Evening Star Newspaper, July 31, 1921, Page 64

- have taken it. By Herbert Jenkins. such an exi sary. B 3 Perhaps 1 can help you," said Mal colm Sage, still standing by the chair on which Jay his cap and coat. “At the end of every great war the plans departments of the admiralty and war office afle busy preparing for the.next war. 1 suggest that this document was the admiralty draft of a plan of operations to be put into force in the event of' war oecurring between this country and an extremely friendly power. It was submitted to the war office for criticism and comment as far as land operations were con- N the library at the Towers three tent as he thinks neces- men were seated, :their faces lined ahd drawn as if some great misfortune had suddenly de- scended upon them; yet their senses were alert. They were listening. “He ought to be here any minute, mow,” said Mr. Llewellyn John, the prime minister, taking out his watch for the’ hundredth. time. Sir Lyster Grayne, firft lord of the adriralty, shook his head. “He should do it in an_hour.” said ~Lord Beamdale, the secretary of war £t he's got a marw whe knows the road.” ' g “Sage is sure—" began' Sir Lyster: then he stopp abraptly, and turned in the direction of the farther window. The others heard the sound of the window belgg raised and then closed again. A moment later Malcolm Sage appeared. followed by Sir Lyster, wno once more drew the curtain. “Thank God vou've come eried Mr. Llewellyn John, 3 of relief as he grasped Malcolm Sage’s hand as if it had been a lifebelt and he a drowning man. think you Lave met Lord Beamdale.” he added. Malcolm Sage bowed to the war minister, then with great deliberation | Temoved his overcoat, carefully fold-! ed it, and placed it upon a chair, la: ing his cap on top. He then selected | & chair at the table that gave Lim a clear view of the faces of the three| ministers, and sat down. the win-' “Why did vou come -to ' dow " inquired Sir Lyster, as he resumed his own seat. * vou know: this was the library?" 3 “1 saw a crack of W@ht ‘between’ the curtains.” replied Malcolm Sage. | “It may be desirable .that no should know 1 have been here” added. ‘ “Something * terrible has happened, Sage,” broke in the prime ministe his voice shaking with excitement He had with dilficulty contained him- self whilst Malcolm Sageswhs taking | off his overcoat and explaining his; reason for entering by the window. “It's—it's—" His voice broke. “Perhaps Sir Lyster will tell me, suggested Malcolm Sage. 3 * ok kX minister came dowh el and Lord with ! the friendly power. would find in this document a very valuable red-herring +6 T HE prime Beamdale me on Thursday night to spend the|to draw across the path of its own) week-end.” he sald. “Incidentally we. were to discuss a very important. mat- s ter connected with this country's—er ! —foreign policy.” Tke hesitation was only momentary. “Lo-d Beam- dale brought with him a document. of an extremely private nature. This T had sent to him earller in the week | for consideration and comment: perplgxities.” “Gaod heavens!" cried Mr. Llewel- Iyn John, upright in his chair. “How on earth did you know “It seems f:irly obvious.” said Mal- colm Sage, as he returned to his chair and resumed his stroking of the sphinx’s back. “If that document were to get to!the existence of the document?” he!hmms pulled up; & certain embassv in London no|inquired. one can foretell the calomitous re-| sults. It might even result in an-) other war. if not now. certainly later. ! It was. I *hould explain, of a private | and confidential nature, and Tonse- | quently quite frafikly expressed. sound of & suppressed scream. “Just over on heur and a half ags—! jowed by @ bump against: the w that is to say. soon after 11 o'clock— | work. ¥ it was discovered that the document| “I'm so sorry, Sir Lyster. the war—" Sir Lyster stopped sud- denly. From the corridor, apparently just outside the library door, came the in question was missing, and in "’i the girl. as she stepped timidly place had been substituted a number | the room. ‘but 1 was _frightene of sheets of blank paper.” Some one tched off. the lights and I ran into— Japanese. who stood devrecating and nervous on' the threshold. - ‘T lose my passage.” he said. bering “Where was the document kept?" | inquired Malcolm Sage. his long, sen- | sitive fingers stroking the back of the sphinx. X “In the safe.” replied Sir Lyster, in- [ his tecth still further: “I go to find dicating with a nod a small safe let |cigarette.case of my master. He leave it in beelyard room. I% < ‘You rre up late, “MIsS Blair,” he Into the wall. . —......c | “You are in the Rabit oY Using it for valuable documents?’ queried|said coglly, turning to the girk: “I'm’so sorry.” she szid Grayne gave me some "letters. and ! there was so much copying for you |that—" She paused. then added. nerv, a larger safe in my dressing | ously. “I didn’t know it was so late.” room in which I keep my papers.! «you had better ko to bed nOw. During the day 1 occosionally use | said Sir Lyster. - s Mr. Malcolm Sage. “As a matter of fact. very seldom. It is_mostly empty.” was the reply. hy Sage?” He looked this save going up and down| “Where stairs g e from Mr. Llewellyn John to Lord “Where do you keep the key?’ Beamdale. “When there is anything in the safe | “You see, Sage is not supposed to I always carry it about with me.” be here explained Mr. Llewellyn And at other times?" Jonhn. “Your secretary has an expensive ! taste in perfume.” remarked Malcolm Sage casually, as he resumed his seat. !UIt often characterizes an intensely emotional nature.” he added musingly. “Emotional -n- ture! repeated Sir Lyster. “As a matter of fact, she is extremely practical and self-possessed. You were-saying—] he con¢luded with the air of a man who dismisses a trifiing subject in favor “of one of some importance. in my ‘Sometimes in a drawer “but writing table,” said Sir Lyster; generally I have it on me.” “When was the document put into the safe?” “At a quarter to eight tonight. just as the second dressing gong was sounding.” X “And you yourself put it in, locked the door, and have retained the key ever since? Malcolm Sage had ex- usted the interest of the sphinx e “was now drawing diagrams with' = uDiplomatists should be trained his forefinger upon the morocco sur- iphynln‘nomi!!!