shoulders, she clasped 
 them back of his neck. 
 
 "Something may happen something may take you 
 from me before I wake," she whispered. "Since we met, 
 you have not looked at me the way other men have done. 
 You have been stern, kindly and then stern again like
 
 854 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 a brother who corrects his sister s faults. Perhaps the 
 circumstances in which you found me made you that way. 
 But I am trying to think differently. Instead of treating 
 me like a criminal, when you found I had done wrong, 
 that I had been led into error you made me, almost 
 against my will, prove my innocence. You have accepted 
 my comradeship. You believe in me. So kiss me now 
 good-night." 
 
 "But this is only the beginning of the day, * Rennison 
 protested, smilingly. 
 
 "No," Miriam sighed. "It is the beginning of a night 
 a long, dark, fearsome night. You called me dear 
 when you were trying to comfort me a while ago. Do you 
 remember that you did? Well, now it seems the most 
 natural thing in the world that you should kiss me good 
 night." 
 
 As their lips met and Rennison looked into the narrow 
 ing, shining eyes of the beautiful woman whose arms 
 were clasping him more tightly, he became conscious of 
 a sensation that never had come to him before a sensa 
 tion that was as overwhelming as it was sudden a sense 
 of depression, suffocation, fear. Almost breathlessly he 
 tried to fight it off, but it benumbed his efforts. 
 
 The hands of the actress fell from his shoulders and her 
 head drooped as he half-thrust her from him. Her figure 
 became inert as he guided her head to the pillow. The 
 lids closed over her eyes, and her pallid features were 
 expressionless. For several moments, alarmed by the 
 change that had come over her, Rennison feared she had 
 fainted. Perhaps this was so, but he soon saw that, 
 though she appeared to be in a trance, her breathing was 
 regular and she was sleeping. 
 
 Rennison again drew the counterpane over the young
 
 THE CURRENT OF DESTINY 255 
 
 woman s shoulders, and stepped back. As he picked up 
 his tobacco pouch from the table, he looked at his shak 
 ing hands with wonder and resentment. Once more he 
 stepped over to the window. This time, however, he did 
 not thrust the curtain aside as he looked out. Through 
 the filmy fabric he was able to see clearly persons and 
 objects in the street and on the pavement opposite. His 
 first glance outside revealed something that immediately 
 held his attention. 
 
 Directly across the street stood a large, black-bodied 
 touring car that looked rather the worse for wear. On 
 the chauffeur s seat sat a slouchy-looking man, with his 
 legs crossed and an arm over the steering wheel. He wore 
 a stained, ill-shaped golf cap and a long, gray coat of 
 light material that was torn in several places. He had 
 an oddly hooked nose, a small moustache and two-days* 
 growth of beard on his face. He was puffing languidly 
 at a short, black pipe as he talked with a seedy, gray- 
 haired man who stood on the pavement. 
 
 Rennison stepped back quickly, and an expression of 
 pleased surprise drove the frown from his face. 
 
 "Good old Carrick!" he mused. "Back from Charles 
 ton, eh just in time to get into the big end of the game. 
 And you have Wilmer with you, too. Well, Major, you, 
 at least, must not be kept guessing." 
 
 He was about to extend a hand to thrust the window 
 curtain aside when a new thought came to him. Again 
 he glanced at the sleeping woman on the couch. 
 
 Once more the pallid face of the beautiful actress 
 unnerved him. She was breathing regularly, and it 
 seemed to him that her features were softer and les 
 mask-like than they had been when he had looked upon 
 them last. Then there suddenly came to him a realiza-
 
 256 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 tion of the fact that he, not Seafalcon, was the arbiter of 
 her destiny now. Around him the Federal Government 
 already had assembled agencies that were sufficient to 
 effect her rescue. A word from him would bring them 
 into action. Within half an hour it would be possible 
 for those agencies to snatch Miriam Warburton, un 
 harmed, from the grasp of the secret forces which men 
 aced her. 
 
 But, with the knowledge of this fact, there came the 
 recognition of another. The rescue of the actress would 
 be followed by the utter collapse of the plan of cam 
 paign that was being designed to effect the capture of 
 Seafalcon within the next twenty-four hours. The suc 
 cess of this campaign depended wholly on the enemy s 
 belief that Miriam was working in the interest of the 
 Brotherhood and was causing the Government s most 
 powerful agent to do her will. 
 
 A thrill passed through Rennison as a sound came to 
 him through the open window. Only faintly perceptible 
 at first, it gradually grew louder. With drops of per 
 spiration gathering on his forehead, the listening man 
 quickly identified it. It was the drone of an approaching 
 airplane. 
 
 The sound gave to Rennison no cause for speculation. 
 Its significance was clear to him. Major Carrick, now 
 sitting at the wheel of the touring car opposite, was one 
 of the most expert signal men in the Army. The car in 
 which he was awaiting developments was, despite its 
 weather-worn appearance, as speedy and dependable as 
 the art of man could make it. But, in addition to speed 
 and the perfection of its running gear, this car was pro 
 vided with certain equipment that made it one of the
 
 THE CURRENT OF DESTINY 257 
 
 most prized possessions of the Bureau of Military Intel 
 ligence. 
 
 Projecting from the side of the car, on the left of the 
 driver, was an appliance that could have been regarded 
 as nothing else than the usual form of mirror designed 
 to enable the driver to see a reflection of the road behind 
 him. It was more than this, but knowledge of its use 
 fulness was limited to scarcely more than a score of the 
 most trusted secret agents of the government. The sup 
 posed mirror was a projector of the "Comus Ray, * the 
 result of an accidental discovery made by an obscure 
 scientist. Before the nature of the discovery obtained 
 publicity, chance led to its revelation to a well-known 
 millionaire, who, during the World War, had been at 
 tached to the Bureau of Military Intelligence. By him 
 the secret was acquired from the discoverer and presented 
 to the Government. 
 
 Invisible to the naked eye, this mysterious ray, of a 
 greenish-yellow hue and capable of being projected sev 
 eral miles, was plainly discernible, during the period of 
 daylight, through lenses of a certain color. At night, 
 however, it was indistinguishable. Manipulated in the 
 manner of heliographic rays, it served the same purpose 
 for signalling. 
 
 Generated by apparatus concealed in the car, the in 
 visible ray could be flashed at will by Carrick as he sat 
 on the driver s seat. A lever under one of his feet en 
 abled him to change the angle of the supposed mirror. 
 A button on the wheel made it possible for him to make 
 the beam yield" code dots and dashes. Equipped with 
 similar apparatus, an aviator, in an airplane overhead, 
 could signal in like manner to the car, the position of
 
 258 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 which always could be determined by the direction of its 
 ray. 
 
 In a few moments the drone of the airplane became 
 fainter. It was moving to the south of the city. But 
 its purpose had been accomplished. Its sound had con 
 veyed to Carrick the assurance that it was within the 
 compass of his signals and awaited his commands. 
 
 Seafalcon was in Baltimore and the Federal machinery 
 which was designed to effect his capture already was in 
 motion on land, in the air, and on the waters of the 
 Patapsco and the Chesapeake. Was it not possible that 
 the end might be attained without the sacrifice of this 
 woman s life? To yield her to the agents of Seafalcon 
 would mean almost certain death. The decision lay with 
 George Rennison, a captain in the United States Army. 
 He had merely to signal to the man in the touring car 
 opposite, and the rescue of Miriam Warburton would be 
 effected in less than ten minutes. But 
 
 The door had not been opened, but now there seemed to 
 be a third person in the room the one who had entered 
 Miriam s troubled dream. Addressing the disordered 
 fancy of the Army officer, he said: 
 
 "Last night I was a man. To-day I am something 
 less and more. You, George Rennison, bade me choose 
 loyalty to country or this woman. I made my choice. 
 I met the test. Now that the bearer of the bitter cup 
 has come to you, you shall not fail. 
 
 And, as Rennison made his choice, his set purpose gave 
 an expression of sternness to his face. A little exclama 
 tion caused him to turn toward the couch. 
 
 "Good woman," Miriam murmured, in her sleep. 
 
 "Good woman," Rennison muttered, nodding assent. 
 "But, Storrow, you are right. I shall not fail."
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 AN EYE BLOCKADE. 
 
 LEAVING the window, Rennison drew out his watch and 
 looked at its face. It was twenty-five minutes after 
 seven. The thought now came to him to communicate 
 to Carrick descriptions of the men he had identified as 
 spies. These descriptions would enable Federal agents 
 to shadow them when they should have occasion to report 
 to their superiors. 
 
 Such information could not be signalled from the 
 window, of course, without making Carrick, himself, an 
 object of suspicion. But other means of communication 
 were at hand. The gaze of the Army man swept the 
 room thoughtfully, then rested on the table. 
 
 As a smoker, Rennison preferred a pipe to cigars. 
 While talking with Miss Warburton, however, he had 
 lighted two cigars, which, only half smoked, now lay on 
 the ash-tray on the table. The methods of employing the 
 "stump post" were as familiar to Carrick as they were 
 to him. Concealed in one of these "stumps," a note 
 might be flung from the window in such a manner that 
 the action would mean nothing to any person who had 
 not received a signal to pick it up. 
 
 Rennison was about to detach a leaf from his memo 
 randum book for the purpose of putting the idea into 
 execution when a new thought came to him, and he hesi- 
 
 259
 
 260 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 tated. Once more he glanced at the sleeping actress on 
 the couch. 
 
 The Army man reflected that by flinging the concealed 
 note to the street he would be taking a double hazard. 
 Against him were pitted some of Seafalcon s shrewdest 
 and most resourceful agents, and it was possible that to 
 one or more of these the nature of the "stump post" was 
 known. Should the note fall into the hand of one of 
 these the course he was pursuing would be revealed and 
 the doom of Miriam Warburton must be regarded as 
 inevitable. On the other hand, should the cigar be picked 
 up by Carrick or one of his associates, the vigilant 
 Brotherhood men would be quick to realize that he was 
 in communication with Federal agents, and the result, so 
 far as the actress was concerned, would be the same. 
 
 He returned the memorandum book to the pocket from 
 which he had taken it, but picked up one of the "stumps" 
 from the tray and lighted it. Puffing at the cigar, he 
 strode to the window and threw back one of the lace 
 curtains. The apparently careless glance with which he 
 swept the opposite side of the street met that of Carrick 
 and passed on. 
 
 Conscious now that every movement made by him was 
 being carefully watched by friendly eyes, the man at the 
 open window brushed, with his left hand, imaginary ash 
 from the right lapel of his coat. This was the "stump 
 signal." The observer now would understand that should 
 the cigar be tossed away with the right hand it should be 
 picked up ; tossed with the left, it was to be disregarded. 
 
 It was with his left hand, however, that Rennison 
 flicked the cigar to the street. It fell between the rails 
 of a surface car track.
 
 AN EYE BLOCKADE 261 
 
 Without looking again toward Carrick, Rennison drew 
 back and let the curtain fall. Thus screened from view, 
 he glanced once more at the automobile across the street. 
 Carrick s back was toward him, but Wilmer, with whom 
 the Major still was conversing, was manifestly alert. A 
 moment later a trolley car hid the machine from Ren- 
 nison s gaze. 
 
 Scarcely had the car passed, however, when a short, 
 powerfully built man of middle age, clad in a wrinkled 
 gray suit, appeared in the roadway. From one of his 
 hands fell a soiled handkerchief. In picking it up, he 
 dropped it again this time over the cigar Rennison had 
 tossed to the street. When he thrust the handkerchief 
 into one of his pockets the cigar went with it. 
 
 Rennison watched the stranger grimly as the man 
 stepped up on the opposite sidewalk and walked briskly 
 away. 
 
 "Quick work, that," he mused. And he wondered what 
 would have happened had he placed a message in the cigar 
 and had given a "pick-up" signal to Carrick. 
 
 "Carrick would not have let him get away with it, of 
 course," he reflected, "but its recovery would have made 
 it clear to Seafalcon s friends that they are being double- 
 crossed by Miriam Warburton and her supposed dupe." 
 
 As it was, however, the picking up of the cigar by one 
 of Seafalcon s men would serve a useful purpose. The 
 action of Rennison in throwing the cigar to the street 
 plainly had led the enemy to suspect that he was attempt 
 ing to communicate with some associate. But this "asso 
 ciate" had failed to appear and an examination of the 
 "stump" would be sufficient to completely disarm sus 
 picion, with the result that the enemy would feel greater
 
 262 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 confidence in his plans than would have been probable 
 had the incident of the cigar not occurred. 
 
 As Rennison stepped back from the window, he realized 
 that preparations for his departure must be made quickly. 
 Glancing toward the couch, he saw that Miriam appeared 
 to be sleeping soundly. His lips were compressed as, with 
 his hands thrust into the pockets of his trousers, he paced 
 thoughtfully to and fro. At length, turning abruptly, 
 he crossed to the telephone and took down the receiver. 
 The number for which he called was that of the War 
 Department, in Washington. He had directed Jimmy to 
 remain at the switchboard until nine o clock, and it was 
 Jimmy s voice that responded. 
 
 Conscious now that all he was about to say over the 
 wire would be recorded and reported to the enemy, Ren 
 nison prepared to accomplish a double purpose. First, 
 it was essential that his associates in the quest should 
 know that all was going well with him and that he would 
 be in Washington by ten o clock. Second, it was time 
 that the enemy should have reason to believe that he 
 already was moving to obtain possession of the papers 
 which had been taken from the body of Channing. Ac 
 cordingly, having recognized the voice at the other end 
 of the wire, Rennison asked perfunctorily: 
 
 "Is that you, Jimmy?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "This is Severn speaking. * 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, before you connect me with Colonel Hawkshurst, 
 Jimmy, I am going to ask you to do something for me. 
 I am in Baltimore and before I left Washington last night 
 I had no time to go to my rooms for my suitcase. I will 
 be at the department at ten o clock, but will be too busy
 
 AN EYE BLOCKADE 263 
 
 to get to the hotel. I want you to get some things from 
 my room. Meet me in Colonel Hawkshurst s office at that 
 hour, and I will tell you what to do." 
 
 "All right, sir." 
 
 "Now give me the Colonel s office." 
 
 The Colonel s usual hour for reporting at his office was 
 nine o clock, but Rennison knew that, as a result of the 
 message he had sent to Towndrow, the head of the Bureau 
 of Secret Military Intelligence had been at his desk 
 before seven this morning. While he was waiting for the 
 connection, Rennison reflected, with some misgiving, that 
 this unusual early activity in the Colonel s office might 
 excite suspicion among the agents of Seaf alcon and cause 
 them to act more warily. It was essential, therefore, that 
 what was said over the wire should be of a nature to 
 reassure them. 
 
 At length the voice of Hawkshurst responded. 
 
 "Hello," it said. 
 
 "This is Rennison, Colonel." 
 
 "Good morning, Captain." 
 
 The speaker at the Baltimore end of the wire knew that 
 his chief was aware that the enemy was "listening in," 
 and that the conversation was to be regarded as having 
 a dual purpose. 
 
 "I scarcely expected to find you at your office so 
 early," Rennison went on. 
 
 "It is probable that I may be called out of town to-day, 
 and there are some things that must be attended to here 
 before I go," Hawkshurst replied. 
 
 "I am in Baltimore, but will be at the department at 
 ten o clock," Rennison explained. "Will I be able to 
 see you then?" 
 
 "Is it in connection with a matter of importance?"
 
 264 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Yes. It has to do with the papers which were taken 
 from Channing, at the Weymouthshire. I am going to 
 ask you to take no further action concerning the matter 
 until after I have seen you this morning." 
 
 "I will respect your wishes in the matter, of course, 
 Rennison. I will expect you, then, at ten." 
 
