Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

172 at least correct. First, Newton is an offi- cer of the local military command, and he and Miss Rand are in love.” “Quite so.” 1 saw Haddon stiffen slightly, and then he smiled. ‘“ I won’t say you surprise me, since I am acquainted with your methods and their results, but— Newton is a signal officer with the detach- ment attached to the camp, and there is no doubt concerning the romance between him and Miss Rand.” “You have also arrested her father?” Semi continued. Haddon nodded. “TI have.” ‘“And despite the fact that you have evidence to convict these three, you are not satisfied such a result would measure up to a fulfillment of the task to which you were assigned?” “Exactly.” Haddon expelled the word as a sort of sigh. ‘‘ Lord, that’s a load off my mind. Frankly, Mr. Dual, with the exception of the incidents leading up to my arrest of Newton, and John Rand and his daughter, you appear to know about as much as I do about this thing.” ‘“‘And now,” Semi prompted, “ suppose you make those incidents plain.” Haddon’s bearing changed. ‘The some- what affected manner of his greeting fell from him. He began speaking in a fashion at once direct and concise. “J was sent out here because of the fact that it had become evident there were a certain number of drug addicts in the or- ganization now stationed at Camp Little, and that despite the known fact, local com- mand had been unable to discover either from the men themselves or from their own investigations, the source from which their supply of drugs was derived. For the first week, however, I did little except interview the local command, consult the sheriff’s office, and look around. Then the entire matter came to an apparent head with surprising, I might say suspicious ease. Newton, as it developed some months ago, had acquired a cote of carrier pigeons, and had since been amusing himself with the birds. ‘That is, local authority had con- sidered his work with them as in the na- ture of a fad, rather than as a thing of more serious motive. Then Captain Cle- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. land, a medical officer of the camp, re- ceived an anonymous communication ad- vising him to watch Newton and his birds. He showed it to me, and it was our opinion that it was from some man of the command who wished to convey information while at the same time keeping his own identity con- cealed. On my advice, Cleland began dropping in on Newton at his quarters, with the result that some two weeks ago he was chatting with him on an evening when one of his birds flew into the room. ‘“ Newton excused himself momentarily and took the bird in his hand. Cleland, watching, saw him detach a paper packet from it.” ‘“* What’s that?’ he asked. ‘““He says Newton appeared to hesitate before he answered, ‘ Oh—just a message, captain.’ He didn’t know of the anony- mous communication, of course. ‘But Cleland felt that the time for ac- tion had arrived. He asked Newton to let him see the message, and, as the lieutenant hesitated, drew a gun. He had gone pre- pared for whatever might occur, and hav- ing covered Newton, he took the packet from him and found it contained—mor- phine. “As a result, Newton was placed in arrest in his quarters and his birds checked up. Five others were found missing of the number he admitted having. His place was watched. One by one the birds came back, each bearing its package of drugs. I _could scarcely do anything after that but recommend to the camp command that he be placed in permanent arrest pending fur- ther investigation. And that is what I did.” ‘“¢ And considered that you’d cleared ,up the source of supply to the soldiers—and that all you had to do was run down the other end,” Bryce cut in. Haddon gave him a glance and nodded. ** As a matter of fact, I did think I’d cleared up the camp end of the matter,” he admit- ted. ‘‘ And, as you suggest, I tried to find the other end of the string. Unexpectedly, instead of leading me south, it led east to the place of my second prisoner, Rand.” ‘What sort of place?” Jim questioned. ** A sart of ranch,”’ Haddon said, “ with COMmiCclboo (”) SS nn