‘ murmured Malcolm face of the table. Sage. v mum's mouth rarely lies; a voman's never. y “""No"," ‘continued Malcolm Sage, “1 should like to know who is staying here.” ; i+ Lyster proceeded to give some e *the Erests and servants. Aimong the men-servants was Sir Jef- frey Trawlor’s Japanese valet. : here was something in Sir Lyster's volce as he mentioned this fact that | erused Malcolm Sage to look up at him sharply. “The man ¥ | Lyster explained - Lo has beed tne e S cause of SOMc They object to sitting Chinaman, as 1 Dut the key in the pocket of my evening vest when I chunged.” he Ta. “After the other guests had retired, the prime minister raised a point that necessitated reference to| The document itself. It was then I discovered the substitution.” | “But for that circumstance the safé would not' have been opened until When?" queried Malcolm Sage. “Late tonight, when I should have transferred the packet to the safe in my dressing-room.” “Would you have examined the nts?" "M%t is my rule to cut ‘adrift|gervants' hall. from’ officlal matiers from ainner | down to meals with a Saturday until after break-|tney call him. ¢ ¥ ;'-Tlen‘:‘Mondn%y" was only in d"-'msi.(- seems intelligent?” remarked o just seen.” Sir erence to the prime minister's par- | Malcolm Sage casually. 3 e wish that we referred to the| “On the contrary, he is an:cx document tonight.” | tremely stupid creature.” was (1e “I take it that the rule you men- | reply., Only yesterday RCUELL tion is known to your guests and|found \.":‘w“::.flr:; ag:?:‘n Ahe cuis vants ridor leading to = *Iermint Walters has also mentioned the mat e e er T may_require a list of the s> sald Malcolm Sage, when N *Lyster had completed his ac- count. - “You said, T think, that the ¥ey 1o the safe-was.sometimes left in angaccessible place?” “Yes, in a drawer.” “So that any ene having access to the room couid easily have taken a wax impression. Sir Lyster flushed slightly. “There is no doubt that it was the document itself that you put in the =afy N - None. The prime Lord Reamdale saw me do it.” No doubt whataver.” corroborated Llewellyn John, while Lord minister and Mr. Beamdale wagged his head like a mandarin. “Does any one else know_that it ie ked Malcolm Sage after & short par. g Ly hook his head. “f should- first like to smee the The rvants. of course, have ac-|side of the safe and the d;n‘r:l:lsy acket,” sald Malcolm Sage. PNo. T will open it myself i you will give me the key,” he added, .as Sir Lyster rose and moved; over to the safe. “How many leaves of paper were there?” inquired Malcolm Sage. “Eight, I think,” replied Sir Lyster. «“Nine,” corrected Lord Beamdale. “There was.a leaf in front blank but for the words, ‘Plans Depart- v ther document from “Have you. another n the same department? inquired Mal- colm Sags of Sir Lyster. “Several “I should Tike to see one.” Sir_Lyster left the room and Mal- colm Sage removed the contents of the envelope. -. Carefally _counting nine leaves of blank white foolscap, he bent down over the paper, with his face almost touchjng it. . When Sir Lyster: re-entered with another documeént in his hand Mal- colm Sage took it-from him and pro- ceeded to subject it to an. egually close scrutiny, holding” up to- the light each sheet in_ sugcession. i 1 suppose, Sir Lyster, you don’t by any chance use scent?’ inquired Mal- coim Sage without looking up. : “Mr. Sage!" Sir Lyster was on his dignity. “I see “you don't”” was Malcolm Sage's calm comment as he resumed his examination of the dummy docu- ment. Replacing it in the envelope, he returned it to the safe, closed the door. locked it, and put the key in his pocke! “Well what do you make of it?” cried Mr. Llewellyn John eagerly. “We shall have to take the post- master-general into our confidence.” ° “Woldington!" crted Mr. Liewellyn John in astonishment. - “Why?* cess to this room?” “Yes: but only Walters. my butler, is likely to come here in the even- ing. except, of course, my secretary. “Where does he dine”" «Miss Blair," corrected Sir Lyster, Jways takes her meals.in her own aftting-room, where she works. It is situated at the back of the house on e ground floor.” 0 ¥ ’“'"s: far as you know. then,” he said at length, addressing Sir Lyster. “only three people in the house were ac- uainted wit “document; you. d Lord Beamdale.” “You are certain of that?" Malcolm ‘Sage looked up swiftly and keenly. “Your secretary and Lady Grayne. for “instance, they knew nothing about ot h the existence of the the prime, minister Nothing: of that T am: absolutely ‘certatn,” replied Sir Lyster coldly. “And the nature of the docymrent?” inquired Malcolm Shge. “T am afraid it is of too private a “mature to——" he hesitated. “T'm afraid we are wasting time. -gentlemen,” said Malcolm Sage. ris ing. “1 would suggest Scotland Yard. “The official police must work under any handicap imposed. I regret that T am unable to do so0.” * ok k¥ NoW. Sase said Mr. Llewellyn 4N John tactfully, “you, mustn’t let us down, you really mustn’'t.” Then turn ng to Sir Lyster, he said. “I can see his point. 