 "At ten, Colonel. Meantime, please regard as quite 
 unfounded the suspicions I expressed last night concern 
 ing Horsford. I am thoroughly convinced that I was 
 mistaken. The papers I withheld from him must be given 
 to him to-day." 
 
 Rennison heard his chief clear his throat before re 
 plying. 
 
 "I am glad to learn my views of those suspicions were 
 correct, Rennison. Despite your representations on the 
 subject, my confidence in the integrity of Horsford has 
 remained unshaken." 
 
 "At ten o clock, then, Colonel." 
 
 "All right, Rennison." 
 
 The Army officer smiled grimly as he hung up the 
 receiver. But in another moment the smile was gone. 
 Again his gaze rested on the recumbent young woman 
 on the couch. It was time to waken her and bid her 
 farewell. 
 
 Rennison crossed the floor slowly and laid a hand gently 
 on one of the shoulders of the sleeper, whose face now 
 was turned toward the wall. The actress stirred languidly 
 and opened her eyes. An expression of fear overspread 
 her face, and, with a quick movement, she raised to one 
 of her elbows. 
 
 For several moments each, gazing at the other, was 
 silent. As the dread faded slowly from Miriam s eyes,
 
 AN EYE BLOCKADE 265 
 
 it seemed to find increasing expression on the face and 
 in the eyes of the waiting Army officer. 
 
 "It is time time for you to go?" the actress faltered. 
 
 Rennison nodded, and once more fear gripped his spirit 
 and accelerated the beating of his heart. 
 
 "Yes," he answered thickly. "In a few minutes I must 
 be on rny way to Washington. * 
 
 He turned away and walked slowly toward a window. 
 As he moved she saw the clenching and unclenching of 
 the hands he had clasped behind him. She threw back the 
 coverlet and watched him with a strange intentness as 
 she swung her feet to the floor and rose. In the aspect 
 of Rennison now there was something which seemed to 
 belie his reputation as "a man with nerves of steel." A 
 shadow came over her features as she stepped toward the 
 dressing-case and, leaning toward the mirror, began to 
 arrange her disordered hair. 
 
 For several moments the silence of the room was broken 
 only by sounds that entered it through the open windows 
 the cries of newsboys, the tooting of automobile horns 
 and the clang of trolley-car gongs. 
 
 Looking out of the window, Rennison saw that Carrick 
 and his automobile had disappeared. 
 
 When the army man turned from the window, Miriam, 
 her back to the mirror, was leaning against the dressing- 
 case, with her hands resting on its marble top. She was 
 the first to speak, and in her voice was a strange, metallic 
 note that startled him. 
 
 "You are ready to see it through?" she asked. 
 
 His hands moved from behind him and sank deeper into 
 the outer pockets of his coat. A new sternness had settled 
 on his face, but she saw the pity in his eyes. The huski-
 
 266 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 ness had left his voice, which was softly vibrant now with 
 an unmistakable tone of decision. 
 
 "Yes, Miss Warburton, we must see it through," he 
 said. 
 
 And she knew the speaker was again the man "with 
 nerves of steel. *
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 THE FIRES OF FAITH. 
 
 LEAVING the dressing-case by which she had been 
 standing, Miriam crossed to a rocking-chair near the 
 table. 
 
 "Did your sleep refresh you?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Yes," she answered. "Though it seemed little more 
 than a succession of harassing dreams, it did refresh me, 
 and I feel stronger now. But you you have had none. 
 And you have so much to do before you will have a chance 
 to sleep again." 
 
 "I slept a little before your arrival here. It was quite 
 sufficient, I think." 
 
 The actress darted a quick, apprehensive glance toward 
 the door. Rennison placed a chair beside her and sat 
 down. 
 
 "Have you had any means of learning whether your 
 friends have begun to cooperate with you?" she inquired. 
 
 "Yes," Rennison replied. "The most resourceful secret 
 agents of the Government have been hurried here and now 
 are within signalling distance of us. My one fear is that 
 one or more of them may be identified by our foes. If 
 this should happen, and you should learn of the fact, you 
 must do your utmost to cause them to believe that it is 
 you they have under surveillance. Later in the day you 
 may even go so far as to express the fear that they have 
 found reason to doubt my good faith and are trying to 
 fasten the crime of treason upon me." 
 
 267
 
 268 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 The actress laid a hand on one of his arms. 
 
 "What else am I to do? * she asked. 
 
 "You will tell Kerfoot that when you found me here 
 the papers no longer were in my possession, but that 
 eventually you persuaded me to undertake the task of 
 recovering them and placing them in your hands before 
 midnight. You will tell him also that Horsford will 
 serve as our medium of communication, and that the 
 Brotherhood should get into touch with him by four 
 o clock." 
 
 There was a pause, then Rennison went on: 
 
 "From the moment I leave you your part will be merely 
 a passive one. Make no attempt to obtain information 
 to be given to me or other Federal agents, for that would 
 invite suspicion. Above all, keep unimpaired your con 
 fidence in the success of our enterprise, and be sure that 
 by sundown to-morrow the object for which we are striv 
 ing will have been attained, and that you will be freed 
 from the grip in which you will be held to-day." 
 
 The actress, looking at the floor, nodded assent. 
 
 "Yes," she murmured, "I will be free." 
 
 Rennison frowned as he took her hands in his. 
 
 "If we are to succeed, it must be in the light of the 
 fires of your faith," he said. 
 
 "They have been kindled for you," Miriam replied. 
 
 The faces of both were tense as they looked toward 
 one of the windows ; then Miriam s eyes became expressive 
 of new alarm and anxiety. 
 
 "You must not think of me until you have done what 
 you are setting out to do," she warned him. "The death 
 of poor Channing must be avenged. Until then you must 
 give no thought to me. You must be strong. Despite 
 what I have done, I will dare to pray. And my prayers
 
 THE FIRES OF FAITH 269 
 
 will be all for you that you may be strong and resource 
 ful that you may be what you always have been that 
 our enemies may fall into your hands." 
 
 As the grim-faced man looked into her eyes he saw she 
 had spoken truly, for they were aglow with the light of 
 a newly kindled faith. His breathing quickened, and a 
 slowly growing wonder confused his thoughts. He felt 
 her gently withdrawing her hands from his, but he made 
 no attempt to retain them. She moved from him, but he 
 did not turn to observe her actions. His thoughts had 
 turned backward. Once more, in his fancy, he was 
 following her, step by step, as she traversed a pathway 
 in the Valley of Death. A strange fatality moved with 
 her. Men spoke to her, and died Channing, Reif- 
 snyder, Storrow. Twice, while he was in her presence, 
 the cup of death had been raised to his own lips once 
 when she had tried to thrust into his hands the "flower 
 of immortality, * and again when his gaze met hers over 
 the barrel of a pistol. 
 
 And it was the voice of this woman who, in the darkness 
 of the night, had lured him toward lurking enemies in the 
 rain-soaked wood. It was she who later roused him from 
 his sleep to bid him resume his journey along her death- 
 trail until, passing her own lifeless body, he should achieve 
 the capture of civilization s scourge, Seafalcon. 
 
 He had looked upon her while her mind ran the scale 
 of human emotions. On her features he had seen the 
 changing expressions of wonder, guilt, suspicion, hate, 
 confidence, distrust, despair, comradeship and martyrdom. 
 And he had seen more something that could shine upon 
 a man only from the eyes of a woman something that 
 no man might misunderstand. Miriam Warburton had 
 been a professional actress, of course, but Rennison knew
 
 270 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 that art could not simulate those flashes which had come 
 to him from this harassed woman s tortured soul. 
 
 A little rattling sound behind him quickly put these 
 fancies to flight. He turned toward his companion as 
 he had turned when a somewhat similar sound had at 
 tracted his attention on the night before. On the former 
 occasion he saw Miriam Warburton looking at him over 
 a pistol which she had taken from a table drawer. Now 
 he saw her quietly placing on the table his hat and walking- 
 stick, which she had taken from a chair in a corner of 
 the room. On her features was an expression such as 
 knights of old might have seen on the faces of women 
 they loved wives or sweethearts when their fair hands 
 offered helmets and swords that were to be borne away 
 to the wars. 
 
 Smiling faintly, Rennison again took the hands of the 
 actress. 
 
 "You will have no fear after I leave you?" he asked. 
 
 "None," Miriam replied, with a shake of her head. 
 
 "And you will believe that those mysterious influences 
 which brought us together and made us comrades will 
 guide us and protect us until we meet again?" 
 
 "Yes," she answered, tremulously. 
 
 Bending, Rennison raised to his lips first one of her 
 hands and then the other. As she withdrew her hands and 
 stood upright, there came to him an impulse to encircle 
 her with his arms, strain her to him and kiss her lips. 
 But he dared not. Fear gripped him again fear that 
 contact with her would weaken in them both the will for 
 the stern sacrifice to which they had steeled their souls 
 fear that an intensified desire to live might dominate them 
 in the struggle they were about to wage with Seafalcon. 
 
 Then, suddenly, Rennison became aware that Miriam
 
 THE FIRES OF FAITH 271 
 
 had taken his hat and cane from the table and was holding 
 them out to him. His hands trembled as, still avoiding 
 her gaze, he took them from her. Not until he laid a 
 hand on the key in the lock of the door did it occur to 
 him that his failure to speak might have wounded her. 
 He turned toward her slowly and raised his eyes. 
 
 Standing erect, with one hand resting on the table and 
 the other at her bosom, Miriam was looking at him. She 
 was smiling, and now there was color on the cheeks and 
 brow that had been pallid for so many hours. Her eyes 
 were radiant with a new light that had come to them. 
 The eloquence of smile and eyes bespoke the joy and pity 
 felt by the weak in the moment of triumph over the strong, 
 the exultation of feminine power, pride in a newly won 
 possession and the certainty of requited love. 
 
 For several seconds each, standing motionless, gazed 
 steadfastly at the other. Rennison s face grew paler as 
 Miriam s color heightened. His shaking fingers fumbled 
 the key as he turned it in the lock. His feet moved 
 clumsily as he drew back from the door he was opening. 
 Again averting his gaze he passed on, with bowed head, 
 to the threshold. There he stopped, and turned slowly 
 toward her. Once more he stood upright. He smiled, 
 and into his glance came something of the triumph that 
 had marked her own. Then the door closed, and he was 
 gone. 
 
 The smile now faded from the lips of the woman who 
 was left alone. The color left her face and a hunted 
 expression crept into her eyes. Breathing with difficulty, 
 she took a few steps toward one of the open windows, then 
 crossed to the couch and sank down upon it. Her first 
 impulse was to bury her face in the pillow, but she 
 promptly resisted it.
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 All the power of her will now was exerted to bring under 
 restraint the emotions to which she had been giving rein. 
 Her gaze was on the door. She listened for approaching 
 footsteps on the carpeted floor of the hall, for she 
 believed these would precede a knocking on the door. 
 But she heard none. - 
 
 The knocking, soft and sinister, came without warning. 
 Its very suddenness benumbed and dazed her. Breath 
 lessly and silently she waited. 
 
 The knocking was repeated, rather louder than before. 
 
 Miriam rose slowly and started toward the door. Be 
 fore she reached it, however, it moved inward. Then a 
 man entered the room and closed and locked the door be 
 hind him. 
 
 It was Kerfoot!
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 THE MIDDLEMAN. 
 
 WITH his elbows resting on the arms of his chair, Andrew 
 Horsford, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, stared 
 blankly at a little pile of unopened letters that lay 
 before him on his office desk. His long, lean face was 
 gray and haggard, his eyes were bloodshot, and the nerv 
 ously moving fingers of his clasped hands were trembling. 
 His features plainly were indicative of bewilderment and 
 despair. 
 
 During the three years he had been in office it had been 
 Horsford s wont to enter upon the performance of each 
 day s duties a Little after nine o clock. He was a method 
 ical man and was noted for the strictness with which he 
 required his subordinates to conform with the exactions 
 of office routine. To-day, however, he did not appear at 
 the department until after eleven o clock. He then 
 directed attendants to inform visitors that he was giving 
 his attention to a matter of great importance and must 
 not be disturbed. 
 
 For nearly an hour the privacy of the Assistant Sec 
 retary was maintained. Several attaches of the depart 
 ment had called to see him, but were turned away. Then 
 there appeared an elderly, well-groomed man who intro 
 duced himself in the outer office as "Mr. Blossom." He 
 announced that he called in response to a summons from 
 
 273
 
 274 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 the Assistant Secretary. His name was taken to Hors- 
 ford, who directed that he be admitted at once. 
 
 Blossom remained for half an hour. When he left, 
 Horsford sent out for an omelet and pot of coffee. 
 Shortly afterward matters of great urgency compelled 
 him to see two officials of the department. These visitors 
 soon left him, however. Once more alone, he resumed his 
 nervous pacing of the floor; then seated himself at his 
 desk. He was thus seated when the door communicating 
 with the outer office was opened quietly and his private 
 secretary appeared. 
 
 "I m sorry to disturb you again, Mr. Horsford, but 
 Captain Rennison is here," the private secetary explained. 
 "I told him you were engaged, but he said he called on 
 a matter that would not admit of delay." 
 
 Horsford started perceptibly as the name of the Army 
 officer was mentioned. He cleared his throat, unclasped 
 his hands and gripped the arms of his chair. 
 
 "Send him in," he directed, shortly, in a voice that 
 quavered a little. 
 
 The private secretary, retiring, closed the door. A 
 few moments later Rennison opened it and stepped into 
 the room. He found Horsford busying himself with the 
 mail that lay before him on his desk. 
 
 "How are you, Rennison?" the Assistant Secretary 
 asked without looking up. 
 
 Rennison did not reply. His face, too, looked some 
 what haggard as he removed his hat, tossed it on a leather 
 couch, mopped his forehead with a handkerchief and 
 strode slowly to a chair beside Horsford s desk. There 
 was a suggestiveness of hesitation in his manner as he 
 sat down.
 
 THE MIDDLEMAN 275 
 
 With trembling fingers the Assistant Secretary drew a 
 letter from its envelope. 
 
 "You ve been expecting me, I suppose," Rennison began. 
 
 "Why?" Horsford asked evasively. "You gave me no 
 intimation that I should look for you to-day." 
 
 "Have others not done so?" 
 
 "To what others do you refer?" 
 
 "Those you saw in Baltimore after I left you, last 
 night." 
 
 Again Horsford cleared his throat. 
 
 "You, too, were in Baltimore, I believe," he said. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Sinking back in his chair, the Assistant Secretary now, 
 for the first time, faced his visitor half fearfully, half 
 defiantly. 
 
 "In following me to that city was it your purpose to 
 give to me the sheets of paper you took from your friend 
 Storrow s cane the sheets you withheld when you gave 
 me the bogus papers last night?" 
 
 "Well, when I followed you to Baltimore I had not 
 fully determined what course I would take concerning 
 the papers." 
 
 "You have reached a determination now?" 
 
 "I have nearly reached one. Certain circumstances 
 which remain to be considered must shape my decision." 
 
 "You have come to discuss those circumstances with 
 me?" 
 
 "Not exactly that, I should say. Your office will be to 
 put me in touch with persons who will be able to give to 
 me definite answers to certain propositions which I am 
 prepared to make." 
 
 "I see," Horsford answered, nodding.
 
 276 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "I am glad the situation is becoming clearer to you," 
 Rennison drawled. "There is still, however 
 
 Horsford raised a trembling, protesting hand. 
 
