Ashton Kirk, Secret Agent

liar Circ

ature at the bottom of the typed page;

riting," said he, "would probably

m of the long German pip

said he, "you do n

ooking down

guarded secrets of the government is endangered. Yesterday, in what was undoubtedly a panic, he wired

lentz; the smoker snuggled down

s," said he, "you dra

e even catching a g

silence, and then t

to the end," he added, "to force an entirely unexpected result. Take for example the case of the Molineux chaplet, some little time since. Could there have been more fire, more determinatio

is employer with

one concerned in the governm

other st

friend. And the reason usually is that we do not care to force the said

y fear to bring about a war." He looked at the secret a

t aside the pi

he lives lost from time to time in the experiments. Six months ago the invention was completed. The news leaked out, and naturally the powers were interested. Then to the dismay of the heads of the department it was learned that a most formidable plan to obtain p

look in Fuller's

hton-Kirk. "Who else would desire information upon such a point? And at this

mea

awned widely

een the mor

es

Congress. Rather a slashing affair. He continues to demand a

ng brick bulks across the way; it glittered among the racks of polished instruments, slipped along the shelves of books and entered at the door

tumph, Ashton-Kirk's grave-faced

called yesterday while yo

ent took the

ilip Wa

ded Stumph, "that his busine

im com

fingering a packet of document

I may as well file these Sch

I'm rather glad to be rid of it. The piquancy of the situation was lost when the 'forgeri

id the low voice of Stum

open blue eyes. That he was an Englishman was unmistakable. For a moment he seemed in doubt a

to you by Professor Hutchinson of Hampden College, with whom I have be

nd of mine, a splendid fellow, and a fi

nk y

trong and ill at ease. There was a perplexed expressio

on of your book upon the Lithuanian language. I spent some years

smiled, we

I did not expect it to get beyond my own circle. You see, the Lithuanians have grown rather thick in t

" and his voice lowered a trifle, "much as I am delighted with

his singular eyes studied the visitor with interest. Full

you ne

rha

pad of paper upon his knee. Philip Warwick shifted uneasily in

n interest in those problems which spring up unexpectedly an

et agent

t you have brought me s

bent forwa

tricks upon us. But, however that may be, the whole matter is utterly beyond our comprehension. I have done what I can

gestured for

Dr. Simon Morse." He caught the look in the eyes of the secret agent, and added: "N

ientific anarchist, if I'm not mistaken; he had many dari

said Warwick. "I know him to be a man of great learning and splendid abili

ch you came to see me is that of

fer that he should not. You see, he is a man of peculiar temperament. He is very silent an

rather unplea

an. "Frankly, he is not at all my sort; and I should not

s

bout to relate have caused her much alarm. She fears that some strange danger thr

e shown, he detests all governments; however, that of Russia has always been his pet aversion. He has declared it the most corrupt system extant, and maintained that

ear. Upon his return it was learned that he had, somehow, managed to have himself enrolled upon the medical staff of the Russian army, an

'The Muscovite army reeks with chicanery; and the book

me three months; then there began a most singular train of incidents. Of these I have but a slight personal knowledge, for, as I have said, Dr. Morse is a secretive man. But, little by little, Stella and I gathered up the fragments and put them together; the resu

e at Sharsdale at t

doing some sketching; but," with great simplicity, "as a mat

Please

elf watched. Indeed, more than once I personally noted traces of what I can call mysterious visita

"you spoke of odd happenings. Ju

hat of confidential adviser in those delicate matters which one hesitates to bring to the attention of a solicitor. I was with Dr. Morse at the time, and I recall that Karkowsky's manner was most important and his time apparently of much value. But, queerly enough, his methods were singularly futile; they led in no partic

den gate. Just as we were saying good-night we noticed a dim light shine in his study window. As we stood surprisedly watching, it disappeared. A moment later, however, it returned, a faint f

not be, for she would have turned on the lights had she had occasion to visit the room. We entered a

usual. The bedrooms were heavy with the fumes of a drug; locks had been broken, chests, desks and cupboa

e was found by some workmen and brought home. Of this inciden

ured, a savage, crafty creature; but she went the way of the first. One day, and at broad noon, the doctor arose from his desk and went into an adjoining room for a book. He was not gone above a minute; but upon returni

ention of the intruders seemed directed toward Dr. Morse's papers only. They show

At the least sound he would start; and it became almost as much as one's life was worth to approach him from behind. Then sudden

h my desires than this," he said. "And so, of course, I accepted the proposal. This was three years ago; at first we occupied apartments in the city here; but some

re, alighted. And as before, he seemed in great haste. Apparently Dr. Morse had never marked, as I had done, Karkowsky's first visit as the beginning of his strange troubles. At any rate he showed no resentment, but merely seemed surprised at so unexpected a visitor. The Pole talked volubly about the new country and of his prospects; the delicate matters, so he said, which it was his business to handle were vastly greater in number

d make nothing of it. When he discovered me looking over his shoulder he uttered an impatient exclamation, tore the sheet into strips and tossed them into the waste basket. That same day I opened some mail matter, as was my habit when the doctor was no

ce, one of these drawi

from it selected a paper. "It is the third that

ly; it bore a rough, hurried tracing done wi

it bore any meaning for him, he gave no indication

o

e. There was no more mysterious prowling, waylaying and housebreaking; the mail only was used. But, so far as I know, duplicates of this drawing," pointing to the

A

ll of that color. The next change was to black, then to red, and finally to white-drawn upon neutral tinted

he same brown material that had been used in makin

e is a sort of tiara, or coronet upon the head." He laid the drawing upon th

t I ever

the envelopes in

N

long room; then pausing at a stand he opened a case o

no," said th

, selected one, lighted i

I shall be perfectly frank and say that I am not greatly interested in the matter beyond natural curiosity. But," and here th

shot a quick

Dr. Morse's possible safet

e matter, as I set it before you, seems absurd. But to Miss Corbin it is a continuous menace-a thing which throws its shadow across her uncle's daily path. To her, it is impossible that what has happe

le; the smoke from the heavy

r. Karkowsky's card

section. Corinth Aven

her Dr. Morse has

y the man a visit. He lodges upon a third floor, over a harness-maker; and when I entered he received me

ver repeated

N

tly upon the cigar; its s

matter," said he, "it is but natural to suppose that

Englishm

that the Russian government is behind it a

-Kirk shoo

he foundations of most of them are as light as this. According to your story, Dr. Mor

es

d been sufficiently interested in Morse to have done the housebreaking, r

"But," with a shake of the head, "St. Pe

t that nothing is known to have been stolen in either of the nightly visits to the house at Sharsdale seems to eliminate the

uld se

e. The secret agent re

k. What is there in the doctor's possession that you have seen, or

d, but finally

oes he own that would excite the cupidity

hing," replied

ged the secret agent. "It might be, and the fact that the doctor's pape

wick shoo

t of a confiding nature. He

nce more upon the drawing of the crowned woman. A sudden tightening about his mouth showed a

at Sharsdale-Morse had never experienced

N

e sure

sure to have heard of them. She has

possessed of means. Did he inherit t

ed it from

n of the father? Any of the sort of t

was an extraordinarily ge

ever traveled

eeking material for his anti-religious lectures.

him express any opi

e. The Japanese he only came within musket shot of, but,

k joined i

, "and one of whom the last

d Ashton-Kirk pressed

very interesting matter; and, it so happens, one

dertake it t

plea

he door that the c

hen said: "Before making a definite start in the matter, I suppose it will be necessary for you

shton-Kirk assured him; "

ill you

-ni

Warwick

d he. "But Miss Corbi

t he took hi