1f he doesa’t know the nature of 'the document he .cannot form a theory as to who is likely to Perhaps under the cir- circumstances, Grayne, we might take @ confidence; at least * Smme P 0 She turned to the | A STOLEN MEMORANDUM OF THE ADMIRALTY Asother Strange Case of Malcolm Sagz, Detective | ! been stripped. The nouse would then | cortein “No one outside the admiralcy and; OPen: i ] i H i should have known exactly where to | 0od- ! find the missing document, ' i i 1 “Because we shall probubly require “How?" inquired Sir Lyster. . “Well. it's rather dangerous to tam- per with His Majesty's mails without the connlvance of St. Martins-le- " was_the dry retort. aren’t you going to search * Mr. jLlewellyn John paused age turned and looked But for-— as Malcolm full at him. * ok ok ok encils from cvers maugneto, every tinkin® one. > Just a-gain’ to tune ‘em up T in comes Davies Jing in the dire fueed man, with * " he continued, nod- ion of a little round. fleur’ {get ‘is blnkIn' arp’ to um meiher. Then we stafts a-lookin' round. when lo and be'old! what d> we find? Some streamin’, satyrated gon of sin an whiskers 'as pinched the ruddy pe I8 out ‘of the scailet magnetos.” “The floet's gome from my car- bureter. The voice came from a long, lear: man who appeared suddenly out of the shidows at the far-end of the gurage. g Without a word Richards and avies dashed each to a car. A min- ute later two yells wnnounced that the floats from their carbureters also HE only effective search woyla be to surround the house with “T | police and allow each occupant tofing he hal found cerned. Another power, unfriendly to ' pass through the cordon after having | had’ disappeared | " Later Richards t>ld how that morn- the door of the | garage unfastened, althou “THE FLOAT'S GONE FROM ‘MY CARBURETOR.” 3 “Who else” knew of | havet o be gone through; carpets and mattresses ripped chairs “I agree with Mr. Sage.” Lyster. looking across at t minister coldly. “Had 1 been a magazine detective I said Sir he) prime " said Mal- “As I am not"—he turned colm Sage. + Poltered j to Sir Lyster—"it will be necessary into ' for you to leave a note for your but- d. | ler telling him that zou have dropped somewhere about the house the key of this safe, and instructing him to have a thorough search made for it. You might casually mention the loss at breakfast, and refer to an important document inside the safe which you must have on Monday morning. Per- | haps the prime minister will suggest i 1 i 1 | whatever happens.” telephoning to town for man to come down to force the safe should the key not be found.” “Leave the note unfolded in a.con-! spicuous place where any one can see it,” he continued. T'll put it on the hall-table,” said 8ir Lyster. Malcolm Sage nodded. “It is desirable that you should all apvear to be in the best of spirits.” There was a_ fluttering at the cérners 6f Malcolm Sage's mouth, as he lifted his eyes for a second to the almost lugubrious _countenance of Lord Beamdale. “Under no circumstances refer to the robbery, even amongst yourselves. Try to forget it." “But how wiil that help?” inquired Mr. Llewellyn John. “I will ask you, sir,” said Malcolm Sage. turning to him, “to give me a letter to Mr. Woldington, asking him to do as 1 request. I will give him the details.” “l suppose Wwe mus said the prime minister, looking from Sir Ly- ster to Lord Beamdale. *I hope to call before lunch.” séid Malcolm Sdge. “You will refuse to discuss official matters aintil Monday. I sball probably ask you to intro- duce me to every one you cam It may happen that [ shall disappear suddeniy. By the way. Sir Lyster, how many cars have you in the ga- rage?’ inquired Malcolm Sage. “In case we want them,” he added. I "have two, and there are"—he paused for a moment—"five others,” he added; “seven in all. “Any carriages, or dog-carts?” No. We have no horses.” Bicycles?” “A few of the servants have them,” replied Sir Lyster, a little im- patientl, “The bicycles are also kept in the garage, I take it?" “They ure.” Thix time there was no mistaking the note of irritation in_Sir Lysters voice. “There may be several messengers trom Whitehall fomorrow.” said Mal- clom Sage, after a pause. “Please ;eep them waiting until they show igns of impatience. It is important. Whateyer happens here, it would be better not to acquaint the police— he added with emphasis. “And now, sir.” he turned to Mr. Llewellyn John—"I should ukel that note to the postmaster gen- eral * “But sipposé the thief hands the documents~to an acromplice?” said Sir Lyster presently. with something tike emotion-in his voi ““That's exactly what I am sup- posing,” - was Malcolm Suge's reply. and..takfng the note that Mr. Llewel 1yn John held out to-him, he placed it in his breast pocket, buttoned up his overcoat and walked across to the window. through which he had antered. ~With one hand upon the curtain he turned. o “if I call you may notice {hat T cqujred a slight foreign ac- cent.” he said, and with that +he slipped behind the curtain. A mo- ment later ‘the sound was heard of the window being quietly opened and then shut neain. “Well, I'm jiggered:” cried Lord Beamnd- ‘ the ‘moment Mr. Llewlelyn John and Sir Lyster for- got their surprise at Malcolm Sage's actions in their astonishment at their | colleague’s remark. * % k ¥ WHEN Mr. Walters descended the broad staircase of The Towers on the Sunday morning he found two things to disturb him—Sir Lyster's note on the hall table and the Jap- anese valet “lost” in the conserva- tory. He read the one with attention, and' rebuked the other with acri- mony. ° Having failed to find the missing key himself, he proceeded to the housekeeper's. reom, and voured into the lurge and recdptive ear” of Mrs. Eames the atory of his woes. i “Anq this a Sunday. too,” ’the housekeeper was just remarking. in a fat, comfortable voice, when Rich-! ards, the chauffeur. burst uncere- moniously into the room. . “Some one's taken the pencils from 8ll ‘the magnetos,” he shouted anxrll{; his face moist with heat and lubri< can. ‘“Tt's burglars. They've brok- en into the garage and tafen the that he had