 "It is not clear to me, Rennison," he said. "Before we 
 proceed further, I would be obliged if you would throw 
 a little more light on our relative positions. Yesterday, 
 pursuing a quest on which you had been sent by me, you 
 took from Hayden Storrow s cane certain papers which 
 it was essential that I, as the representative of the Navy 
 Department in this matter, should have with the least 
 possible delay. Instead of giving those papers to me, 
 you retained them and gave to me some bogus sheets that 
 were not even partial copies of the originals. What was 
 your purpose in deceiving me? * 
 
 "I had found reason to suspect that you were acting 
 in the capacity of a representative of Seafalcon and his 
 Brotherhood. Your visit to Baltimore confirmed that 
 suspicion. Knowing I have proof of the fact that you 
 have been disloyal to the government of the United States, 
 and that the papers you so earnestly desire are in my 
 possession, it should be clear to you that before this you 
 would have gone the way of Reifsnyder if some powerful 
 motive had not restrained me from meting out to you such 
 punishment as you have deserved. The restraining 
 motive arises from a grievance I have against the Amer 
 ican Government. In leaving the service of that Govern 
 ment, I find it desirable to make peace with certain enemies 
 I have made, as a result of the nature of my activities in 
 the Bureau of Military Intelligence. It is essential that 
 I have such protection as may be afforded by Seafalcon 
 and his Brotherhood." 
 
 "He is all-powerful," Horsford muttered. 
 
 "He will not be so until he obtains possession of the
 
 THE MIDDLEMAN , 277 
 
 secret which I took from Storrow s cane yesterday. That 
 secret carries with it the balance of power. * 
 
 "He is well aware of that," Horsford replied. 
 
 "For certain considerations I will place it in his pos 
 session. The conditions to which he must agree are these: 
 First: He must pay to Miriam Warburton the sum of 
 two hundred thousand dollars ; second, he must give to 
 Miss Warburton full liberty of movement and the assur 
 ance that never again will she be required by the Brother 
 hood to perform any act as one of its agents ; third, fol 
 lowing its receipt of the secret from me, the Brotherhood 
 will use every effort to assure me adequate protection 
 against my enemies, it being understood that I live in 
 retirement at my country place in Connecticut. * 
 
 "That is all?" Horsford asked, as Rennison paused. 
 
 "That is all," the officer repeated. "You see that, 
 except protection, I am asking nothing for myself. Due 
 consideration must be given, however, to my suggestion 
 concerning the manner in which the papers are to pass 
 from me to Seafalcon." 
 
 "You would give them to Seafalcon yourself? * 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Horsford, who now appeared to have recovered much 
 of his composure, stroked his chin thoughtfully. 
 
 "That might be difficult, Captain," he muttered. 
 
 "The method I am suggesting is one upon which I shall 
 insist," Rennison retorted doggedly. "I know Seafalcon 
 is in or near Baltimore. Before I surrender the papers 
 I must have from Seafalcon himself assurance that the 
 conditions I have named will be carried out to the letter. 
 My plan of procedure is this : At six o clock this evening 
 I will get into telephone communication with you at your 
 house. You then will tell me whether or not my conditions
 
 278 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 have been accepted. We will make no reference to de 
 tails, of course. When you are satisfied that it is my 
 voice you hear on the wire, you simply will say yes, 
 no, or reservation. Should you say reservation I will 
 understand that a personal interview with me is neces 
 sary." 
 
 Horsford nodded. 
 
 "I understand you," he said. 
 
 "Should your reply be yes, I will have no further com 
 munication with you or your friends until ten o clock 
 to-night, at which time I will alight at the Union Station, 
 Baltimore, from the train which leaves Washington at 
 nine. I will pass quickly through the waiting-room to the 
 main entrance. I will wear this suit and will carry a 
 yellow walking-stick, with the curved handle held down 
 ward. At the entrance a representative of your Chief 
 will step toward me and say: A taxi will not be necessary, 
 for a private car is waiting. I then will accompany him 
 to the waiting car, after which I will be entirely at the 
 service of the Brotherhood." 
 
 "You will have the papers with you?" Horsford asked. 
 
 "No. As soon as possible, after I enter the car, I 
 must be taken to your Chief. When he, in the presence 
 of Miss Warburton, gives to me the assurances I require, 
 I will indicate a place where the papers may be found and 
 taken to your Chief in a few minutes." 
 
 Horsford shook his head dubiously. 
 
 "You are asking him to take what may be described as 
 a serious chance of capture, Captain," the Assistant Sec 
 retary said hesitatingly. "If you plan to double-cross 
 him- -" 
 
 "I will be alone, unarmed and completely in his power.
 
 THE MIDDLEMAN 279 
 
 In such circumstances any attempt at duplicity would be 
 suicidal, of course." 
 
 "It is well that you are taking this view of it, Captain," 
 Horsford interpolated grimly. 
 
 "There is one thing more," Rennison went on. "You 
 are the only Government official who has learned that the 
 sheets I gave to you last night were bogus that only in 
 form do they resemble the originals that were taken from 
 the body of Channing. Though Towndrow went with me, 
 trailing you, to Baltimore, he was not informed con 
 cerning all the circumstances. You will infer, therefore, 
 that the nature of the substitution of the false sheets for 
 the real ones is known only to you, to your confidants, 
 and to me." 
 
 Horsford s start and the furtive, wondering glance he 
 directed toward the speaker did not escape the observation 
 of Rennison. As the gaze of the Assistant Secretary 
 again fell to his desk his hands and knees were shaking. 
 
 "Um ! Ah !" he gasped, weakly. 
 
 There was a pause, then Rennison said: 
 
 "Now, Mr. Horsford, in order that there may be no 
 misunderstanding concerning the conditions I have im 
 posed and the plan of procedure I have outlined, I will 
 ask you to repeat them." 
 
 Slowly, mechanically and in a quiet monotone, Horsford 
 complied with the request. He omitted nothing. 
 
 Rennison, satisfied, nodded and rose. 
 
 "Very good, Mr. Horsford," he said. "Our under 
 standing is complete. In the circumstances, I do not see 
 that there is any more to say. I will communicate with 
 you, in the manner I have suggested, at six o clock. Mean 
 time "
 
 280 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Wait, Rennison," Horsford directed, speaking ab 
 stractedly. "Sit down." 
 
 Again the Army man reseated himself. 
 
 With his elbows resting on the arms of his chair and 
 the fingers of his clasped hands moving nervously, Hors 
 ford, leaning forward, gazed at the pile of letters on his 
 desk. He cleared his throat. 
 
 "Captain," he began, "you have said that, having dis 
 covered I was in league with the Brotherhood, a powerful 
 motive impelled you to refrain from meting out to me the 
 punishment I deserved. You added that the motive was 
 incident to some grievance against the American Govern 
 ment. Would I be asking too much if I were to ask you 
 to make this a little more clear to me?" 
 
 Rennison hesitated. 
 
 "I am asking this because I believe a knowledge of such 
 a grievance would strengthen the confidence of my friends 
 in your good faith toward them and their cause," the 
 Assistant Secretary added. 
 
 "I will tell you, then," Rennison answered, bitterly. 
 "In the Army of the United States I have the rank of an 
 officer. I attained that rank by dint of hard study, hard 
 work and faithful service. Despite these facts and re 
 peated and vigorous protests, I have been compelled to 
 serve as a professional spy. This service, alwa} T s onerous 
 to me, has been aggravated by the growing number of my 
 enemies distinctly dangerous enemies. I have wanted to 
 marry and settle down to an honorable career in the Army. 
 The War Department has contemptuously ignored each 
 request I have made for regular military service. And 
 now, Mr. Horsford, I am tired dog-tired of it all. I m 
 through. As an Army spy I m done." 
 
 "This Miss Miss Warburton is very dear to you?"
 
 THE MIDDLEMAN 281 
 
 "Dearer than life itself. And your Brotherhood has 
 her in its grip." 
 
 "I see," Horsford murmured softly. The fingers of 
 one of his hands, no longer trembling, were fumbling at 
 his chin. "They ve got your nerve, lad as they got 
 mine. Is it not so?" 
 
 Rennison rose abruptly and crossed the room to the 
 leather sofa on which he had tossed his hat. He was 
 bending over this when he felt a hand fall on one of his 
 shoulders. 
 
 "The world is mad mad mad !" Horsford exclaimed 
 huskily. 
 
 Rennison, straightening, smoothed the hatband. 
 
 "Yes," he assented. "It is mad." 
 
 "And yet yet Rennison, I had expected something 
 rather better of you," Horsford went on, gently gripping 
 one of the sleeves of the Army officer and looking toward 
 one of the windows. 
 
 "Indeed!" Rennison murmured. 
 
 "I am a man well along in years and with no ability to 
 perform great tasks," Horsford continued. "Political 
 influence, rather than merit, was responsible for my ap 
 pointment to the office I now hold under the Government. 
 I achieved this preferment in the American way. The 
 political interests which effected my appointment wanted 
 a weak man in this position, and their choice fell on me. 
 Following my appointment, several weeks passed before I 
 realized this. The realization first humiliated, then ap 
 palled me. When I found I was nothing more than a mere 
 tool in the hands of sinister men, I tried to get out. It 
 was too late. It was too late, Rennison. Do you under 
 stand me?" 
 
 His voice sank almost to a whisper and the hand which
 
 282 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 had been grasping Rennison s sleeve fell to his side. The 
 Army man was silent. 
 
 "The knowledge that I was to be required to play a 
 traitorous role came to me slowly," the Assistant Secre 
 tary went on. "But, as it came, the grip of the Brother 
 hood grew tighter. Subserviency to its will meant life to 
 me. Death would be the penalty of my defiance. In a 
 hundred ways I was made to feel the power of the hands 
 that moved me as a pawn and the folly of any attempt 
 at resistance." 
 
 The eyes into which the speaker was looking for sym 
 pathy or pity were indicative only of cold abstraction. 
 In shaking accents Horsford continued: 
 
 "Like a European captive of a savage African tribe, 
 and forced to do the bidding of a merciless chief, I still 
 prayed that disaster might come to him disaster that 
 might result in my release. I felt that, sooner or later, 
 there must arise from among my countrymen some David 
 who would succeed in striking down this modern Goliath 
 Seafalcon. Who he might be I did not suspect. But I 
 knew he must be brave and shrewd with a will of iron. 
 It was not until I was waiting for you to-day that the 
 idea came to me that he must possess the qualities which 
 have been attributed to you." 
 
 "So I have disappointed you, eh?" Rennison asked with 
 a note of indifference in his voice. 
 
 Still looking toward the window, Horsford answered : 
 
 "No, Rennison. Greater than your love of ease, 
 greater than your love of woman, greater than your love 
 of life, is your love of country and your sense of honor. 
 There is only one coward in this room." 
 
 "Only one coward, perhaps," Rennison said coldly. 
 "But you will not forget that in this room is a man who
 
 THE MIDDLEMAN 283 
 
 has a serious grievance against the Government of the 
 United States and who is vitally interested in assuring the 
 future happiness of Miriam Warburton." 
 
 "I shall remember it," Horsford replied. 
 
 "It is essential, therefore, that the program I have 
 indicated to you shall be carried out to the letter," the 
 Army officer went on. 
 
 "All will be done in the manner you have directed, 
 Captain." 
 
 "Thank you," Rennison said. "Meantime, I would 
 suggest that you engage in as little speculation as 
 possible." 
 
 "I will engage in none," the Assistant Secretary replied. 
 "As I have told you, I am merely a pawn in the game 
 a game which, I pray God, may be ended to-morrow. 
 Whatever the outcome of the game may be, I will be tossed 
 to my pawn s box and merciful oblivion. And so good 
 luck to you, my boy even though my lips, like Reif- 
 snyder s, may be silenced in what Towndrow has called 
 the Rennison way.* 
 
 Rennison, having bowed curtly, had started toward the 
 door when the words, "the Rennison way," came to him 
 like the sting of a lash. A sudden pallor overspread his 
 face and his lips tightened. After flashing a glance to 
 ward the speaker, he turned again to go. 
 
 "Stop !" Horsford called tremulously. "Shake hands, 
 Rennison. You know that, whatever may be the outcome 
 of this, you and I never will meet again." 
 
 The Army man halted, turned slowly, then moved to 
 where Horsford, now standing upright beside his desk, 
 was holding out a hand. Their hands met ; then Rennison 
 stepped briskly to the door. He bowed abruptly as he 
 went out.
 
 284 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 For several moments Horsford stared abstractedly at 
 the door which the departing visitor had closed behind 
 him. Gaunt, yellow-visaged, and with bloodshot eyes, he 
 had the aspect of an aged, lone wolf, listening to the bay 
 ing of distant hounds. Then, after thrusting back his 
 swivel-chair, he slowly sank to his knees before his letter- 
 cluttered desk, and liid his face in his hands.
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 THE "ZERO HOUR." 
 
 THE New York Express, which left Washington at nine 
 o clock, slowed down in the Union Station, Baltimore, at 
 five minutes after ten, being five minutes late. Nearly a 
 score of passengers alighted, among them being Captain 
 George Rennison, U. S. A. Apparently looking neither 
 to the right nor to the left, he stepped briskly to the 
 waiting-room and continued on to the main entrance to 
 the station. The brim of his hat was drawn well down 
 toward his eyes. He carried a yellow cane, with the fer 
 rule held upward. A frown darkened his face, which wore 
 a preoccupied expression. 
 
 Scarcely had the army officer passed out of the door 
 way at the front of the station when his gaze was met and 
 held by a sturdily built, well-groomed man, who, in the 
 act of lighting a cigarette, had passed out of the waiting- 
 room a few moments before. The man, a stranger to 
 Rennison, was about six feet in height, with long, well- 
 moulded, clean-shaven features, black hair and gray eyes, 
 and somewhere between thirty and thirty-five years of age. 
 His suit and shoes were black. He wore a pale blue silk 
 shirt, white collar and black tie and a straw hat with a 
 black band. His glance and carriage were indicative of 
 alertness of thought and action. 
 
 Rennison halted and, shifting his gaze to the roadway, 
 drew a cigar case from one of his pockets. His teeth just 
 
 285
 
 286 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 had closed on a cigar when the stranger, approaching, 
 said, quietly : 
 
 "A taxi will not be necessary, sir. A private car is 
 waiting." 
 
 The words thus spoken constituted the form of identi 
 fication that had been indicated by Rennison to Horsford. 
 Accordingly the Army man nodded. 
 
 "At your service, sir," he replied. 
 
 Slipping a hand under one of Rennison s arms, the 
 stranger led him to where a touring car was standing at 
 the further side of the station s semicircular roadway. 
 As they approached this, Rennison noted that it had three 
 cars behind it and two in front of it. It was a machine 
 of a common type, but of a model that was three years 
 old. Moreover, it was a little the worse for wear. Here 
 and there, visible in the electric light which fell from an 
 arc lamp above, patches of sun-blistered paint were to be 
 seen. The low leather top had an appearance of rusti- 
 ness. A broad-featured man of middle age, clad in a 
 seedy chauffeur s uniform, sat at the steering wheel. The 
 tonneau was unoccupied. 
 
 "Step right in, Captain," said Rennison s companion 
 as he threw open the rear door. Chuckling a little, he 
 added : "And, incidentally, I might mention that my name 
 is Casey." 
 
 "Glad to meet you, Casey," Rennison replied perfunc 
 torily as he sank back on the seat. 
 
 The door slammed and Casey settled down beside him. 
 
 "Right?" queried the chauffeur gruffly, looking over his 
 shoulder. 
 
 "All right, Owen," Casey answered cheerfully. "Let 
 her go." 
 
 In another moment the machine was in motion. After
 
 THE "ZERO HOUR" 287 
 
 describing a semicircle, it was headed westward toward 
 Charles Street. Along this handsome, well-lighted thor 
 oughfare it moved quickly to Eager Street, into which it 
 turned eastward. 
 
 "Your train was a little late, Captain," Casey remarked 
 easily. Seated on Rennison s right, he leaned forward 
 and, with his hands on his knees, peered searchingly at 
 the sidewalks to right and left of the speeding vehicle. 
 
 "About five minutes," Rennison replied. "We were a 
 little slow in getting through the Washington yards." 
 
 Half rising, Casey looked out of the window at the 
 rear of the cover. 
 
