Ashton Kirk, Secret Agent

Onc

culiarly meaningless fashion, the black,

"and reading a favorite book, when I happe

ned Ashton-Kirk, wi

h, patting it gently as he did so,

s did not know their trade as well as these of modern days. But," and the gracefully flexible hands gestured

the secret agent, "and perhaps mechanica

ld things, this fierce desire to perform wonders has taken root. Everywhere you see the sign of the times-in the people, in t

t agent; "the army and na

t to reply to this; but a look from his employer restrained him. And after a moment's pause, Okiu went o

t the police have the matter in hand; and

e matter as a whole is a most singular one. But, no doubt, the arrest of this

ain some thin

s head forward inquiringly. "Then y

," said Ashton-Kirk, "is

r laughe

little is of great value." He stood back a trifle, the yellow, finely-kept hands softly clasped; the round, lin

en and pleasant that Fuller wondered if he had been at fault when he had

ance here. And since there is nothing that I can do for you,

atter, is at the gate-or was a few mo

I will spe

comment upon him or his sayings, bent down and once more studied the foot-prints. One spot in particular seeme

re than is usual in an ordinary talk. After a space the man went around by the rear of the house, for here you see his prints lost in the confusion. But the woman went the other way, as these three sharp impressions

nger, then they made their way to t

couring some pans. By

aid the secret ag

ng," they b

on woman was as severe and erect as ever; her thin-lipped mouth was se

said Ashton-Kirk, "but," to the old woman, "I

hen," said she. "They had me up and dow

s man," sugge

n the others. And the questions! Mother of G

ssed through the kitche

ing new, gentle

yet," replie

young Pole, "and I am sorry for Mr.

d woman, in a tone of conte

very often with the doctor toward the last,

s, upset the scouring powder and fell to the flo

He paused in the doorway and lo

k," said Drevenoff. "To be sure I

"If you knew Simon Morse," she continued, turning upon the secr

stand that his temper was not of the sweetest." He was about

. Before I came here I worked in a construction gang for the Virginia and North Carolina R

Corbin," said Ashton-Kirk to Na

he died," said the woman. "She has been there for hours. She

r by the rear stairs; as they paused by a window whic

; it occurred to me as soon as we reached here this morning. Do you recall that

g man drew upon the dust of

ed to me that Okiu's house and this one were very much of a size and that the connecting plots of ground were very long and very narrow. Here," and Fuller indicated one of the sq

the speaker, a curio

e, "how far you ar

he was toweling briskly away he caught a glimpse, through the partly open

e breathed, "h

e high, the instep arched; except for a caking of yellowish looking soil a

" said Fuller, "and the only person in this h

aw his lips forming the first words of a reply. But it was never uttered. Something without attracted him, for he put down the shoes and protrud

r was surprised to see a perplexed look upon the k

s it?"

him cry out. Okiu stood below; from a window of the room in which Nanon had said she was watchin