Part 40 (1/2)

”What shall be done as to Snodgra.s.s--also as to Mrs. Spencer and one o'clock tomorrow?” Ranleigh asked. ”Do you wish me to prevent the meeting?”

”No,” said Harleston, after a little consideration; ”simply keep them in view and follow them. I can't imagine Snodgra.s.s being concerned in this affair. It's the lady he's after, not her mission. It's likely he doesn't even know she's in the Secret Service. However, keep an eye on them; I may be mistaken.”

The telephone buzzed. Ranleigh answered, then pa.s.sed the instrument across to Harleston.

”Is that you, Harleston?... This is Carpenter. I've just had a most amazing proposition made to me. It will keep until morning, but drop around at the Department about nine-thirty and I'll unburden myself.”

”Is it Marston?” Harleston asked.

”Exactly; however did you guess it?”

”However did you guess I was with Ranleigh?” Harleston laughed.

”I didn't guess; I called Mrs. Clephane, told her I wanted you--and presto! There's small trick about that, old fox--except in knowing your quarry. So long--and don't!”

”If you don't mind, Carpenter, I'll stop on my way home. I'm just beginning to be interested.”

”Come along!” was the answer.

”Carpenter--to explain a Marston proposition,” Harleston remarked, pus.h.i.+ng back the instrument.

”They are muddying the water all around,” Ranleigh commented. ”So I imagine they are about to make a get-away with the goods.”

”Try to, Ranleigh, try to,” Harleston amended. ”They won't make a get-away so long as we have Madame Spencer in our midst. Keep your eye on the dark-haired loveliness; with her in the landscape the goods are still here. Now for Carpenter.”

”Permit me to suggest a taxi!” Ranleigh observed. ”It's just as well that you shouldn't wander about alone on the well-lighted streets of the National Capital--”

”You think I might be suspended by the Interstate Commerce Commission, or enjoined by the Federal Trades Commission, or be violating the Clayton Anti-Trust Act?”

”You might be any and all of them, G.o.d knows--as well as contrary to some paternal act of a non-thinking, theoretical, and subservient Congress. However, I'm pinning my faith to you and hoping for the best; Jimmy-the-Snake is cruising whether and whence and wherefore.”

”Also besides and among!” Harleston laughed.

”Seriously, I mean it about The Snake,” Ranleigh repeated; ”and you'd better have this with you also,” taking a small automatic from a drawer of his desk and handing it across. ”You may have need of it; if you do, it will be very convenient.”

Harleston, descending from the taxi, found Carpenter waiting for him on the front piazza.

”Your friend Marston is a very pleasant chap,” he remarked; ”also he has a most astonis.h.i.+ng nerve. He actually tried to bribe me for a copy of the Clephane letter.”

”How did you meet it?” Harleston asked.

”I was at a loss how to meet it--whether to be indignant and order him out, or to be acquiescently non-committal. I chose the latter course; and after a few preliminary feelers he came out with his offer: five thousand dollars for liberty to make a copy of the original letter. I thought a moment, then came back at him with the counter proposition: if he would secure the key-word from the French Emba.s.sy, I would obtain the letter; then together we would make the translation.”

”Delightful!” Harleston applauded. ”What did he say to that?”

”What could he do but accept? It was fair, and he had premised his offer by a solemn a.s.surance that the United States was not involved!”

”Delightful!” said Harleston again. ”I reckon you've seen the last of Marston.”

”He said he would have the key-word by tomorrow night or sooner,”