 "You have a trailer?" the officer asked. 
 
 "Yes," Casey answered. He paused, then, as he re 
 seated himself, he added : "Yes, a trailer and a leader. If 
 anyone tries to follow us, we ll soon know it. Ahead of us 
 and behind us we have some of the sharpest eyed and 
 nerviest gunmen in the country. But these are not all 
 who are keeping us under watchful care. Between this 
 point and our destination two hundred scouts are sta 
 tioned along our course. Scarcely are we out of sight 
 of one when we come into view of another. At every 
 quarter mile our progress is reported to headquarters." 
 
 "That s good," Rennison said approvingly. "With 
 such precautions there should be no danger of a miscar 
 riage of your plans." 
 
 As the car approached Greenmount Avenue, Casey 
 again leaned forward. 
 
 "Signal to our pilot, Owen," he directed, addressing 
 the chauffeur. 
 
 The chauffeur nodded, slackened the speed of the car, 
 then laid a hand on the automobile horn, from which now 
 issued two short toots, two long ones and a short. A
 
 288 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 machine which had been standing in Greenmount Avenue 
 responded with two short blasts and at once got under 
 way, headed southward. Casey s car, swinging around 
 the corner, moved slowly after it. 
 
 "Shall we have a long run?" Rennison queried care 
 lessly, flicking the ash from his cigar. 
 
 "No not long," replied Casey. "We ought 
 
 Confound the fool! What does he mean by 
 
 A roadster, containing two men, just had turned into 
 Greenmount Avenue from Madison Street. For several 
 yards it ran beside Casey s car, then it was seen to bear 
 to the left. In order to avoid a collision, Casey s chauf 
 feur slowed down and turned to the left. Owen s effort 
 was vain, however. The right corner of the touring car s 
 collision guard struck the left forward wheel of the 
 roadster. 
 
 The shock resulting from the impact was comparatively 
 light. Both machines stopped instantly. Swearing vio 
 lently, the driver of the roadster leaped to the ground and 
 advanced threateningly toward Owen. 
 
 Two other cars stopped and from one alighted three 
 men. Four got out of the other. These were moving 
 curiously about the interlocked touring car and roadster 
 when, from different directions, two men in policemen s 
 uniforms appeared. 
 
 Casey, rising, was about to step out of the car when 
 Rennison seized him by one of his sleeves and drew him 
 back. 
 
 "Stop !" the Army officer directed sharply, in a low 
 voice. "There is no reason that you and I should mix 
 up in this thing. It s a matter for the drivers and the 
 cops. Let them settle it among themselves. The less
 
 THE "ZERO HOUR" 289 
 
 that is seen of us the better. Better warn your man to 
 say as little as possible. There appears to be no serious 
 damage done. Stay where you are. Sit down." 
 
 Plainly impressed by the soundness of Rennison s ad 
 vice, Casey dropped back on the seat. Owen manifestly 
 was in no need of the advice suggested by the Army man. 
 To the abuse of the roadster s driver he made no reply. 
 When he was questioned by the two uniformed men, how 
 ever, he explained the circumstances clearly. 
 
 Owen s assertions were promptly corroborated by the 
 men who had alighted from the two other cars. 
 
 "Take the names of these witnesses, Hank," directed 
 one of the policemen, addressing his companion. "I ll 
 take care of the license numbers and men in these 
 machines." 
 
 The policeman thus addressed at once proceeded to 
 round up the occupants of the neutral vehicles. 
 
 "Come, now ; get over to the lamp on the sidewalk," he 
 commanded roughly. "Come along. I want all of you. 
 Get a move. We ain t got all night." 
 
 The policeman who remained behind passed around each 
 of the interlocked machines, inspecting them carefully 
 and jotting down their license numbers. In accordance 
 with his directions each machine was backed away from 
 the other. It was found that no damage whatever had 
 been sustained by the touring car. The roadster s injury 
 consisted of a bent mudguard over the forward left wheel. 
 
 Apparently mollified by the discovery that the injury 
 sustained by his machine was not more serious, the driver 
 of the roadster became affable, even going so far as to 
 assure the policeman that he was content to let the matter 
 drop where it was.
 
 290 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Both of us were a bit to blame, I guess," he said, with 
 an assumption of resignation. "There s no use making 
 a court case of it." 
 
 Owen nodded. 
 
 "That s agreeable to me," he muttered. 
 
 "Well, get OH with you, then," said the policeman as 
 he stepped back. 
 
 And once more the touring car started on its way. 
 
 "One of those machines that stopped was our trailer, 
 I suppose," Rennison hazarded as the car moved on. 
 
 "Yes," Casey answered moodily. "But I can t get it 
 out of my head, Captain, that there s something queer in 
 this thing. There is no question in my mind that that 
 roadster ran into us deliberately." 
 
 "I must confess it looks a bit odd to me," Rennison 
 said, after a pause. "It seems fairly clear, though, that 
 no one involved in the affair had any interest in you or 
 me." 
 
 "It has delayed us a little, but that will not matter 
 much unless the delay is part of some design," Casey 
 mutered. "It may be we were held up in order that 
 others might have an opportunity to come up with us." 
 
 "Our trailer will get right back on the job, of course," 
 said Rennison. 
 
 "Oh, yes. The chaps on it know what our route is 
 to be. They will keep after us. If we are followed by 
 any other car, a warning will be flashed on ahead through 
 our scout line and will be communicated to us." 
 
 The car now came abreast of another touring car that 
 had been moving slowly ahead of it. The horns exchanged 
 signals. 
 
 "Our pilot," Casey explained tersely, as the other 
 vehicle again sped on ahead.
 
 291 
 
 From behind them came the tooting of another horn. 
 Owen responded. 
 
 "That was our trailer," Casey muttered. "We re all 
 set for it again." 
 
 Bel Air Market was passed and the car was headed 
 toward the southeast. 
 
 Twice Rennison tried to lead his companion into con 
 versation, but the efforts were unsuccessful. Casey s 
 former affectation of cheerfulness had disappeared. His 
 manner plainly indicated that he was ill at ease. From 
 time to time horn signals were exchanged with pilot and 
 trailer. These appeared to be more or less perfunctory, 
 however. Casey listened attentively, but the sounds ap 
 peared neither to reassure nor alarm him. Leaning for 
 ward, he peered alternately to right and left or looked 
 out of the window at the rear of the car. 
 
 Patterson Park was left behind and the car continued 
 in the direction of Canton. The streets became darker 
 and badly paved, and so many turns were made that the 
 red tail-light of the pilot car often disappeared. 
 
 At length, as the car drew near the Canton waterfront, 
 Rennison spoke again. 
 
 "Automobiles are more common in this section, at this 
 hour of the night, than I would have supposed them to 
 be," he said. "I ve noted four in the last two or three 
 minutes. All were standing still." 
 
 "They hold friends of ours," Casey answered. "All 
 are of common types and the ordinary observer would 
 find nothing about them that might be described as dis 
 tinctive, but there is something about each that enables 
 an agent of the Brotherhood to identify it quickly. 
 
 "There appears to be many in service to-night." 
 
 "The rendezvous for which we are headed is well pro-
 
 292 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 tected," Casey replied. "No matter how bold, shrewd or 
 numerous our enemies may be, they cannot intrude upon 
 the council before which you and I are about to appear." 
 He paused, then added with unmistakable significance: 
 "Nor would it be possible for any person, however re 
 sourceful, to escape from the structure we are about to 
 enter. In arranging for this meeting with you to-night, 
 our Chief left nothing to chance." 
 
 "For my sake, as well as his own, I am glad that every 
 necessary precaution has been taken." 
 
 "Have you had reason to fear that the Federal author 
 ities might learn anything of the business we have on 
 to-night?" Casey asked quickly. 
 
 "No except well, as you know, these days and nights 
 are finding them very much awake." 
 
 For two or three minutes both were silent ; then Casey 
 spoke. 
 
 "I must confess to you, Rennison, that the stopping of 
 our car in that manner has me guessing. That fellow in 
 the roadster had some design in bringing the machines 
 together. But, as you have said, he appeared to have 
 no interest in either you or me." 
 
 "There was a five- or seven-minute delay, of course," 
 Rennison said, thoughtfully. 
 
 "Seven or ten, at least," Casey muttered. 
 
 "What is our trailer doing?" 
 
 "Falling back and closing in on us, alternately, in order 
 to be certain that no other machine is following us. Its 
 horn signals have been assuring us that all is well." 
 
 Scarcely had Casey finished speaking when the car 
 turned sharply to the right. With slackening speed it 
 passed through a short, narrow street that appeared to 
 be little more than an alley. Ahead of it loomed darkly
 
 THE "ZERO HOUR" 293 
 
 the end of a large warehouse or wharf.. The air was 
 charged with the blended odors of brine and oil. 
 
 "Now for it," Casey muttered in a voice that was 
 expressive of both anxiety and warning. 
 
 The car passed quickly through a broad, high, open 
 doorway and onto a long, wide wooden floor on which were 
 heaped barrels and packing cases of various sizes. 
 
 "Any enemy of Seafalcon s who enters here leaves hope 
 behind," Casey said impressively. 
 
 The only answer elicited by this covert threat was a 
 brightening gleam at the tip of Rennison s cigar. 
 
 As the car slowed down its headlights were extinguished.
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 FACE TO FACE. 
 
 FOR several moments the darkness of the great brine- 
 and-oil-odored wharfhouse was penetrated by only a few 
 dimly burning and widely scattered lights; then, a short 
 distance in front of the halted car, three electric flash 
 lights glowed suddenly, like dark lanterns in the hands 
 of burglars. These moved slowly in the direction of the 
 machine. 
 
 "We get out here, Captain," said Casey quietly, rising 
 and stepping from the vehicle. Rennison followed him. 
 As he alighted, the beams of the three flashlights were 
 concentrated on his face. Behind them the features and 
 figures of their bearers were only faintly discernible. 
 
 Uncertain concerning what next was to be expected of 
 him, the Army officer, manifesting no sign of curiosity, 
 nervousness or impatience, stood still. One of the three 
 light-bearers led Casey aside and exchanged with him a 
 few words that failed to reach Rennison s ears. 
 
 "Come on, boys," Casey directed in a low voice. 
 
 Scarcely were the words spoken when the rays of the 
 three lights fell to the floor in such a manner that they 
 indicated the course along which the Army man was to 
 move. Without speaking, and walking as quietly as if 
 they were about to enter a sickroom, the five men strode 
 slowly toward the further end of the dark and silent 
 wharfhouse. Their course tended toward the right and 
 
 294
 
 FACE TO FACE 295 
 
 brought them finally to a door which the rays of the flash 
 lights showed to be set in a wooden partition. 
 
 At this door Casey, the leader of the group, halted and 
 glanced over his shoulder, apparently to assure himself 
 that his four companions had kept pace with him ; then, 
 without knocking, he opened the door and passed from 
 view. In a few moments he reappeared and, with a ges 
 ture, directed the others to enter. A light-bearer laid a 
 hand on one of Rennison s arms. 
 
 "You re first," the stranger said gruffly. "Step in. 
 Keep right on with Casey. The rest of us won t be 
 going much further than the door, I guess." 
 
 Rennison nodded and passed through the doorway. 
 From that moment all thoughts of the three men with the 
 flashlights were gone from his mind. 
 
 The Army man now stood at the lower end of a room 
 about fifty feet long and twenty feet wide, low-ceilinged 
 and extending along a side of the wharf-house. Walls 
 and ceiling were constructed of unpainted boards that had 
 become splintered and brown. Three overhead lights sent 
 feeble rays into the smoke-charged atmosphere. At the 
 further end of the room a fourth light, with a discolored 
 green shade, stood on a small, rudely constructed table. 
 To the left of the table was an open trap door from which 
 protruded about three feet of a ladder. 
 
 These details were quickly observed by Rennison in the 
 course of the apparently casual glance with which he 
 swept the room. Scarcely less indifferent was the gaze 
 he directed toward a group of four men who stood at the 
 further side of the table. One of these, leaning against 
 the end wall, had a telephone receiver at one of his ears, 
 and appeared to be unaware of the entrance of the army 
 man. Two of the others were unknown to Rennison. The
 
 296 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 fourth man was quickly recognized, however. He was 
 Forney Kerfoot, that agent of the Brotherhood who had 
 taken Miriam Warburton from Washington to Baltimore. 
 
 Laying a hand on one of Rennison s arms, Casey 
 muttered : 
 
 "We ll have to wait a bit, Captain." 
 
 Glancing at the speaker, Rennison saw that a strange 
 change had come over him. His face was pale and wore 
 a puzzled expression. His manner was indicative of hesi 
 tation, his eyes of newborn anxiety. 
 
 Looking again toward the table, the Army man ob 
 served that this change in Casey might be regarded as 
 reflecting the attitude of Kerfoot and two of his com 
 panions behind the table. Kerfoot s features, too, were 
 pale ; and, as he looked fixedly at Rennison, the distrust 
 and menace in his gaze were unmistakable. The men 
 beside him, tense-featured and anxious, darted swift, fur 
 tive glances toward Rennison, and appeared to be listen 
 ing to what was being said over the telephone by the 
 fourth member of the group. The man at the telephone, 
 however, did not turn his face from the instrument. 
 When he spoke into the transmitter his voice was so low 
 that Rennison was unable to distinguish his words. 
 
 For more than two minutes Rennison, avoiding the 
 sullen, distrustful and questioning glances of the other 
 occupants of the room, stood stolidly near the door 
 through which he had entered. 
 
 At length, with a muttered exclamation, the man at 
 the telephone returned to its hook the receiver he had 
 been holding to his ear. Turning slowly, he confronted 
 Rennison. 
 
 Not for a moment, while he stood waiting, had Renni 
 son been in doubt concerning the identity of the man who,
 
 FACE TO FACE 297 
 
 with averted face, had been speaking into the telephone. 
 The tall, broad-shouldered, long-limbed figure, with the 
 curling black hair, a little gray over the temples, had 
 been described to him. And now, as the stranger turned, 
 thus revealing a pair of dark, flashing eyes and a well- 
 molded face which had been disfigured by a deep scar on 
 the left cheek, the Army man knew that the greatest crisis 
 of his adventurous life had been reached. He stood face 
 to face with Seaf alcon ! 
 
 Each, without speaking, regarded the other grimly. 
 The features of Rennison were inscrutable; Seafalcon s 
 were faintly expressive of curiosity. Without waiting 
 for an invitation, the Army man moved slowly toward the 
 table. 
 
 Seafalcon s gaze was the first to fall. Looking thought 
 fully at the table, he said, half-abstractedly : 
 
 "And so, Rennison, we have you here." 
 
 "At your service, sir," the Army man replied. 
 
 "At our service, perhaps, but not in it, I should say," 
 Seafalcon retorted, speaking rather more sharply than 
 before and once more fixing his gaze on the face of his 
 visitor. 
 
 "That remains to be determined, of course," Rennison 
 answered coldly, as he halted in front of the table. 
 
 Sitting on a corner of the table, Seafalcon folded his 
 arms across his chest and looked at Rennison specula- 
 tively. There was a pause, then Rennison added: 
 
 "The propositions I submitted through Mr. Horsford 
 are before you." 
 
 Again the gaze of Seafalcon fell. 
 
 "True," he said reflectively. "Unless there has been 
 an error in transmission, the proposition you have made 
 to us is this : Subject to certain conditions, you will cause
 
 298 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 to be delivered to me certain sheets taken by you yesterday 
 from a sword cane belonging to your friend, Hayden 
 Storrow. These sheets, according to the understanding 
 of both of us, contain the plans and specifications of an 
 invention perfected by one Oliver Channing, lately de 
 ceased an ingenious contrivance designed to locate, with 
 extraordinary accuracy, the movements of submerged 
 submarines, within the radius of a considerable number 
 of miles." 
 
