Ashton Kirk, Secret Agent

Strikes

seemed to take in everything, gauging, measuring, speculating; now and then he asked a question to which she returned a brief, illu

into the kitchen to prepare the coff

and bo

t it after the

for Drevenoff when he started

hall; and as old Nanon paused at the li

s the nearest p

zen blocks," ans

ere at once and repo

on the telephone,"

smoothly. "More than likely they will send a man o

d the switch which controlled the li

, one lean finger point

n?" Ashton-Kirk lo

ht upon his first visit. "He has filled the world with evil," she went on, "and you see t

eps down the hall, and they saw her re?n

mmented Fuller. "And one that s

eir instant attention; the head lay tipped back and the face was caked with dry blood. From one thing to another the secret agent

be otherwise. And from the size of the wound I should say the weapon was a small one; the fact that n

, but were fast, as were those opening upon the porch. A raincoat lay

d Ashton-Kirk

a bag?" a

on had said. Fuller whistled through his shut

a hundred to one the thin

hand, well and good, but if it is hidden the chances are decidedly against him. Witness the attempt upon the rubies of Bostwick's wife, in which her butler lost his life; also the astonishing matter of the numismatist Hume.[1] A miscalculat

ad broken his nerve. A servant enters a room and finds him preparing for a journey. Yet apparently he has not mentioned his intentions in this regard even to his niece, to whom he is much attached.

and wha

im the article which created all the fuss. It would be against human nature to leave it behind. He was abo

essitate his knowing definitely what his mysterious communicants desired. His own acts and especially his own words, as overheard by his niece, indic

plexed, but nodde

" Again he looked all about. "However," he continued, "the bag is not here, and if th

the pockets were pulled out. At once he examined the coat worn by the dead man; th

ct. Here is his watch in his fob pocket, and this," taking up a torn card case from the desk, "lies just where the criminal flung it

n this pocket case. The murderer would have taken it. A

me is delighted at finding it. The man who threw those bills upon the desk," holding

ng fingers as they deftly ran through everything; then suddenly he noted them halt. At once his glance went to the owner's face; Ashton-Kirk, his eyes turned in a sidelong look toward a door at the rear of the room, stood

off the

rd a slight creak from the hall, and a muffled sort of jar. A minute or two passed; he was th

hatever it is. Turning off the lights to hold a conversation is

s came along the darkened hall

the lights,

ts once more, and again t

speaking to some one,"

r, quietly. "There was a little mat

n eye; the floor, the walls, the hangings, the books and writing materials-nothing escaped him.

gent did not spend more than an instant over each. But as he was about to open the last but one, Fuller saw him pause and bend nearer. Then out came a morocco case and from this was

said As

orward with g

, whoever he was, probably came in contact with the flow from th

-Kirk shoo

re are no marks here. And yet a man making a search would invariably start at the top, as I have done." Then th

roken," said Fuller

ragged ridge. Probably seizing this to tea

with its particle of dried blood; then like a flash he

ere is a paper-

ished, did as

w?" he i

case door," was Ashton-K

stood

" gasp

e door," repeated the secre

from him and sent it crashing through the door of the nearest case. The glass splintered and

ind hot water and soap; wa

pocket-knife he picked at the fragment of dried blood; finally he worked it loose and caught it upon a card as it fell. Carry

they

he placed the two pieces of gla

the knife blade carefully against it; then taking it up with the tip of his fingers he carefully broke it in two at the exact pl

gent. "I thought it possible,

he bits of glass; a fair sized smear of red appeared upon the smooth glaze. Then he drew the second gl

he placed these upon

aid he, "and in this place they'

performance, but the other had already resumed his prowling up and

ere was a long window overlooking the lawn, and a door opening into the hallway. The room was scantily fur

t looked at som

he said. "Morse was his

amined th

id he. "A Caspa

tted with a large old-fashioned loc

ugh," said Fuller, a

, drily. "But I had occasion to use it while

and Ashton-Kirk m

he; "is it usual

ast from the inside. He kept his books and papers

d woman was just about to turn away when

ice," sa

said Ashton-

gure iron-like in its rigidity; Fuller's eyes follow

tive job done for all." Then, lowering his voice, he added: "There were only

arply. The old Breton woman hurried back to where they stood; and as she came the hall lights sh

?" asked A

oward the doo

nese," sh