locked it the | night before. | This was sufficient for Mr. Walters | Fleeing from the bewildering flood | of technicalities and profanity of the three chauffeurs, he made his wuy | girect to Sir Lyster's room. | Le told his tale, and was instructed instuntly to -telephone to the police. -"At the telephon> further trouble |awaited him. He could get no reply {from the exchange. He tried the private wire to the admiralty; but | with no better result. He accordingly reported the mat- | ter to Sir Lyster. who was by then | with Lord Beamdale in the library |1t was the minister of war who re- minded his host of Malcolm Sage's | #trange request that whatever hap- | pened the police were not to be com- | municatd with. One by one the guests drifted down to breakfast, went out to the garage to see for themselves, and then re- tturned to discuss the affair over cof- |fee and kidneys, tea and toast. As Sir Lystgr left the breakfast toom he enlountered Miss Blair crossing the hall. She looked very fresh and pretty, with a demure, ai- jmost. childlike expression of feature. | Her cheeks were flushed with health and exercise. “Would you like me to cycle over to Oxford to the police?” she inquired. “My machine is quite all right. I have just been for a spin.” | “No—er—not at present, thank you, Miss Blair,” said Sir Lyster, a little lembarrassed at having to refuse to do the obvious thing. He passed {across the hall into_ the library, and { Miss Blair, having almost fallen over 'lhfi Japanese valet, “lost” in a cor- ridor leading to the billiard room, went out to condole with Richards and tell him of a strange epidemic of mishaps |that seemed to have descended upon the neighborhood. She herself had passed a motor cycle, two push bi- cycles and a Ford car, all disabled by the roadside. In, the library sat the three minis- ters;, for the most part gaszing either !at one another or at nothing in par- ticular. They were waiting for some- thing to happen; none knew quite | what. |, Dinner passed. a dreary meal: the ladles withdrew to the drawing room, but still the heavy atmosphere of foreboding' remained. It was nearly half-past nine when Walters entered and murmured something in Sir Ly- ster's ear. An eager light sprang into Mr. iLlewellyn John's eyes as the first lord rose, made his apologlies, and left the room. It was only by the exercise of great velf-control that the prime min- ster refrained from jumpin ToTiing (A rter hint o Dine P aud Two minutes later Walters again entered the dining room, with a re- quest that Mr. Llewellyn John and Lord Beamdale would join Sir Lyster n the library. s Walters threw open the librar: door they found Malcoim Sage seated 2;{";2 :I?hle. l:‘i‘sl fingers spgead out ore him. whilst Sir Ly 53, the frepiace. yster stood “Ask Miss Blair if she will come here'to take down an important letter, Walters.” said Sir Lyster. ‘Well,” cried Mr. Llewellyn John, as soon as Walters had closed the door behind him. “Have you got 1t7" ‘'The document is now in a strong room at the general post office,” said Malcolm Sage without looking up. “I thought it would be safer there.' 1)y Thank goodness!” cried Mr. Liewel- {1¥n John, collapsing into a chair, * X ok % nwfl(o took it from the safe, then?" inquired Sir Lyster. “I—" he stopped short as the door opened and Miss Blair entered, notebook in hand, tooking ‘very dainty in a simple gray frock, relieved by a bunch of clove carnations at the waist. Closing the door behind her, she hesitated for a moment, a smile upon her moist, slightly parted lips. sorry to disturb yos, Miss began Sir Lyster, “but . Mr. Sage—" he paused. . % “It was Miss Blair who removed the document from the safe.” iMies Blalr” said Maleolm Sage quietly, “what are your relati Faul Cresenr ot —]—er—know him,"” sh Sy e faltered “I wondered,” said S id Malcolm Sage “What does this mean, Mr. Sage?” inquired Sir Lyst M K wipwill eell you. While Lord Beamdale placed a c {nto which Miss Blair collapsed. ~Last night while you were at dinner Miss Blajr opened your safe with a dupli- cate key made from a wax. impres- sion. She abstracted a valuable docu- ment, putting in its place some sheets of blank paper.” He paused. “Go on,” almost gasped Mr. Llewel- tym John. 2 In the envelope was inclosed this note.” _ He handed to Mr. Llewellyn John a half sheet of paper on which ‘was typed: - = “Paul; dearest, I have done it. . I witl ‘ring you up tomorrow. I shall was,” explained Richards for the|myself.—G.” twentieth time, “when 1 found the| “Miss Blair," sald Sir Lyster, coldly, tloomin' engines nad gone whonky,|“what have you to say?’ J then—"" -nothing.” she faltered, striving ¥ound the engines had gone|to moisten her gray lips. whit 2" inquired Mr. Walters. “If you will tell the truth,” said ionky. dud, na-poo,’ explained | Malcolm Sage, “you still have a Richards filuminatingly, ' whilst _Mr. (chance. “H nol—" He paused signifi- \/alters gazed at him icily. “Then cantly. | written «n every inch of Him, “and 'e couldn’t | after a pause she added: “It was to gh he was: the disgrace. said Malcolm Sage, | P ask for Tuesday off. You will keep Yyour promise, dear. and save me, won't you? If you don’t I shall kill "Both of us?" she repeated. Both,” sald Malcolm Sage. 1—I love him,” she moaned: then save the disgrace. He promised: he swore e would if T did it.” “Swore he would do what?" Malcolm Sage. “Marry me. “Now listen to me,” continued Mal-. colm Sage, drawing up a chair and seating himself beside her, “and tell me if 1 am wrong. While you were acting as Sir Lyster's secretary you met Paul Cressit at the admiraity, and you were attracted to him.” “He mude violent love to you and you succumbed. Later you took him into your confidence in regard to a certain matter and he promised to marry you. He put you off-from time to time by various excuses. You were