 "Fifteen miles, I believe," explained Rennison. 
 
 "Ah, well fifteen, then, if we are to be accurate. That 
 is the offer you have made to us subject to conditions, 
 of course?" 
 
 "Precisely," Rennison replied. 
 
 Seafalcon nodded, and went on: 
 
 "And the conditions are these: The Brotherhood is to 
 pay to Miss Miriam Warburton the sum of two hundred 
 thousand dollars ; to absolve her and you from all further 
 service to the Brotherhood, and to guarantee to you both 
 all the protection it may be able to afford against all 
 persons whom you may have reason to regard as your 
 enemies." 
 
 "Those are the conditions, sir," Rennison assented. 
 "It is clear there has been no error in transmission." 
 
 Seafalcon looked abstractedly toward the farther end 
 of the room, where Casey and his three companions stood 
 together, gloomily eyeing the group around the table. 
 The silence was broken by the ringing of the telephone 
 bell. To this summons Seafalcon appeared to give no 
 heed. 
 
 "Shall I answer it, Chief?" Kerfoot asked. 
 
 Seafalcon nodded, but did not speak. Kerfoot stepped 
 to the instrument and placed the receiver to one of his
 
 FACE TO FACE 299 
 
 ears. Though he spoke quietly, Rennison heard his 
 words : 
 
 "Yes," he said. "Philimore is speaking. Yes, Belfort 
 is here. Yes yes yes. Wait a moment, Bill. Better 
 tell all this to Belfort, himself." 
 
 Turning, Kerfoot held out the receiver to Seafalcon. 
 
 "It s Zebra, Chief," he explained glumly. "You d bet 
 ter take him on." 
 
 He moved clumsily as Seafalcon left the table and took 
 the receiver from his extended hand. Avoiding Rennison, 
 his glance moved toward Casey, who was watching him 
 anxiously. Then the Army man heard Seafalcon speak 
 ing. 
 
 "Yes yes, it s clear enough," he said. 
 
 For rather more than a minute Seafalcon listened. 
 From the receiver he held at his ear came a continuous 
 clicking that was heard by Rennison. At length Sea- 
 falcon s voice was heard again. 
 
 "All right, Bill," he said. "That s as far as you can 
 get with the thing to-night. You re released. No further 
 instructions. We must await developments. Good 
 night." 
 
 Seafalcon moved slowly as he returned the receiver to 
 its hook and stepped back to the table. He picked up and 
 lighted a cigar which had been lying on an ash-receiver. 
 As he puffed at the cigar he seated himself again on the 
 table. 
 
 "We were speaking of the conditions named in your 
 offer, Rennison," he said. "You are prepared now, I 
 suppose, to exact their fulfillment?" 
 
 "Yes," the Army man answered shortly. 
 
 "Well, we will take them in order, then," Seafalcon 
 went on. "The first, I believe, is the production of Miss
 
 300 
 
 Warburton; second, the payment to her of two hundred 
 thousand dollars ; third, assurance from me that neither 
 you nor Miss Warburton shall be required to perform any 
 further personal service in behalf of the Brotherhood, and 
 that, in the future, both of you will be under our pro 
 tection." 
 
 Rennison nodded assent. Turning to Kerfoot, Sea- 
 falcon said: 
 
 "You may tell Miss Warburton we are ready to see her 
 now." 
 
 The execution of this command was devoid of ceremony. 
 Stepping to the open trap, from which the top of the 
 ladder protruded, Kerfoot called, gruffly: 
 
 "All right below."
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 A FATEFUL TOAST. 
 
 THROUGH the open trapdoor came, faintly, the sounds 
 of voices ; then all was still. Seafalcon slipped from his 
 seat on the edge of the table, drew up a chair and sat 
 down. He then took from his coat a writing pad and a 
 fountain pen. Rennison, watching him, observed that he 
 wrote with precision, and that his handwriting was re 
 markable because of the smallness of the letters. The 
 sheets were small and Seafalcon used two of them in the 
 writing of about twenty lines. To these he appended a 
 signature. 
 
 After hurriedly scanning what he had written, the 
 Brotherhood Chief rose and looked toward the further end 
 of the room. By a gesture he directed Casey to come to 
 the table. 
 
 "Read these instructions, Casey, and tell me if they 
 are clear to you," he said. 
 
 Leaning over the table so that the light fell upon the 
 sheets, Casey read carefully. When he was done, he 
 straightened slowly and looked at his Chief. Wonder 
 dominated his questioning gaze. 
 
 "They are clear to you?" Seafalcon queried. 
 
 "Yes, sir," Casey answered, with manifest hesitation. 
 "They are clear." 
 
 "Go, then," Seafalcon commanded sharply. 
 
 Accompanied by the three men who had followed Ren 
 nison into the room, Casey went out. 
 
 301
 
 302 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 The ladder-top, shifting slightly, rattled against the 
 side of the trap. Kerfoot leaned over it. At length, 
 stooping lower, he extended a hand through the opening. 
 Below, a woman spoke quickly, but so faintly that the 
 words were unintelligible to the ears of Rennison. Then, 
 slowly, the hands, head and shoulders of Miriam War- 
 burton came into view. Aided by Kerfoot, she reached 
 the top of the ladder and stepped from it to the floor. 
 
 The wandering, troubled gaze of the actress quickly 
 marked Rennison and rested on his face. The Army man 
 regarded her so coldly that the light of glad recognition 
 died quickly in her eyes. As she turned from him, it 
 seemed to him that she had aged greatly since he had 
 seen her last. Her face was sallow, her eyes sunken, and 
 her hair, only partly concealed by her automobile veil, 
 was disheveled. For the time being, at least, she appeared 
 to have lost her composure. Whether this was due to fear 
 or exhaustion incident to her ascent of the ladder those 
 who looked upon her were unable to determine. 
 
 Kerfoot, apparently suspecting that the young woman 
 was about to succumb to faintness, retained his hold on 
 one of her arms. Seafalcon, darting a swift, searching 
 glance at the inscrutable face of Rennison, thrust toward 
 her a light, discolored wooden chair. 
 
 "Sit down, Miss Warburton," he said almost roughly. 
 
 The actress, apparently involuntarily, again flashed a 
 questioning glance toward Rennison. But, conscious of 
 the fact that Seafalcon and his companions were scrutin 
 izing him closely, he was as unresponsive as before. Sea- 
 falcon laughed mirthlessly. 
 
 "One scarcely would describe you as a demonstrative 
 lover, Captain," he said. "And yet your merit as an 
 actor is beyond all question." Turning to the young
 
 A FATEFUL TOAST 303 
 
 woman, he added: "You will take comfort, Miss War- 
 burton, in the thought that if Captain Rennison does not 
 welcome you more becomingly it is because he designs to 
 save your life should a miscarriage of his plans subject 
 him to Brotherhood vengeance. In that event he would 
 denounce you as a Brotherhood spy, thus hoping to cause 
 us to believe that you were faithful to us and unfaithful 
 to him. Is it not so, Captain ?" 
 
 "There will be no miscarriage of my plans," Rennison 
 answered calmly. "Now that Miss Warburton is here, 
 the payment to her of the amount agreed upon is in order, 
 I believe." 
 
 "True," replied Seafalcon. "We will now proceed to 
 conform with the second of the conditions you have 
 named." 
 
 Thus speaking, he unbuttoned the bosom of his flannel 
 shirt and took from an inside pocket a long, sealed 
 envelope. As he placed this on the table, he added: 
 
 "But, before we open this envelope, let us drink some 
 of this excellent Scotch which I took from a British tramp 
 I sank last week. A little stimulant cannot fail to benefit 
 Miss Warburton, and I am sure none of us will be the 
 worse for it. It is fortunate, too, that we have six glasses 
 here one for each of us. My friends and I sampled 
 some of the liquor just before you entered, Captain. It 
 impressed us as being rather fine. We re a little shy on 
 water, but well, there seems to be enough to go round." 
 
 He arranged the six glasses in a line, then withdrew 
 the corks from both bottles on the table. With a bottle 
 in each hand he used them alternately, pouring liquor into 
 the glasses. When this was done he filled each glass 
 with water from a pitcher. 
 
 Rennison watched this proceeding, then glanced toward
 
 304 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Miss Warburton, who was gazing at him fixedly. He 
 smiled faintly as he read the warning in her eyes. 
 
 With a slight bow, Seafalcon handed one of the glasses 
 to Miriam and moved another across the table toward 
 Rennison. He next selected one for himself; then, with 
 a wave of one of his hands, invited his three companions 
 to help themselves. Raising his glass, he addressed 
 Rennison. 
 
 "Captain, this night has yielded rather more than its 
 share of distrust and fears," he said. "Let us drink to 
 the hope that all may be ended by the dawn of the 
 coming day." 
 
 Rennison raised the glass to his lips, then lowered it 
 without touching the liquor. Miriam, still watching him, 
 did likewise. 
 
 "Stop !" commanded Seafalcon, whirling around to his 
 adherents, who stood at his left. "All drink or none ! 
 What is your objection, Rennison, to the toast I have 
 proposed?" 
 
 "To the toast there can be no objection, of course," 
 Rennison replied as he returned the glass to the table. 
 
 "You suspect, then, the liquor is poisoned?" the 
 Brotherhood chief questioned sternly. 
 
 "Oh, no," the army man answered smilingly. "Should 
 you design to poison me, you would wait, at least, until 
 the papers I have undertaken to deliver are in your 
 hands." 
 
 For the first time since Rennison had entered the room 
 the eyes of Seafalcon flashed wrathfully. The Chief s 
 left hand still held his glass as he stepped behind the chair 
 on which Miriam was seated. With his right he quickly 
 drew an automatic pistol from one of his pockets and 
 aimed it at the back of the head of the actress. There
 
 A FATEFUL TOAST 305 
 
 was no mistaking the menace in the gaze he bent on 
 Rennison. 
 
 "You will drink?" he asked. 
 
 Realizing that even a moment s hesitation might result 
 in an immediate discharge of the threatening weapon, 
 Rennison nodded and reached for the liquor he had 
 thrust aside. 
 
 "Now drain your glasses all!" Seafalcon commanded. 
 
 The order was obeyed. One by one each male drinker 
 placed his empty glass upon the table. That from which 
 Miriam drank was taken from her and put down by 
 Seafalcon, who returned to his pocket the pistol with 
 which he had threatened her. 
 
 "And so we come again to the payment of the price 
 the two hundred thousand dollars, which I told you was 
 in this envelope," Seafalcon began. "You have required 
 that this sum " 
 
 As Seafalcon stopped, there flashed into the mind of 
 Rennison the knowledge that something strange had 
 happened or was about to happen. Now, for the first 
 time, the Brotherhood Chief, himself, appeared to be ill 
 at ease. He spoke hesitatingly, in the manner of one 
 whose thoughts were not upon his words, and his voice 
 was more harsh and metallic than it had been before. 
 Though he fumbled with the envelope of which he had 
 spoken, he made no move to open it. His face grew whiter 
 as his gaze rested on the table. The interrupted sentence 
 remained incompleted. His attitude finally became that 
 of one who listened and waited. 
 
 Miriam, breathing heavily, looked at Rennison anx 
 iously. Once their glances met, and she fancied she read 
 in his eyes that suspicion which, she did not doubt, he 
 saw in hers the suspicion, amounting almost to a con-
 
 306 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 viction, that the liquor they had been compelled to drink 
 had been poisoned. 
 
 As Rennison turned from her, a faint tinge of color 
 came to her face and a momentary sense of exultation 
 dislodged her fears and fanned into sudden flame the 
 darkening embers of her woman s pride. Despite the 
 coldness of his manner, there was no mistaking the keen 
 anxiety which lurked in the brief glance he had turned 
 upon her, and it was with almost hysterical satisfaction 
 that the actress reflected that it was only to save her 
 from instant death that George Rennison drank what he 
 believed to be poisoned liquor. 
 
 Again Seafalcon raised his eyes and met the gaze of 
 Rennison. Again he spoke with manifest effort, harshly 
 and metallically. 
 
 "The sum you have required of us, Captain, is a large 
 one, and yet yet it cannot be denied that that 
 
 An exclamation hoarse and incoherent interrupted 
 him; then, with bowed head and hunched shoulders, one 
 of the two Brotherhood men who had been standing with 
 Kerfoot lurched forward and fell to the floor. 
 
 A little cry issued from the lips of Miriam as she rose 
 from her chair. A look of dread was on the face Rennison 
 turned toward her. With outstretched hands she ran to 
 him, and, as his left arm passed round her waist, she hid 
 her face on his shoulder. 
 
 A second body fell heavily to the floor, but Seafalcon, 
 standing beside the table and still fumbling the envelope, 
 continued to gaze at Rennison. 
 
 "Chief Chief!" 
 
 The hollow voice now speaking was that of Kerfoot, 
 who, leaning heavily on the back of the chair Miriam 
 had left only a few moments before, was regarding Sea-
 
 A FATEFUL TOAST 307 
 
 falcon with an expression in which agony, wonder and 
 reproach were blended. 
 
 "Chief, you ve you ve wrong glasses you ve done 
 for us !" he faltered. 
 
 The chair clattered beside him as his big frame, falling, 
 shook the floor. 
 
 Supported by Rennison s arm, Miriam Warburton 
 raised her head. She saw Rennison and Seafalcon were 
 looking at one another steadily. Both were pale, but 
 calm. The Army officer was the first to speak. 
 
 "And so you made a mistake in identifying the 
 poisoned bottle, eh?" he asked. 
 
 Seafalcon shook his head. 
 
 "No, Rennison," he said. "There has been no mistake 
 in the filling of the glasses. The game you and I have 
 been playing since the death of Channing yesterday is 
 finished. You win. I lose. But, before we clear away 
 the pieces, there still is a little more for us to do and 
 say."
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 A STARTLING TASK. 
 
 AGAIN Seafalcon picked up one of the bottles and 
 poured some of its contents into a glass. His features 
 wore an expression of gloomy abstraction as he raised 
 the glass to his lips and drained it of the liquor. 
 
 "You ve double-crossed me, of course, Rennison," he 
 said, "but the nature of your object, the desperate 
 chances you have been taking and your action in walking 
 in here to-night to what you believed to be certain death 
 makes your course entirely justifiable. An even better 
 view of it may be taken when I confess that had you 
 delivered to me to-night the papers which I sought, and 
 which were essential to the continuation of my career, 
 neither you nor this woman here would have left this 
 place alive. But Miss Warburton appears to be suffer 
 ing from exhaustion. There is no reason why she should 
 be standing. Let her sit down." 
 
 Stooping, the Brotherhood Chief picked up and 
 placed for the young woman the chair which had been 
 overturned by the falling Kerfoot. Miriam sank on it 
 weakly. 
 
 "There is nothing that may be done for them?" 
 Rennison asked, glancing at the three still, outstretched 
 figures on the floor. 
 
 "Nothing," Seafalcon answered. "Already life is ex 
 tinct. For the poison that was in their liquor no anti- 
 
 308
 
 A STARTLING TASK 309 
 
 dote is known. It was some of this that was in the 
 end of that cigar into which your friend Storrow bit 
 while he was waiting for you to join him in his limousine, 
 outside the department building a cigar he was so ill- 
 advised as to accept from a mere acquaintance at the 
 Guilford reception." 
 
 Gripping one of Rennison s hands which rested on the 
 back of the chair, Miriam looked up at him fearfully. 
 
 "Is is Hayden ?" she faltered. 
 
 Avoiding her glance, Rennison nodded. 
 
 With a little gasp, Miriam turned from him, and, 
 trembling, hid her face in her hands. 
 
