Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 7, 1928 — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

224 der assumed names. Tuttle carried them off immediately after dinner and we never saw them again. I haven't any notion what it was about and I’m afraid I am an awful flop as a spy.” “That’s all right,” said his chief flicking ashes from his cigarette into a distant ash tray. “I told you not to do any snooping. I want you to be invited down there regularly.” “This might have been a legitimate business conference,” Dick ventured. “Maybe they’re forming some kind of International Trust. It’s hard to be- lieve that old peacock of a Tuttle is bloodthirsty.” “You'll believe it before you get much deeper into this, Boswell,” said the other. “ Stutt was supposed to be entertaining at dinner in his own home in Berlin that night and Vaurien was thought to be dining with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. You identified them positively?” “T’m pretty sure. They certainly looked like the photographs.” “ It’s what I wanted to know.” “ Say, what am I to call you?” asked Dick rather testily. “‘ And do you real- ly think all this mystery is necessary ?”’ “Call me Brown, if you like. The mystery is for your own sake, In your character you cannot be holding meet- ings with persons who may come under suspicion. My life isn’t worth a plugged nickel at this minute and if they get on to you, a promising young American will die violently in London.” Dick laughed scornfully. “ Quit your joshing,” he said. “ Sir Augustus isn’t going in for assassination.” Mr. “ Brown” did not join in the laughter. “‘ Money has no scruples,” he replied. “ The outfit of which he is a prominent member wouldn’t hesitate one second to snuff you out. They haven’t got their own governments en- tirely in hand yet and they are all guilty of high treason in conspiring to hurl their nations into a war so you may be sure they are taking their precautions.” “You seem to have a lot of dope,” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. admired Dick. “ Assuming that you are right and these financiers are schem- ing to descend upon the United States; assuming that you get proof of it, what are you going to do about it? Nobody in America would take an unofficial conspiracy seriously. “You can’t make Americans prepare for war when the world is at peace. In 1917, after Europe had been ablaze three years we went into the war with- out any previous preparation whatever. “ Tf we hadn’t happened to have great munitions and arms factories which had been supplying the Allies since 1914 we couldn’t have landed a hundred thousand soldiers in Europe in a year, let alone two millions.” “True,” replied the waiter. ‘“ Our Congress had always refused to look facts in the face, but I am not endeav- oring to get the goods on Sir Augustus and his gang to present it to a com- mittee of Congress. By the time they had succeeded in proving that my docu- ments were all forgeries a European army would have landed on our shores.” “Then what are you up to?” he de- manded curiously. Brown laughed. “ Don’t you worry about that, Boswell. You are a very important pawn in this game and pawns must not know too much in case they happen to be captured. Continue to cultivate young Tuttle. Get yourself frequently invited to Winstut and stand ready to carry out any other instruc- tions.” ‘“ What’s your real name?” pleaded Dick. “ My real name wouldn’t mean any more to you than Brown. You are sure you don’t want anything to eat?” “ Not now, old man.” “Well, you may not hear from me for a week or two. Just go ahead like a pleasant young spendthrift. Can you think of something particularly foolish to pull off in the next few days?” “Oh, Lord,” groaned the young man. “ Haven’t I done mee 7 A (SCO AMIEL NOX} con