The Argosy, April 1916 — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

39754. ing Miss Granger, but I ‘believe we will find she is not involved with Clarkin. At all events, we know she did not have the papers, and that Clarkin did.” Despite his words Lansing was sorely - stricken. The disappearance of his fiancée did not fit in with any explanation that he could conjure up, and look at it from what- ever angle he might she did not appear in an enviable light. “T believed in Clarkin,” mourned Gris- com. ‘‘He fooled me. I thought we had rooted out the last rat in the service, but it appears not.” Then he straightened. “But he is not out of Newport yet. Come on, men.” ‘“‘He might be on his way to Fall River by motor,” Lansing suggested. “Oh, I know this country,” plied. “Into the boat, men.’ But investigation showed that Clarkin had taken the swift launch in which the secret service men had arrived upon the scene, leaving the Navy launch, in which Clarkin had left the Navy Yard. The petty officer who had been in charge of this craft had gone up to the barracks to see a friend and he arrived when the discovery of the missing launch was made. “Berry,” said Dart, ‘how did you get that man for a passenger this morning?” “Captain Graham sent for me to come to his quarters,” was the reply, “and that Griscom re- detective was there with him. He ordered . me to take him to Fort Preble as swiftly as possible.” “T guess he impressed the commandant with a clean bill of health,” chuckled Dart, who of all the men was the only one who viewed Clarkin’s recent behavior with some degree of relief. This because he would have found him-: self in trouble had he really been responsi- ble for the incarceration of a secret service agent. “Well,” the colonel turned away, “I guess the situation is pretty much where it was—”’ “Except,” interrupted Griscom, ‘that you have locked up in the guard house the prettiest collection of spies that was ever taken in one haul. Keep them tight, Colo- nel, and I’ll settle with Clarkin, and have those plans back—I stake my reputation on it.” “All right. Captain Granger, I suppose - you'll be unfit for your duty until you know about your sister. Go ahead with the men.” 149 “Thank you.” Granger turned and ac- companied Dart and Lansing to the sub- marine, while all who could piled into the Navy launch. Two of the detectives were ordered by Griscom to remain at the fort and thus the two parties ran out past Whale Rock and thence into Newport Harbor. At the New York Yacht Club station the launch put in short and then returning to the submarine took aboard those who wished to leave it— in other words, Lansing, Griscom and Gran- ger. | ‘“Y’m much obliged to you, Dart,” Lan- sing called back. ‘‘You did a lot for me to-day and I won’t forget it.” Dart laughed. “Well,” he said, “we had an cline morning-—and now I’m going back to sneer at Atwater. It'll teach him to hold my prisoners in jail until he can talk to me about it.”’ The submarine turned her gray bow to- wards Goat Island and the launch put in to the yacht club landing. Griscom held a whispered conversation with several of his men and watched them until they hurried away. Then he turned -to Lansing. “Lansing,” he said; “I’ll admit this to you: I was never so completely stumped in my life. To find that Clarkin was one of this crowd is the worst jolt I have got in a long career filled with jolts. The fool! He was bought sure. I knew him when he first entered the service from the police de- partment in Toledo. He was straight then. I depended upon him a lot in this case.” ‘IT can imagine how you feel,” Lansing answered, closing his eyes wearily. ‘You must know the position I’m in, Griscom.” ‘And I,” Granger chimed in. “TY sympathize with you both,” said Gris- com. “But that isn’t getting us anywhere. Now, to be frank, when I wish to think out a problem I like to be alone. There is no use running around wild. | ‘““My men have notified every point that Clarkin and the girl could get to. Fall River will be covered by this time and Bris- tol and Providence, as well as the James- - town Ferry and the Wickford Landing boat, General. J am going up to the Aquidneck and close my eyes for a while.” “And I,” replied Lansing, ‘don’t know what I’m going to do. But I do know that I'll not close my eyes until I locate Helen Granger.” 1OOOLK C@