almost distracted’ at the thought of | He persuaded you to| take a wax Impression of Sir Lyster's key, on the chance of it one day being useful. i “Finally he swore that he would! marry you if you would steal this! document, and he showed you a spe-! clal license. Am T right?" “I suppose,” said Malcolm Sage quietly, “he did not happen to men- tion that he wrs already married?" “Married!” She started up, her eyes blasing. “It isn't true; oh! it isn't true,” she cried. “I'm afraid it is” said Malcolm Sage, with feeling in his voice. With a moan of despair her head fell forward upon the table and hard, said dry sobs shook her frail body. iss Bloir,” said Malcolm Sage presently, when she had somewhat regained her self-control, “my advice | to you is to write out a full confes- sion and bring it to me at my, office tomorrow morning. It is youf only | chance. And now you must go to your room He aroce, assisted her to her fget. and_led her to the door, which he clostd behind her. “That, 1 think. concludes the in- quiry.” he said. as he walked over to the fireplace| and, leaning against the mantelpiece. he began to fill his pipe. “Unless,” he added, turning to Mr. Llewellyn John, “you would like to see Cressit.” ‘What we should like, Sage.” said Mr. Llewellyn John, “is a little in- formation s to what has been hap- pening. With great deliberation Malcolm Sage procegded to light his pipe. “I hope you have not been incon- venienced about the telephone.” We get no reply from the exchange,'"said Sir Lyster, “and the wire to the admiralty is out of order.” 1 had to disconnect you after I Jeft this morning.” said Malcoln Sage quietly. | tFrom fhe first it was obvi- ous that this theft wax planned cither at the admiralty or at the war office. 1 accepted the’ assurance that only three peoplc in this house knew of the axistence of the document,” Malcolm Sage proceeded, as if there had been no interruption. “There was no ob- ject in any «f (hose three persons Stealing that to which they had ready access.” Loard, Beamdale nodded his agree- ment with the reasoning. * ok kK “T REFORE.” continued Malcolm ¢, “the theft must have been planned by some one who knew about the document before it came here, and furthermore knew that it was to be here at a certain time. To con- firm this hypothesis we have the re- markabl circumstances that the blank paper substituted for the orig- inal document was, im quality and the number of sheets. identical with thut of the document itself.” l “good,” ejaculated Lord Beamdale, himself a keen mathematician. “It was almost, but not quite, ob- vious that the exchange had been effected by a woman.” “How obvious?” inquired Mr. Liew- ellyn John. “The handle of the safe door was corrugated and the lacquer had worn off, leaving it rough to the mm-h.l When 1 kneeled down before the safe it was not to examine the metal work, but to see if the thief had left a scent.” “A ‘scent?" repeated Sir Lyster. | “On the ‘handle of the door there| was a distinct trace of perfume. very ! slight.hut | have a keen sense of | smell. On the document itself there | was also evidence of a rather ex-| penkive perfume, not unlike that| used by Miss Blair. Furthermore, it} was bent in a rather peculiar man- ner, which might have resulted from its 'being carried in the belt of a woman's frock. It might. of course, | have been mere chance.” he added but the envelope did not corresponding bend.” “Although several people have had’ show a an opportunity of taking a waux im- pression of the key, the most likely were Miss Blair and Walters—that, however. was & side issu “How?" Inquired Sir Lyster. “Because primarily we were con- cerned with making the criminal himself or herself divulge the secret. The thief would in all probubility seize the first xafe opportunity of getting rid of the plunder.” “But_did you not suspect the Jap- anese? broke in Lord Beamsdale. “For the moment I ruled him or said Malcolm Sage. “as 1 could see how it was possible for him to know about the existence of the document in question. and further- more, as he had been in the house lexk than two days, there was no time for him to get a duplicate key.” “What did you do then?" inquired Sir Lyster. “I ‘motored back to town, broke in upon the postmaster-general's first sleep, set on foot inquiries at the admiralty and war office. in the meantime arranging for The Towers to be carefully watched.” Malcolm Sage paused for a_moment; then as none of hin hearers spoke, he con- tinued: “I had a number of people in the neighborhood—motorists. cyclists and peaectrians. No one could have left the Fousee and grourds without being seen. “Miss Blair found the morning ir- resistible, and took an early =pin on her bicycle to -Odford, where she posted a packet in a post box situ- ated in a street that was apparently quite empty.” . “And_{t was addressed to this man Cressit?” inquired Sir Lyster. “Yes, He is a temporay staff-clerk in the plans department. Incidentaily he is something of a Don Juan, and the cost of living has Increased consider- al “And what shall' we do_with inquired Sir Lyster. *The drel.” he added. “I sent him a telegram in Miss Blair's rame to be at Odford Station tonight at seven: then I kidnaped him. We managed to get him to enter my car, and then we wen! through him—t is a phrase from the crook-world. found upon him the marriage certificate, and later I induced him to confess. T am now going to take him back to my office, secure his finger-prints and physical measurements, which will be of interest at Scotland Yard. “But we are not going to prosecute, said Mr. Llewellyn John anxiously. him scoun- “Mr. Paul Cressit will have forty- eight hours in which to leave the country,” said Malcolm Sage evenly. ‘He will not return, because Scotland Yard will sce *hat he does not do so. “But T failed to understand vour sa) ing that you would be here this morn ing.” said Sir Lyster, “and under an assumed name with: “A foreign accent,” suggested Mal. colm Sage. “The thief might have bes an old hand at the game, and ton clever to fall into a rather obviour trap. in that case 1 might have been forced, as a foreigner, to salute the hands of all the ladies in the house. 