 "But there is no time now to think or speak of them," 
 Seafalcon, frowning, said impatiently. "As I have said, 
 you win. Five minutes before you entered that door, I 
 had indisputable evidence of the fact that I was so com 
 pletely trapped that escape was impossible. But, be 
 fore your friends " 
 
 He stopped abruptly. Following the direction of his 
 gaze, Rennison saw a slight shaking of the ladder that 
 rose through the open trap. Speaking crisply, Seafalcon 
 went on: 
 
 "Your friends are here. The guard I had on the 
 float below had orders to leave as soon as Miss War- 
 burton came up. The way is open to me, as you see. 
 But, for ten minutes, perhaps, you and I must talk 
 without interruption from others. What I have to say 
 is rather more in your interest, now, than my own. 
 Keep your men out of here. I will not be taken alive, 
 of course." 
 
 He had not finished speaking when the head and shoul 
 ders of a man wearing the uniform and insignia of a 
 commander in the Navy emerged through the trap.
 
 310 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Moving deliberately, he completed the ascent of the 
 ladder and stepped to the floor. If he carried a weapon 
 it was not in view. Behind him the head and shoulders 
 of another naval officer appeared on the ladder. 
 
 The gaze of the newcomer moved from Rennison to 
 Seafalcon, thence to Miriam Warburton, then back to 
 the Army officer. His glance interrogated, but he neither 
 spoke nor saluted. 
 
 Rennison was about to speak when the opening of the 
 door at the other end of the room caused him to turn 
 quickly. The man who entered was Towndrow. 
 
 Seated on the table and fingering the pistol with which, 
 a few minutes before, he had threatened the actress, 
 Seafalcon looked over one of his shoulders at first one 
 intruder and then the other. His glance was coldly 
 curious. 
 
 The smile that came to Rennison s lips was forced. 
 
 "Did I not know, gentlemen, that your arrival simul 
 taneously must be regarded as accidental, I would con 
 gratulate you on the accuracy with which you have har 
 monized your plans," he said. "For the time being, how 
 ever, there is nothing that will require your presence in 
 here. The Chief and I are having a little talk, and would 
 prefer not to be disturbed. He will make no attempt 
 to escape nor to do me injury. Meantime, Towndrow, I 
 will ask you to take a position outside the door and 
 see that no one enters it. And, Catherwood, if you and 
 your men will wait below somewhere near the foot of 
 the ladder until " 
 
 The naval officer saluted, turned, and once more set 
 foot on the ladder. As he descended he glanced from one 
 to another of the lifeless figures on the floor. But Town 
 drow hesitated. With a hand still grasping the knob of
 
 A STARTLING TASK 311 
 
 the door, he, too, looked at the prostrate forms, and, 
 for several moments, the brooding eyes of Seafalcon, still 
 fingering the pistol, held his gaze. Then he turned to 
 Rennison, and Miriam, despite her agitation, wondered 
 why that strange expression of awe stole over the face 
 of the Secret Service man why Rennison s features 
 grew suddenly paler and sterner, as, frowning, he turned 
 aside. Even had she heard she would not have under 
 stood the significance of the words muttered by Town- 
 drow, as, with bowed head, he passed out of the room 
 and closed the door behind him. 
 
 "The Rennison way again!" he faltered. "The devil s 
 in it and him. It s always always the Rennison way." 
 
 When the intruders were gone, Seafalcon, leaving the 
 table, dropped the pistol into one of the outer pockets 
 of his coat. 
 
 "I m not going to keep you long, Rennison," he began 
 abruptly, "but before I come to what you probably will 
 designate hereafter as my confession, I am going to ask a 
 few words of explanation from you. You and your Fed 
 eral friends mixed in a lot of new stuff in that game you 
 played on me to-day. Some of it is clear enough to me 
 now, but some has me guessing. How did you fellows 
 spot my submarine in the harbor? It entered at night, 
 and, lying on the bottom all day, its machinery was still. 
 No airplane flew over it, and no vessel was seen in its 
 vicinity, and yet, less than a quarter of an hour before 
 your arrival here, it was destroyed by either a mine or 
 torpedo. Naturally, I m a little curious. How did you 
 manage it?" 
 
 "With that part of the affair I had nothing to do," 
 Rennison replied. "Until now I did not know the effort 
 to discover and destroy your boat had been successful.
 
 312 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 The credit for that accomplishment belongs to the Signal 
 Service and the dead Channing." 
 
 "Ah!" exclaimed Seafalcon, half-comprehendingly. 
 
 "As you know, the aquaphone was his invention. The 
 secret of this device which enabled vessels to exchange 
 telephone messages under the water was stolen by you. 
 But there was an auxiliary device that eluded you. This 
 was known as the locater. By means of this, communi 
 cation between your vessel and the receiving and trans 
 mitting drum, which you sank under this pier, was identi 
 fied and the sources traced with accuracy. The scien 
 tific principles embodied in this combination were further 
 developed and utilized by Channing in the device which 
 he employed for the detection of the position of sub 
 merged submarines and the visualization of their move 
 ments." 
 
 "Channing was a clever fellow," Seafalcon said, 
 thoughtfully. "It is too bad that he is lost to us." 
 
 "To us !" Rennison exclaimed, wonderingly. 
 
 "To our Federal Government yes," Seafalcon an 
 swered, as he lighted a fresh cigar. 
 
 "I m afraid I do not quite get your meaning, Chief," 
 said Rennison. 
 
 "All shall be made clear to you presently, but well, 
 my curiosity is still unsatisfied. I am going to ask you 
 to indulge it a little further. At the time you arrived 
 at the railway station in Baltimore to-night you did not 
 know that my boat and my quarters on this pier had 
 been definitely located?" 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "Or that a Pennington Line freighter, then being 
 warped into its dock a few hundred yards from here, had 
 its hold packed with marines?"
 
 A STARTLING TASK 313 
 
 "I knew that measures had been taken to effect the 
 secret arrival of several large bodies of marines in the 
 harbor for emergency calls." 
 
 "Well, they nearly beat you to it, for, with scores of 
 your Secret Service agents, they already were throwing 
 a cordon around the land approaches to this wharf as 
 you were brought into the wharfhouse. This I learned 
 immediately following your entrance to this room. It 
 cannot be denied that the encompassing move was worked 
 out with admirable precision. It was splendidly planned 
 splendidly executed." 
 
 "It seems a little extraordinary that " 
 
 "That no firearms have been discharged !" Seafalcon 
 questioned, as his visitor paused. "No, it is not extraor 
 dinary. The written order you saw me give to Casey 
 forbade resistance. Within five minutes after he left us, 
 the quiet dispersal of my outlying guards was under way. 
 No, there has been no armed resistance to-night, and 
 there will be none. You had planned to take me by sur 
 prise, and 3 T ou have succeeded. And yet, I doubt whether 
 the surprise you have given to me may be regarded as so 
 great as that which I still have in store for you." 
 
 "Indeed !" Rennison exclaimed, coldly. 
 
 "But let us proceed with the explanation concerning 
 your part in the affair," Seafalcon went on. "This is 
 likely to be more or less perfunctory, I suppose, for it 
 probably will amount to little more than corroboration of 
 certain suspicions which are pretty well defined in my 
 mind. You will tell rne frankly whether I am right or 
 wrong?" 
 
 "Yes," the Army man assented. 
 
 "Very good. Well, not feeling entirely confident of 
 the success of your colleagues in trapping me, you sought
 
 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 a personal interview in order that you might be followed 
 here by your confederates. These were posted around all 
 the approaches to the Union Station. The stopping of 
 the car in which you were riding with Casey was part 
 of the plan. The harmless collision was sufficient to 
 give two of your men, disguised as city policemen, a pre 
 text to poke around under Casey s car, for imaginary 
 damage. While so doing, one of the men attached back 
 of the running board something that was fashioned like a 
 policeman s club something which was, in fact, a rubber 
 cylinder, with a small hole at one end of it. Through 
 this hole a fluid in the cylinder was permitted to drip, 
 drop by drop, in such a manner that, assuming an auto 
 mobile was proceeding at a rate of twelve miles an hour, 
 the drops should strike the ground at intervals of about 
 thirty feet." 
 
 A puzzled expression crept into Rennison s eyes, and 
 he said: 
 
 "It cannot be doubted, Chief, that you had keen eyes 
 along the trail, and that information reached you 
 quickly." 
 
 "Not quickly enough, for the dripping fluid did not 
 assume its phosphorescent quality until it had been ex 
 posed for ten minutes to the air and after those of our 
 vehicles which followed you had passed on. Thus it hap 
 pened that an innocent looking commercial car, bearing 
 the name of a grocery firm, and carrying friends of yours, 
 was speeding along a newly found fire-dotted trail, after 
 our vigilance had been relaxed after you had been ad 
 mitted to this room." 
 
 "And, having learned all this, you still permitted me 
 to live, eh?" Rennison murmured, thoughtfully. 
 
 "My boat had been destroyed and already your marines
 
 A STARTLING TASK 315 
 
 were encircling me. I saw escape was impossible. But 
 there was more much more for you and me to do. 
 From the moment I realized you had beaten me at the 
 game, no thought of doing you injury entered my mind. 
 Strange as it may seem to you, I rejoiced in the revela 
 tion of your astuteness, your fearlessness and your 
 strength of purpose. I knew the completion of the great 
 task on which I have been engaged could not be entrusted 
 to hands and brain more competent than yours. And 
 so " 
 
 "The task upon which you have been engaged !" Renni- 
 son exclaimed, in a tone that was indicative of wonder, 
 astonishment and resentment. 
 
 "Just that," Seafalcon replied, regarding the Army 
 man impressively. "And in the spirit in which I began it, 
 you will finish it. It is the rehabilitation of the American 
 Republic and the restoration of that Constitution which 
 came to the American race as a heritage from the founders 
 of their nation. To-night you will accept the trust I am 
 passing on to you. To-morrow you willingly will grant 
 me a place in the ranks of those martyrs who, in emula 
 tion of the example of Nathan Hale, have given their lives 
 to the cause of American liberty."
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED. 
 
 As his gaze fell from the chill eyes and masterful fea 
 tures of the Brotherhood Chief, Rennison slowly thumbed 
 some tobacco into the bowl of his pipe. The idea had 
 occurred to him that it was with a madman he now had 
 to deal, but, slowly, this impression passed away. Glanc 
 ing at Miriam Warburton, he saw she was regarding Sea- 
 falcon in the manner of one who might be under hypnotic 
 influence. For several moments the silence was broken 
 only by the striking of the match with which Rennison 
 lighted his pipe. 
 
 "You would have me understand, then, Chief, that, in 
 the course of the reign of terror for which you have been 
 responsible, on land and sea, you have been dominated by 
 a desire to effect the rehabilitation of the American Re 
 public?" Rennison asked. 
 
 "Yes. It is natural, of course, that such an assertion 
 should find you incredulous. But I can quickly make 
 myself clear. This lady, Miss Warburton, has your en 
 tire confidence?" 
 
 "Absolutely," Rennison replied. 
 
 Frowning, Seafalcon fixed on the face of the actress a 
 gaze that was brutally frank in its expression of mingled 
 dislike and contempt. Glancing appealingly toward Ren 
 nison, Miriam started to rise. 
 
 316
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED 317 
 
 "Keep your seat, Miss Warburton," Rennison directed 
 sharply. 
 
 "Please do," drawled Seafalcon. "It is just as well, 
 perhaps, that there should be a witness to what I have 
 to say. I would have preferred one of my own sex. But, 
 inasmuch as you have heard what already has been said 
 by me, it might be advisable for you to hear the rest. It 
 sometimes is as dangerous to tell a woman too little as to 
 tell her too much." 
 
 He paused, then shifting his gaze to the face of Ren 
 nison, he went on, moodily: 
 
 "Time is flying so quickly that it is impossible that my 
 curiosity should make further demands upon it. For 
 this reason Miss Warburton s mixed relations with this 
 affair constitute a mystery which, so far as I am con 
 cerned, must remain unsolved. That Channing died at 
 her hands is a fact that is known to both of us. I had 
 been led to believe she committed the act believing the 
 inventor was a Brotherhood spy. She assured me that 
 she did it knowing him to be an enemy of the Brotherhood. 
 How long you and she have been working in collusion I 
 do not know, but it would be difficult for me to believe you 
 have been in love with one another, as she has represented, 
 were it not for the promptness with which you, in order 
 to save her life, drank liquor you believed to contain 
 poison." 
 
 "You would have shot her had I not done so?" Renni 
 son asked. 
 
 "Assuredly," Seafalcon answered, then he added, bit 
 terly: "And I regret that your compliance with my de 
 mand prevented me from doing so." 
 
 "As you have said, time is flying," Rennison suggested, 
 sternly.
 
 318 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "True," Seafalcon assented. "What remains to be 
 told must be said quickly, but it is essential that it reach 
 no ears other than yours, Miss Warburton s and mine. 
 You command here now, and the men below are yours. 
 Tell them, then, it is your purpose to draw up the ladder 
 and close the trap." 
 
 Disregarding the alarm that leaped into Miriam s eyes, 
 Rennison nodded and stepped to the open trap. 
 
 "Catherwood !" he called. 
 
 A voice below answered sharply. 
 
 "I m going to raise the ladder and close the door," 
 Rennison explained. "Stand by until you hear from me 
 again." 
 
 This time the response came more slowly with an un 
 mistakable note of reluctance. 
 
 "Right, sir." 
 
 As Rennison drew up the ladder, tossed it to the floor 
 and closed the trapdoor, Seafalcon watched him medi 
 tatively. 
 
 Over the features of the Brotherhood Chief now came a 
 change. His face grew whiter and a faint smile played 
 nervously on his lips, as, sitting on a corner of the table, 
 he reached for the long envelope he had taken from one 
 of his pockets a few minutes before. The hand shook 
 slightly and the low chuckle that issued from his lips 
 had a metallic harshness to it. 
 
 "It s all here, Rennison the $200,000 you required 
 of us for Miss Warburton," he said. "We ll not take 
 the time or trouble to count it now. But the full amount 
 is here two hundred one-thousand dollar bills crisp 
 and new. Standing at this table, } r ou might have counted 
 them but you never would have got away with them, 
 Rennison never. For in the class with cooties, rattle-
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED 319 
 
 snakes, tarantulas and centipedes I place all traitors to 
 our country. All are vermin and should be extermi 
 nated." 
 
 "I m glad to hear you say so," the wondering Rennison 
 replied, perfunctorily. 
 
 With a little laugh, Seafalcon tossed the envelope back 
 on the table, as he went on : 
 
 "And so, once I had obtained from you the secret of 
 Channing s invention, I would have made short work of 
 you and your confederate here. It is fortunate for us 
 both that all has come to pass in the manner it has done 
 to-night." 
 
 "For us both!" Rennison exclaimed, quietly. 
 
 "Yes, for, continuing to live, you shall be able to serve 
 your country by completing the task I have begun. My 
 fortune lies in rest a long, long rest from loathesome 
 labor." 
 
 Frowning and watching the Brotherhood Chief in- 
 tenth 7 , Rennison stepped behind Miriam s chair and laid a 
 hand on one of her shoulders. Again Seafalcon poured 
 liquor into a glass and drank. 
 
 "Rennison," he began, "like all of our countrymen, you 
 have learned, within the last year, to realize that we are a 
 nation of fools Esaus, who have been selling our political 
 birthright for messes of industrial pottage. As a result 
 of our eduational systems, our youth has been drawn 
 away from the soil and from the mechanical trades, thus 
 making it necessary to keep wide open our Atlantic gate 
 ways that the surplus populations of Europe might flow 
 in to do that work which American manhood, flocking to 
 clerkships in offices and stores, disdained to do. 
 
 "The Anglo-Saxon race, being Germanic in its origin, 
 found little difficulty in assimilating the millions who came
 
 320 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 to it from the homelands of other Germanic nations 
 Scandinavia, Holland and Belgium, and, until the war, 
 Germany itself. Other races, though accepting American 
 citizenship, maintain their integrity as races. To them 
 the great heritage of Anglo-Saxonism means nothing. 
 Magna Charta, the Bill of Rights, the magnificent efflor 
 escence of Anglo-Saxon law, literature, drama, art and 
 science were the products of no ancestors of theirs, for in 
 their veins flows no Anglo-Saxon blood, nor do they want 
 it, for their racial wills are set against intermarriage 
 with the sixty-five millions of Anglo-Saxons who consti 
 tute the true, unhyphenated Americanism of our country. 
 
 "And, ever maintaining their racial integrity and racial 
 faiths, these unassimilable peoples have been coming in 
 ever-increasing numbers, with the result that they not 
 only dominate some of the more important of our in 
 dustries, but have compelled certain of our larger cities 
 and States and, finally, the Congress of the United States, 
 to make obeisance to them. One has little difficulty in 
 locating their colonies in the metropolis of our nation, 
 but who is there so bold as to attempt to locate a colony 
 of unhyphenated Americans in New York City? 
 
 "So completely has New York City been conquered and 
 dominated by alien races to whom we have tossed, indis 
 criminately and with reckless spirit, the full rights and 
 privileges of American citizenship that a true American, 
 of Anglo-Saxon stock, is inclined to blush with shame 
 when he sees the flag of his country flying like a conquered 
 thing above an alien city hall. 
 
 "Misled by fulsome and hypocritical tributes to our so- 
 called great racial melting pot,* and deluded by the 
 Fourth of July oratory of our own noisy, office-seeking 
 demagogues, we gradually let the reins of political power
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED 321 
 
 slip from our hands to such an extent that statesmen dis 
 appeared from our legislative halls, to be succeeded by 
 political trimmers unconscious blunderers, who were 
 mere tools in the hands of insidious and compact organiza 
 tions of hyphenates who dominated our industries and 
 political elections. When we awoke from our trance we 
 found that the melting pot* was nothing less than a 
 tremendous volcano, threatening to send rivers of lava 
 sweeping down its sides, carrying devastation to all that 
 has been created by Anglo-Saxon civilization on the Amer 
 ican continent. 
 
 "But this threatened eruption of international hyphen- 
 ism was not all. So deftly, insidiously and certainly had 
 its propaganda been spread among the weaker elements 
 of Anglo-Saxon stock that true Americans, aghast, found 
 themselves unable to identify friends or foes. Bewildered, 
 they knew not at whom to strike. Still flattering, still 
 describing themselves as we Americans, still extolling 
 the merits of the melting pot/ the leaders of the move 
 ment to effect the collapse of the American Republic, con 
 tinued to appear in false political colors and to disguise 
 their sinister purposes. Working secretly, the leaders 
 of the various groups also worked independently. All 
 that was lacking was a master mind one who should 
 consolidate them and bring them into the open. 
 
 "And so, Rennison, I addressed myself to the task of 
 assuming that role !" 
 
 Seafalcon paused. Once more he poured into a glass 
 some of the contents of one of the bottles on the table. 
 As he drank, Rennison, leaning on the back of Miriam s 
 chair, watched him with sombre eyes. 
 
 "The legend which tells of the manner in which the old 
 German town of Hamlin was cleared of rats is known to
 
 322 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 you," Seafalcon went on. "A mystery man, the Pied 
 Piper, evoked from his magic pipe a weird melody which 
 drew the pests from their holes and caused them to follow 
 him to the River Weser, into which they plunged to their 
 deaths. And it was as a mystery man that I appeared. 
 I piped a weird harmony of sedition, of the unbridled 
 license of Bolshevism, and the enemies of our civilization 
 listened to me. I piped, and the leaders began to come 
 to me from their holes, so that I might see their faces. I 
 piped, and they followed me. I led them into councils, 
 where they spoke, without restraint, of their treasonable 
 designs. With astonishing celerity, they linked up with 
 treasonable organizations abroad. 
 
 "While my subordinate chiefs revealed to me the plans 
 they had made to effect the overthrow of Anglo-Saxon 
 civilization on this continent, I became the terror of the 
 seas. My victims were thousands of innocent men, 
 women and children, who went down with the ships I 
 sent to the ocean s floor. With each sinking my leader 
 ship became more secure, and, with each sinking, my fel 
 low-countrymen became more and more impressed with 
 the magnitude of the danger which now threatened them 
 as a result of the folly of investing with full citizenship 
 millions of men and women belonging to races that never 
 could be assimilated by our Anglo-Saxon stock. * 
 
 "But why did you send to such cruel death those thou 
 sands of men, women and children who were innocent of 
 treasonable designs?" demanded Miriam. 
 
 Frowning at the interruption, Rennison tapped a 
 shoulder of the actress protestingly. Seafalcon, leaning 
 back, as he sat on the table, clasped his hands around one 
 of his knees and looked sympathetically at the accusing
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED 323 
 
 eyes and tense features of the young woman who had 
 questioned him. 
 
 "I did it because death is the end of all of us, and every 
 human life should be consecrated to the defense and main 
 tenance of those ideals to which national life and love of 
 country must be regarded as giving expression," the 
 Brotherhood Chief explained. "In the temple of Liberty 
 the high altar always is the altar of Death, for Liberty, 
 though benign when enthroned, is merciless when she is 
 compelled to fight with the sword for her supremacy. 
 And, as the human race has fought for and against her 
 through all the ages, so must it always fight with death- 
 dealing instruments of warfare. It is essential, too, that 
 into the dark, wretched valley of martyrdom women and 
 children sometimes must go with their fighting men, for 
 the sacrifices of the weak oftentimes prove more potent 
 in the advancement of civilization than the battles of the 
 strong. 
 
 "In sending to their death those thousands of innocent 
 men, women and children, I achieved a twofold object. 
 Wearing the skin of a wolf, I was the accepted leader 
 of a wolf -pack, which, savage and predatory, was domi 
 nated by a lust for blood and prey. By yielding to this I 
 strengthened my leadership. But I was doing more. I 
 was exciting among the better elements of American citi 
 zenship a rapidly growing hatred of the pack that fol 
 lowed me. I was compelling them to recognize the neces 
 sity of organizing against them. 
 
 "You will ask, of course, why, if I were truly friendly 
 to the old Constitution of the United States, I should 
 keep striking at the heart of the Government defense 
 why I should make traitors of public servants, steal the
 
 324 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 secrets of defensive measures and be so energetic in my 
 efforts to swell the numbers of my great wolf-pack. I 
 will tell you. 
 
 "Subjected to light blows, men become contemptuous 
 of their assailants^ but when heavy blows begin to fall 
 upon them, strong men grow stronger, think more quickly, 
 fight more strategically and strike more vigorously. The 
 cause for which the manhood of America must battle now 
 must find no weaklings in the ranks no men who, by rea 
 son of fear or self-interest, are likely to go over to the 
 enemy. And so, in striking at the various agencies of 
 the Government, I have been eliminating from its ranks 
 the weak and the unworthy and bringing into fuller de 
 velopment the powers of the strong. I resolved that not 
 until the Federal Government should bring forward a 
 man strong enough to grip and throw me would I relin 
 quish the power I have grasped and held until to-night. 
 And, now that the Government has developed such a man, 
 I welcome him gladly. But it is something more than a 
 welcome which I am going to give to you here, George 
 Rennison. It is a power of punishment such as never 
 before has been exercised by any man lacking the author 
 ity of a despot." 
 
 Once more he seated himself at the table and drew out 
 the pad on which he had written the note he had given to 
 Casey. With his teeth set firmly in the unlighted stump 
 of a cigar, he wrote rapidly. He used three sheets of 
 paper, writing only a few lines on each. When he was 
 done, he scanned the sheets carefully, then rose slowly 
 and again addressed Rennison. 
 
 "Captain," he said, speaking rather lower than he had 
 done before, "in the cellar of a certain house in one of 
 the residential districts of New York City there is a
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED 325 
 
 large, metal-lined concrete vault to which access can be 
 obtained only by a person who is able to manipulate the 
 combination lock on its steel door. Aronnd the walls of 
 this vault are metal filing cases, filled to capacity with 
 certain data which has been carefully arranged. 
 
 "All of this data has passed through my hands in the 
 course of the last two years, and many of the papers 
 are in my own handwriting. The data consists of the 
 names of thousands of persons who have been engaged in 
 attempts to overthrow the Government of the United 
 States, together with full accounts of their activities and 
 documentary evidence of their treasonable acts. There, 
 also, are to be found lists of weaklings who easily may be 
 persuaded to become informers and aid the Government 
 in such action as it may take against the more responsible 
 leaders of the Brotherhood. 
 
 "This house has as its custodian a man who long has 
 enjoyed my entire confidence. On this sheet I have 
 written his name and the address of the house. On this 
 second sheet you will find the combination by means of 
 which the door of the vault may be unlocked. You will 
 scarcely need it, however, for the custodian will be quite 
 at your service as devoted to the purposes of your in 
 vestigations as he was to my interests. This third sheet 
 contains a cypher telegram, addressed to the custodian, 
 which will give him to understand that my task is finished 
 and that yours is begun. It was understood between us 
 that should he learn of my death, in circumstances which 
 might make it impossible for me to communicate with him, 
 he was to get in personal touch with the Chief of the 
 Secret Service and commit to him the secret of the vault. 
 Should I be able to send him a message, however a mes 
 sage authorizing him to make his revelations to some of-
 
 326 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 ficial of the Government it was understood that I 
 should do so. That release is given in this telegram, and 
 I would suggest that, after leaving here, you should get 
 the message on the wire at the earliest possible oppor 
 tunity. I would further suggest that, though haste is 
 not necessary, it might be advisable to visit the address 
 given and get in touch with Henry Buckingham, the 
 house s custodian, within the next twenty-four hours. 
 You will find him expecting you and prepared to afford 
 you full cooperation." 
 
 One by one, Rennison took the sheets as Seafalcon 
 handed them to him. As the Brotherhood Chief stepped 
 back, he glanced again at Miriam. 
 
 "Mixing in a game like this is bad business for a 
 woman," he said, coldly. "It must be admitted, however, 
 that you have acquitted yourself with much cleverness 
 and that the fall of the Brotherhood is due largely to 
 your efforts. But there is no time now for me to attempt 
 to free my mind of the impression that, for some mys 
 terious reason, you have changed your colors in the last 
 twenty-four hours that, in fact, you began as a friend 
 of the Brotherhood and were won over by the Govern 
 ment." 
 
 Miriam rose impulsively. There was a sudden rush of 
 color to her face, her lips parted, and she seemed about 
 to protest. Seafalcon, however, silenced her with a 
 gesture. Turning from her abruptly, he addressed Ren 
 nison. 
 
 "Captain," he said, "though you now are in command 
 here, I would suggest that the automobile which brought 
 you to the wharf probably still is standing where you 
 left it, and that it might be advisable to take Miss War- 
 burton to it now. The ordeal through which she has
 
 THE MAN WHO PIPED 327 
 
 passed has been severe, and it doubtless is as apparent 
 to you as it is to me that she is a bit unstrung." 
 
 Rennison hesitated, then, with compressed lips, he 
 turned to Miriam. 
 
 "When you have returned her to the car you will come 
 in here again, perhaps?" Seafalcon said, with a note of 
 interrogation in his voice. 
 
 Rennison nodded. He slipped a hand under one of the 
 trembling arms of the actress. 
 
 "Come, Miss Warburton," he said. 
 
 Though he spoke quietly, there was something sharp 
 and mandatory in his tone. The actress, however, ap 
 peared to give him no heed. Seafalcon still held her 
 gaze. A death-like pallor had overspread her face, and 
 her wide, wondering eyes were expressive of awe and 
 dread. 
 
 "Come," Rennison repeated, rather more sharply than 
 before. 
 
 But still she looked at Seafalcon. Her dry lips 
 quivered. 
 
 "Good-bye," she faltered. 
 
 Seafalcon, again sitting on a corner of the table, 
 watched her broodingly. He nodded shortly, but did not 
 speak. 
 
 Tightening his grasp on Miriam s arm, Rennison led 
 her slowly toward the door at the further end of the 
 room. He opened the door, and, with bowed heads, both 
 passed out. Rennison closed the door behind them.
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 "THE RENNISON WAY." 
 
 WHEN the door closed between them and the room in 
 which they had left Seafalcon, Miriam and Rennison 
 halted. 
 
 A marked change had come to the interior of the great 
 wharfhouse since the Army officer had alighted in it and 
 made his way into the room in which Seafalcon had 
 awaited him. Before, its gloom had been dotted by 
 widely-separated and dimly-burning lights. Now the 
 headlights of automobiles, lanterns and pocket search- 
 nights were flashing everywhere. To the left stood a 
 company of marines, with grounded rifles. In front of 
 them was a motley group of men in military, naval and 
 civilian garb. From this group two men quickly detached 
 themselves and stepped forward together. They were 
 Towndrow and Rennison s commanding officer, Colonel 
 Hawkshurst, Chief of the Bureau of Military Intelligence. 
 
 Half-blinded by the glare of two automobile head 
 lights that focused their rays on the doorway through 
 which Rennison and his companion just had passed, the 
 Bureau Chief and his subordinate exchanged salutes, then 
 Rennison, drawing Miriam closer to him, started to pass 
 on, apparently oblivious of the tense features and ques 
 tioning eyes of the two men who had approached him. 
 
 "Well, Rennison," Hawkshurst began, with manifest 
 
 impatience, "what has happened? Where " 
 
 328
 
 329 
 
 "A car a car I must have a car for this lady 
 quickly!" Rennison commanded, with a sudden outburst 
 of nervous energy. 
 
 The little group parted for him as he and his com 
 panion moved forward. Concerning the growing weak 
 ness of the actress there could be no mistake. She was 
 fairly tottering now and her head had sunk to Rennison s 
 shoulder. With an arm around her, he led her to the 
 machine from which the headlights were flashing on the 
 closed door. Upon reaching this, he placed a foot on the 
 running board and fairly swung the actress into the ton- 
 neau and onto the scat. 
 
 Scarcely was Rennison freed of his burden when a 
 sharp, hollow detonation, issuing from the closed room, 
 shattered into trembling echoes the profound silence that 
 had pervaded the big wharfhouse. 
 
 "Oh, God God forgive him all !" gasped Miriam, 
 as, losing consciousness, she sank back inertly on the wide, 
 high-backed cushioned seat. 
 
 In another moment Rennison had leaped from the car. 
 
 "Stop !" he called. 
 
 The door of the room had been thrust open, and already 
 two figures had rushed in. In obedience to Rennison s 
 shouted command those members of the group who were 
 about to follow halted abruptly and looked toward the 
 speaker. Rennison hurried on. When he reentered the 
 room, he closed the door behind him. He now saw that 
 the two men who had preceded him were Hawkshurst and 
 Towndrow. Already they had reached the table and were 
 looking at the floor on which now lay four bodies instead 
 of three. 
 
 Hawkshurst looked up as Rennison approached. In a 
 strained, husky voice, he asked:
 
 330 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "This is Seafalcon, Rennison?" 
 
 The Captain glanced at the body of the man with 
 whom he had been talking less than five minutes before. 
 The lifeless right hand still grasped the automatic pistol 
 with which Miriam Warburton had been threatened. 
 
 "Yes, Colonel it is Seafalcon," Rcnnison replied. 
 
 "And you you left him alone in order that he might 
 take his life? * the Colonel faltered, as a frown of dis 
 approval darkened his face. 
 
 "Yes. In the circumstances, it was the one thing to 
 do." 
 
 Thus speaking, he crossed to the trapdoor and opened 
 it. Then, calling down, he said : 
 
 "Everything is all right up here, Catherwood. We ll 
 have you up in a few minutes." 
 