1 learned to click my heels vears ago in Germany.” Again there was a suspicious movement | at the cogners of Mgleoln Sa mouth ,__ “To identify the scent? broke in Mr. Liewellyn 2 l “The foreign messengers= queried Lord Beamdals, “I decided that pedestrains and eyelists would do ax well. | merely wanted the house watched. There {were quite a number of casualties to cars and bicyeles in the neighbor- hood.” he added dr: “But why did you cut n¥ off from the telephone? inquired Mr. Llewel- Iyn_John “The through, no risks. ight have got afford to take ccompl nd 1 could * kK % “yyell. you have done splendidly uge,” said Mr. Llewellyn John heartily, “and we are all greatly obliged. By the way. there's an- other little problem awaiting you Some one broke into the garage lust night and wrecked all the cars and Licyeles—" t two,” said Malcolm Sage “Then you've heard.” ¥n_John looked at him in surprise. “The missing pencils, floats and pedals you wiil find on the left-hand |side of the drive about half-way down. under a laurel bush” said Maleolm Sage quietly. “My chauf- feur did it. 1 could not risk the thief having access to a fast car.” “I must be going.” he said, *1 ) have stll several things to attend o. 3 “But what am I to do about Miss Blair?" zsked Sir Lyster “That's a question 1 think you will Mr. Llewel- |find answered in the Gospei of % | Luke—the seventh chapter and 1 think the forty-seventh verse™: and i With that he was gone. leaving three ministers gazing at oneeanother in dumb astonishment Had a cynic been peeping into the , * library of The Towers a few minutes later. he would have discovered thres cabinet ministers bending over New Testament, which Sir Lyster had fetched from his wife's boudoir and the words they read were: i “Wherefore 1 say unto thee. her sins, which are many, are forgiven. * for she loved much. (Copyright, 1921.) GERMANY’S ASTONISHING PLAN TO ISSUE FLOQD OF PAPER MONEY FOR BY STERLING HEILIG. Paris, July 11. 1921 ERMANY is the ingenious business land! They are flood- ed with depreciated paper money. The mark, which| ought to be worth 25 cents, is quoted at one cent and a half in the world market. That is to say, a German going across the Swiss frontier must pay equivalently $2.50 for a fifteen-cent cake of soap—thanks to depreciated paper money of Germany. All right! They have found a rem- edy to bring them uber alles. They will print more paper money! At- cording to old doctrine, it spells ruin. According to new German business institution, it is going to mean the salvation of the fatherland. “They are going to keep the print- ing presses running all the time,” says John Penton, “printing more and more of this paper money, in order to pre- vent the mark from gong up in value. They atre determined to keep the value of their money low in order to control ‘the world's trade in the present market.” Here is the best story that has yet come out of Germany. John Penton of Clevelard, Ohio, is the millionaire publisher of the Iron Trade Review, the Dalily Metal Trade, the Foundry, the Marine Re- view ~and_ similar technical publi- cations. For their purposes. he must keep a finger on the iron and steel pulse and for the past few months he has been studying_ industrial condi- tions in. Europe. Recently the news agencies cabled his general appre-| ciation. But I met Penton just as he. was coming out of Germany, where he had met those German magnates of the iron and steel trade who are as self- effacing today as they were promi- nent In the empire. They are getting no space, because they are delibera- tely silent. But they talked to John Penton; and John Penton talked to us. Here is the astonishing story: * k k% ¢ \EXT to the agricultural stocks. the world's biggest thing is the iron and steel industry, isn't it?" says Pen- ton.. “Well, four days before the c«r-l man government told the allies that they would accept their ultimatum the | director of one of the biggest steel plants of Germany said to me: “We arc going to accept. We can- not heip ourselves. We have got to do it We staked the wrong horse.’ ‘Thut was all there was to it. No re- morse, no contrition. no regret for hav- ing devastated half of Europe: but just gambled and lost! The next day he sat at lunch with representatives of three great iron and steel combinations. These are the three things they told him: aving accepted the ultimatum, Ger- many will make the payments. it will be done by Issuing the biggest bond is- wue ever made In the world and by the Mokt extensive taxation program. ever oftered, at any time, in any legislative body in the world. And these three industrial magnates repeated: “We have got to pay. We cannot help it. 1f we do not pay, here come the ships to blockade Hamburg and Bremen!" The empire is dead. “The next thing.” says Mr. Penton,{ “is that the empire in as dead in Ger- many as Napoleon's empire is in France. Tt is hard to make Frenchmen believe this, and its effects will be far-reach- ing.’ Republics do not make war and Geérmany is now in line with the United States, England and France, where war can be made only by a vote of the legis- lative body. “They are taking down all the em- blems of royalty. The other day they had scaffoldings up in Unter den Linden effacing the last vestiges. The new money is without a souvenir of royalty. Never an eagle on it has a crown! No more decorations are given out, no more titles of nobility are created, there is no more standing attention, _clicking heels and everybody saluting every- “iot even ‘the iron cross?"’ I asked. “Sometimes you see a bit of black and white, but as a man told me, it is_not good form.” & The empire is dead. “At the fall of Napoleon's empire in 1871, he says, “people believed pretty generally that it would be re- stored again. A handful of dreamers, in France, believe it yet. So it is true that certain insignificant cliques in Germany more or less worship at the old shrine, but few would restore the old thing, even If they could. Even the fanatfcs of Krupps (all have saher cuts on their faces) now say that the old system had so many undesirable features that to go back to it would be_intolerable.” “But had it won the-war for them?" 1 said. i “It would have been all right. Oh, my, yes! But all that is over and ast. There is great resentment sgainst those who.got them into it but no time is wasted in idle repining. Their eyes no longer look across the Rhine, but eastward. And Germany is going in for the world's trade in iron and steel in'a way that nobody has attempted. nor can attempt! | * * ¥ % XPORT trade?’ I satd. “Yes. They cannot send semi- finished to the United States because of our tarift, but a leader of the in- duptry tells me that even before the war he was in a W!'hm to put cer- “«@ ione mark per hour. ser — Cleveland, Ohio JOHN PENTON, REGARDING THE CON] tain kinds of finished steel right down [in Pittsburgh., Today they can put a ton of steel in England $20 cheaper than_what it costs England to make it. They are selling pneumatic tools in Detroit. which formerly sold them to Germany. They are taking orders for large pieces of equipment formerly made only In England. An English- man who stood with me at Essen said: “There goex my business! If, after the. coal strike, I cannot bring down’| my cost ofproduction, 1 shall have to close up. Their cost of production is as 15 to 25 compared with ours in America. Skilled labor in Germany is drawing about 10 marks an hour, the present value of the mark being about a cent and a half.” “But,” 1 objected. ‘is not the pur- chasing value of the mark, neverthe- less, practically higher in Germany than its foreign exchange value”” “Yes" he answered; “that is true, and 1 am coming to it. Before the war a man was getting, say. about Now he gets ten marks per hour. He got eight marks for an eight-hour day, and he now gets ecighty marks for (he same. Let Ui look over some af my hotel bills to get an idea of the mark's purchasing power in Germany.” * He fetched out a sheaf of them. “Here. Adlon Hotel, Berlin. De luxe suite, four days, for two beople less than 1,200 marks. It was a suite Ifke those for which you pay $30 per day in New. York: and only 1200 marke is $18—for four days! Early breakfast, bread. butter, jam and coffee, for two persons, 25 marks, or 37 cents. “Here. The best hotel in Cologne. Three days., rooms only, for two peo- ple, 220 marks—that is, $3.30. “And, take notice,” he said, “they are going to keep the printing peess- es running all the time, -printing more and more of tlils paper money in order to prevent the mark from going up in value. They are deter- Inined o keep the value of their money low in order to control the world's trade in the present market.” It sounds wonderful. Here are the other war-disturbed countries of Kurope deploring their ~depreciated paper money as a curse. . Germany is to get rich by hers—and, to make sure, will keep the printisf presses hot, printing more and more of It. “Why does the same thing ®pell France's loss?" I asked. “France can profit by it also,” re- plied Penton, “but iiot 8o much as Germany, because France has her dev- astated regions to rebuild—vast for- merly productive territory, which held so many of her factories and all her coal mines.” 5 “Explaiit Germany's asked. i “By keeping the mark down and keeping workmen’s wages down and keeping the gost of everything down, they will build a wall -around Ger- scheme,” terling Heilig interviews John Penton in Paris after the latter made trip of investi- gation t‘rough land formerly ruled l')y the kai- scheme'to make Germany a paradise of cheap- ness and capture the world trade. INTERVIEWED BY STERLIL . man tells of unique HEILIG IN DITION OF GERMANY, that wall to compete where higher |Here ix an idea. France, for exam monetary systems reign they canbeat all competition something awful!” So he answered. In pursuance of this scheme the_ are importing as near to nothing as|with Russia? is possible—or impossible. WN RELIEF things in Germany—potentialities concerning which what man of them from Hindenburg to Theodore Wolff jcan guess_which w the cat will jump? - “People do not realize says Mr. Pesion. “but one of the biggest | things that occurrcd from \ 1918 was the series of four German revolutions—the most monumental thing that has h:ppened in Germany (and, consequently. in Europe), and yet not noticed by the world at larg because the war itself was so monu- mental. “But if you could go to Berlin and and see how shells have chipped the Brandenburg Gate, the offices of the Tageblatt and public buildings of Wilhelmstrasse and Unter den Linden which can only be obliterated by tear- ing down the buildings. you would gin to get an idea of those revolu- tions. All who saw them say:'lt was a fearful time. It was the French revolution ove- again.' " * ¥ % % JHOW can this be. I asked, with the world dumping? How can such workmen, giving their employers blac 100ks for four years after their success- ful revolution, be led by the hand, on low wages, to produce cheap merchan- dise for commercial mastership outside tie German wall? “Everybody else in Germany.” he | answers, “is’ being psid in the same depreciated paper mon:y, thus receiv- ing in the same proportion, for one thing, and the purchasing power of \ [ the mark, for a fact, is practically greater