 "All right, Captain," a voice below answered promptly. 
 
 Rennison closed the trapdoor and turned again to 
 Hawkshurst, who stook his head incredulously. 
 
 "I m afraid I cannot see it that way," he growled. 
 "You have given to him too easy a way out of it. Had 
 you prevented this, it is possible we would have learned 
 something 
 
 "I have learned all he had to tell," Rennison retorted. 
 "He has assured me that sufficient evidence to convict 
 all the leaders of the Brotherhood may be found in a 
 place which he has designated, and to which we must get 
 without delay. It is essential, Colonel, that you and I 
 get to New York to-night. I would suggest, therefore, 
 that you direct that a special locomotive and sleeper be 
 made ready for us at once and given the right of way 
 over the line. I will also ask that the stateroom of the 
 sleeper be placed at the service of Miss Warburton and 
 that a nurse be requisitioned from one of the hospitals to
 
 "THE RENNISON WAY" 331 
 
 attend her on the journey. The nurse should be provided 
 with simple medical remedies to minister to the comfort 
 of a woman who is suffering from mental and physical 
 exhaustion and is in urgent need of refreshing sleep." 
 
 "Would it not be better to send the lady to a hospital 
 in Baltimore?" Hawkshurst asked. 
 
 "No; she must not be left here alone to-night," 
 Rennison snapped. 
 
 "Have your way, then," Hawkshurst replied, resignedly 
 as, taking out his watch, he glanced at the dial. 
 
 Rennison turned to the Secret Service man: 
 
 "Towndrow, the Colonel and I will get into communi 
 cation with your Chief shortly after our arrival in New 
 York," he said. "Meantime, there is little that may be 
 done here. These bodies must be removed as quickly and 
 as secretly as possible by Catherwood, who is waiting 
 below. He will take them away by water and make such 
 disposition of three of them that no trace of them ever 
 may be found by members of the Brotherhood, for it may 
 serve our purpose to encourage the belief that one or 
 more of them may be living and supplying us with in 
 formation. But the body of the man who is known to us 
 as Seafalcon must be treated with the same degree of re 
 spect that would be vouchsafed by us to a loyal and re 
 spected officer of our Army or Navy. I would suggest 
 that, having been placed on one of the warships now in 
 the harbor, it should be conveyed, with the greatest pos 
 sible secrecy, to Annapolis and kept carefully concealed 
 on the grounds of the Naval Academy until such time as 
 it may be possible to give it proper burial in the National 
 Cemetery at Arlington." 
 
 "My God, Rennison, are you mad?" demanded Hawks 
 hurst, who, like Towndrow, bewildered and horrified, in-
 
 332 
 
 stinctively recoiled from the man who was addressing 
 them. 
 
 "You will scarcely think so, Colonel, when I have re 
 vealed to you the strange secret this man confided to me," 
 Rennison replied. "There is not time to tell the story 
 now, but I will communicate it to you while we are on the 
 way to New York. Meantime, as I have said, these bodies 
 must be removed, and all the men we have brought to this 
 section of the city must be withdrawn. This wharfhouse 
 should be unguarded. Let all enter it who will, and the 
 fate of Seafalcon remain a matter for conjecture. In 
 obedience to the last order issued by him, all the men he 
 had in this neighborhood are dispersing completely mys 
 tified by the orders they have received, ignorant of the 
 fate of their Chief and wholly unable to grasp the sig 
 nificance of our movements and purposes." 
 
 "In that respect, at least, their situation differs little 
 from mine," Hawkshurst grumbled. "But let us do 
 quickly the little which, as you have said, remains to be 
 done here. Get Catherwood up, and, while you are giving 
 to him instructions concerning the disposition of the 
 bodies, I ll have one of our fellows arrange for the dis 
 patch of a special train, with full right of way to New 
 York." 
 
 "And a nurse," Rennison suggested. 
 
 "A nurse, of course," Hawkshurst answered, dryly. 
 
 The Colonel started toward the door at the further 
 end of the room. Rennison flung open the door of the 
 trap and called down: 
 
 "I m going to lower the ladder, Catherwood. Come up 
 alone." 
 
 The ladder was lowered quickly, and a few moments 
 later Catherwood again emerged from the trap. Town-
 
 "THE RENNISON WAY" 333 
 
 drow listened moodily as the necessary instructions were 
 given to the naval officer. When these were completed, 
 Catherwood summoned four of his men from below and 
 the task of removing the bodies was begun. 
 
 With his hands thrust into the pockets of his coat, 
 Rennison moved slowly from the end of the room at which 
 Catherwood and his men were engaged. Towndrow fol 
 lowed him. When they were out of hearing of the others, 
 Rennison, turning, said quietly: 
 
 "Well, Towndrow, it looks as if it is up to you to 
 assume charge of the situation here after the Colonel 
 and I start for New York. For the time being, however, 
 there is little that may be done in Baltimore." 
 
 Without replying, the Secret Service man lighted a 
 cigar. After satisfying himself that no heat remained 
 in the burnt tip of the match-stick he tossed it to the 
 floor. 
 
 "I suppose I am safe in assuming that your confidence 
 in the good faith of the Tanager is completely restored," 
 he said. 
 
 Flushing darkly, Rennison looked at him sharply. 
 
 "Yes," he answered, shortly; then, after a pause, he 
 added : "If you have anything to say against Miss War- 
 burton, say it now, Towndrow. Twenty-four hours hence, 
 perhaps, it will be too late." 
 
 "Too late!" the Secret Service man exclaimed, won- 
 deringly. 
 
 "Too late," Rennison repeated, grimly. "It is my hope 
 and expectation that within twenty-four hours Miss War- 
 burton will give to me the right to exercise full pre 
 rogatives as her duly qualified, legal protector. From 
 the moment that right devolves on me, I will hold to a 
 strict accounting any person who threatens her personal
 
 334 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 safety or who says anything that is derogatory to her 
 reputation." 
 
 For several moments each gazed fixedly at the other. 
 Towndrow s voice shook a little as he asked: 
 
 "Do you mean that I should understand, Captain, that 
 it is your purpose to marry her?" 
 
 "Yes, Towndrow, I would have you understand pre 
 cisely that." 
 
 The Secret Service man nodded and puffed hard at 
 his cigar. 
 
 "All right, Rennison good," he drawled. "I congrat 
 ulate you and her, of course." 
 
 "Earlier in the night you were a bit suspicious of her," 
 Rennison went on. "If you have any reason for distrust 
 ing her, it is best that you should tell it to me now." 
 
 "It is because I expressed to you, earlier in the night, 
 my distrust of her, that I have now asked you whether 
 your confidence in the lady has been completely restored," 
 Towndrow explained. "In justice to her it plainly is 
 my duty to remove from your mind any unpleasant im 
 pression concerning her that I may have created. Be 
 fore I came here to-night I had become entirely satisfied 
 that, though Miss Warburton is an Englishwoman, she 
 has rendered to the Government of the United States a 
 series of services so valuable, and so cleverly and secretly 
 performed, that they may be said to be beyond compari 
 son with those ever rendered by any other woman in the 
 interest of our country." 
 
 A faint flush came to the ordinarily impassive features 
 of Rennison, and the light of eager, suddenly awakened 
 curiosity that beamed in his eyes encouraged the Secret 
 Service man to proceed. 
 
 "I have learned that the mysterious appearances of Miss
 
 "THE RENNISON WAY" 335 
 
 Warburton in certain cases in which I, and other mem 
 bers of our Service, have been engaged, have been due to 
 work which she was doing under the direction of a certain 
 official of our Department of State," Towndrow went on. 
 "Her activity on this side of the Atlantic was begun vol 
 untarily in behalf of the diplomatic service of her own 
 country, which then was cooperating with our own. 
 Gradually, iiowever, her work brought her under the di 
 rection of one of the bureaus of our Navy Department. 
 But, inasmuch you now enjoy the full measure of the 
 lady s confidence, it will be unnecessary for me to give 
 you further details. It might be well for me to add, how 
 ever, that she has declined all offers of compensation for 
 her services in behalf of the British and American Gov 
 ernments and that her character, as well as her loyalty, 
 is above reproach." 
 
 "Thanks, Towndrow," Rennison said, shortly. 
 
 "There is one thing more that should interest you 
 though, I daresay, it probably will occasion you no sur 
 prise," Towndrow continued. "Horsford is dead." 
 
 "Indeed!" Rennison muttered, coldly. "How did it 
 happen?" 
 
 "In the Rennison way." 
 
 The Army officer flushed angrily. 
 
 "That is not an answer to my question, Towndrow," 
 he said. 
 
 "Yes for it is equivalent to saying that, finding him 
 self hopelessly in your grip, he died by his own hand. 
 Taking his cue from Reifsnyder, he sent a bullet into his 
 head while sitting on a couch in the library of his home. 
 His death was reported to the Washington police about 
 an hour ago." 
 
 Rennison glanced moodily toward where the last of
 
 336 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 the four bodies was being lowered through the open trap. 
 Towndrow was about to speak when the door at the 
 other end of the room was thrust open and Hawkshurst 
 entered briskly. 
 
 "Well, Rennison, Meredith is off to arrange for the 
 train and the nurse," the Colonel said. "Doubtless they 
 will be at the Union Station in an hour. Meantime, we 
 may as well wait here, rather than at the station, where 
 our presence would be likely to excite speculation." 
 
 Rennison nodded. 
 
 "That is best, of course, Colonel," he assented. He 
 paused, then added : "The report I have to make to you 
 will have no bearing on further activities in Baltimore or 
 Washington to-night, and, after all, might better be com 
 municated in the privacy afforded by the train. In the 
 circumstances, perhaps 
 
 Hawkshurst, quick to grasp the speaker s meaning, 
 frowned, but his face cleared quickly as he interrupted. 
 
 "All right, Rennison have your way," he said re 
 signedly. "She s still in the machine in which you left 
 her. Go to her. When I get the signal to start for the 
 station, I ll let you know. My car will lead the way out, 
 and yours will follow. After you will come another 
 machine, with three of our boys who will accompany us 
 to New York. So get along to her get along to our 
 lady of mysteries, who, by the way, really does look as if 
 she needs a sustaining arm and a comforter." 
 
 The situation which confronted these representatives 
 of the Government was too tense to admit of even a brief 
 lapse into cheerfulness, and the smile which parted the 
 Colonel s lips plainly was forced. Its incongruity 
 brought a flash of resentment to Rennison s eyes. Turn- 
 *ng away, he fumbled with the brim of his hat and drew it
 
 lower on his forehead; then nodding abruptly, he started 
 toward the door. When he reached this, he extended a 
 hand toward the knob. It was not the knob, but an 
 other s hand, on which his fingers closed, however. 
 
 Turning sullenly, Rennison looked into the eyes of 
 Towndrow, and it suddenly occurred to the Army man 
 that, in all the months he and Towndrow had been ac 
 quainted, this was the first time their hands had met. 
 During that period each had known he had enjoyed the 
 respect and confidence of the other, but Rennison had 
 been conscious of the fact that Towndrow had disliked 
 him, and that this dislike was due largely to the mysteri 
 ous fatality that seemed to invest some of the more not 
 able cases in which the Army man had been concerned. 
 
 Looking now into the eyes of Towndrow, Rennison s 
 face grew paler as he realized that in the last twenty- 
 four hours this spirit of fatality had dominated the re 
 sults of all his efforts. One by one the suspects he had 
 been trailing had died in what Towndrow had been wont 
 to designate "the Rennison way" Reifsnyder, Horsford 
 and Seafalcon and his three companions. Miriam War- 
 burton s attempt to take her own life had been thwarted 
 with difficulty. 
 
 But in the eyes of Towndrow there was neither dislike 
 nor accusation now. In their sombre depths Rennison 
 saw something he never had seen in them before. Afe 
 first it seemed to be mere pity, but in another moment 
 he realized it was something more something which 
 comrades saw in the eyes of one another on the shell- 
 scarred fields of France something which strong men 
 never attempt to express in words an affection of man 
 for man, which, being free of sex alloy, no woman may 
 understand.
 
 338 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 Neither spoke as each tightened his grip on the hand 
 of the other; then Towndrow opened the door, and Ren- 
 nison passed out. 
 
 Scores of faces, white, tense, curious and eager, were 
 turned toward Rennison as he halted outside the door. 
 His eyes were heavy and there was a dull pain in his 
 brain. Vaguely it occurred to him that in the last two 
 days he had slept scarcely more than two hours. 
 
 "Where is she where is the car in which I left the 
 lady who was with me?" he demanded of a captain of 
 Marines who was standing near. 
 
 Before the officer was able to reply, one of Rennison s 
 associates in the Bureau of Military Intelligence stepped 
 to his side and slipped a hand under one of his arms. 
 
 "This way, Captain," he said. "I m going to be your 
 chauffeur to-night, and I took the liberty of running 
 the car back a way from the crowd. There it stands 
 yonder, in the dark headed toward the entrance of the 
 wharf. The Colonel said there might be a little delay 
 in getting away. When he gives the word, I ll get on the 
 job at the wheel. Meantime, with your permission, I ll 
 hang around the door with the rest of the boys, to await 
 further orders." 
 
 "All right, Ben," Rennison assented. 
 
 When the car was reached, Rennison s conductor re 
 traced his steps toward the door. 
 
 Pausing beside the rear door of the machine, Renni 
 son looked into the tonneau. The darkness almost hid 
 Miriam from his view but he saw her in the further 
 corner of the seat, her head resting on the high back 
 cushion. He wondered if she had fainted, or if she were 
 asleep.
 
 "THE RENNISON WAY" 339 
 
 "Miriam," he said, softly. 
 
 "Yes," she answered, faintly. 
 
 He stepped into the car and sat down beside her. 
 
 "You are feeling stronger now?" he asked, as he took 
 one of the hands that lay upon her lap. 
 
 "Yes now that you have come back to me," she mur 
 mured, huskily. "When I m alone, I m weak, cowardly. 
 My thoughts are swarms of fears. I feel as if I were 
 dead as if the things about me are unreal that they 
 are about to melt into something else. It is only when 
 only when you are near me that I know I am going to 
 find a way to rest, and that, after I rest, all we have 
 passed through together will seem like nothing more than 
 a terrible dream." 
 
 Passing an arm around her, he drew her to him. 
 
 "Rest now," he said. 
 
 "Not here," she protested, shivering. "The air of this 
 awful place seems full of dead men s souls. Why do 
 we not leave it? Why do we wait?" 
 
 "We must wait here, dear, until a special train is made 
 up to take us to New York." 
 
 "To New York!" she exclaimed; then, after a little 
 pause, she added: "Ah yes, I remember now. He 
 said " 
 
 "And it has been arranged that on the train you will 
 have a stateroom and a nurse to minister to your 
 comfort." 
 
 "But why why are you taking me with you?" she 
 asked, wonderingly. "I am glad, but but why?" 
 
 "Because I do not want to be separated from you 
 again." 
 
 He felt her trembling in his arms.
 
 340 THE SCARLET TANAGER 
 
 "Never?" she asked, in a shaking whisper. 
 
 "Never. You will be my wife, dear before we leave 
 New York? * 
 
 She straightened slowly and clasped his hands in both 
 of hers. 
 
 "You believe me to be a good woman?" she questioned. 
 
 "I know you to be a good woman, Miriam else I 
 would not ask of you what I am asking now. We have 
 known each other for only a little time, but 
 
 Slowly her hands moved up his arms until they rested 
 on his shoulders. In the darkness he felt her gaze upon 
 his face. 
 
 "Why speak of time, dear one?" she asked him. "In 
 the presence of death, each of us looked into the soul of 
 the other, and so we know time does not matter. Some 
 where, somehow, we began to love each other before time, 
 itself, began. And we know that, tempering our love to 
 the fineness of eternity, all through which we have passed 
 together had to be."
 
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