in Germany than its ex- | change value abroad. n addition. there fs a very well known measure of German thod, efficiency and organization " “A-ha!” I said. “despite black looks. they have confidence in their emplo) ersin ‘What do you mean by confidencs Workmen in France and Belgium are more free from labor troubles than in any other country of Europe. Social- ism is more # menuce in Germany than empire is to the rest of the world. Yet Schwab was right in that i wonderful interview which he gave— that Germany will win by commerce what she lost by war.” “Do you believe it?" ~ “German workmen believe it. which is more important.” answered Mr. Pen- ton. “They follow their employers’ eyes—looking stward. _ They v longer look across the Rhine. Not westward, but eastward the star of empire takes its way! That's right —to Russia and Japan!" Sell to them?" . =ell to everybody.” How will they get ] into Russia “Nobody knows.” he concluded. *I saw something which 1 cannot tell. But they are doing it!" “Will it be with the bolshevists or PARIS | against them? “You cannot tell what the move will be, but they will always be on the job. le, has only & protectorate over Morocco, 1 understand. France does not own or govern Morocco. Suppose that the Germans do something similar If the allies do not get to work, they will get hold of Rus- “I asked for table sauce in several sial” hotels,” says Mr. Penton. it to me—German. had jmu brought the jam. r ja; “They gave Tn one place they 1 asked “It is all gone,” they said, nd we must wait for the next fruit Another Lost Art. AKER'S bread is conquering the crop.” X *xox % countryside, as it, has conquered HEY _import nothing, it seems, |the €ity, and “homemade” bread may § And every man, woman and child is working. At sunrise you see them in the felds and at sunset they are still there. “Can they keep up this wonderful policy,” I asked. “as heir gold pay- ments’ for reparations continue?” “A wiser man than myself, he an swered paid i little by little.” “It sounds good,” 1 said, but it is against all history. No countr ye has ever redeemed its assignats. Mr. Penton saw, at Essen. a former lb!z munition plant which had turned out huadreds of thousands of shells per month, now devoted entirely to making agricultural implements. They are underselling American agricul tural machines all over German product. beating swords into mlowshares, be- cause he saw immense piles of can nons, gun carriages, etc., in the scrap. & certain measure of respect toward socialists do not know it. terday the doubtless Only yes- are making three new howitger: There is the German danger, says Mr. Penton—socialism. “Frenchmen. in anxlety, susp®ct militarism and kai serism.” hé says, ts not empire, but socialism. not use the word bolshevism.™ Like what?" I asked. Tike English labor One prominent man of the steel trad told me that the tension is so severe ells me that when they get gold for their vast export stuff they can establish a sort of sinking fund to grudually buy back the product of their printing presses, Europe. American agents have given up their former specialties and are selling the At Essen he saw a new line of harvesters—literally, like misinformed Rothe Fahne affirmed that the Krupps their justifiable . . "bllit whether . the Germans themselves know it or not, | whicl ced “batch” the amplre is Gead and the menace | which would furnish the T dare institutions. become as rare in the farmhouse as omespun coat and pants. The home lp eserving of fruits and vegetables had a slump and manufactured l jems and Jellies and “canned’ |c0rn. beans and tomatoes seem | to be making @ clean sweep -lin the country home, but since the beginning of the great war and the mighty rise of food prices there has been a revival in home canning. But, to bread. In thousands of coun- try homes, store bread, once despised, and sometimes highly prized, is being eaten instead of ma's biscuits, “short cake,” “johnny cake” and “corn pone.” The factors which have brought about the change are good roads, motor trucks, multiplication of country stores, general superiority of manu- factured bread- over the haphazard homemade article, the enterprise of city bakers and the desire of the wife in the country to lighten .her work. Once, and not long ago, bread-mak- ing wus almost a continuous per- formance in some country homes. Especially was this so in the south, where hot bread was demanded at every meal. It was the idea that hot bread was the only kind of bread that was fit to eat. That idea has been revised. Dietitians, who have multi- plied in the south, health boards and family doctors have argued against Iho! bread at every meal. In the north-o t ) ern country home. there was generaj- baking. of bread, which would furnish the ‘family until the next baking. Bread is now shipped from the cities to the country, ax milk is shipped from the couniry to the city, Local § trains carry bread (o every station. and trucks carry it. either from the | . or semi-weekl 1y a week e that If they had a big “:eat that would | city direct or from little railroad sta- require more than eight hours, un der. no_circumstances would the men consent. Another remarked that be. fore the war-these men acted with a certajn measure of respect towad their émployer: around, but tha their faces are mot good to see.” ~when they cam But: things ere . better -than - they many—and when they go outsidelwere, for ‘hem have been strong today the looks on -] tions to stores far off the railroud. You will see the big wooden bread boxes everywhere. Nearly every coun- try store has one of these big hoxes, and the baker's truck comes wlong each day to flll it up with (resh louves. Far from the Ereat cities nearly every little city has its bakery, which supplies the country stores in its territory with “factory” bres=e e 4