THE THEFT
The Secretary of State and Douglas hastened through the wide corridors
of the immense State, War, and Navy Building. As they passed an
elevator shaft in the navy wing, Douglas caught a fleeting glimpse of
Eleanor Thornton in one of the lifts as it shot downward toward the
ground floor. On their arrival they were ushered at once into Secretary
Wyndham's private office.
"Glad to see you," exclaimed Wyndham, "your call is most opportune"--he
stopped on seeing Douglas standing behind the Secretary of State, and
his eyebrows went up questioningly.
"This is Mr. Douglas Hunter, attaché of the American Embassy at Tokio,
Wyndham," explained the Secretary of State.
"How are you, sir." The Secretary of the Navy shook hands brusquely.
"Will you both be seated?"
"I brought Mr. Hunter with me that he might tell you of certain
information which he gathered in Japan about some prospective
movements of their navy." He glanced significantly at Douglas, who
nodded understandingly, and without more words gave a clear, concise
statement of naval affairs in Japan, omitting all mention of other
matters.
Secretary Wyndham listened to his remarks with the closest attention.
When he ceased speaking Wyndham sprang from his chair and, walking over
to the adjoining room, spoke to his confidential clerk, then closed the
door and returned.
"I have told him to admit no one," he explained briefly, as he seated
himself in his swivel chair.
"May we see the new charts of the Pacific?" inquired the Secretary of
State, moving his chair closer to the other's desk.
"Certainly; but first I must tell you of a remarkable occurrence which
took place here earlier this morning." A violent fit of coughing
interrupted Wyndham, and it was some minutes before he could speak
clearly. "Ah!" he gasped, tilting back in his chair and mopping his
flushed face, "a spring cold is almost impossible to cure."
"I don't think yours will be improved if you continue to sit in a
direct draft," remonstrated the Secretary of State, pointing to the
open windows.
"I had to have air. By George! man, if you had been through what I
have this morning--" he did not complete his sentence.
"What happened?" asked the Secretary of State, with growing interest.
"The plans of the two new dreadnaughts have been stolen."
"Impossible!" The Secretary of State half started from his chair.
"Impossible? Well, I'd have said the same five hours ago," dryly.
"Were they stolen from this office?" asked Douglas.
"Yes, and not only from this office, but under my very eyes."
"How?"
"To give you both a clear idea I must go into details," Wyndham drew
his chair up closer and lowered his voice. "About twelve o'clock
my private secretary brought me word that a man wished to see me
personally. Of course, I have daily callers who all wish to see
me personally, and usually my secretary takes care of them. This
particular caller refused to give his name and said he would explain
his business to me alone. I thought he was simply a harmless crank,
and told my secretary to get rid of him as soon as possible." Wyndham
sighed. "In a few minutes my secretary was back in the office, saying
that the stranger had a message for me from Senator Carew."
"A written message?" asked the Secretary of State.
"No, a verbal one. With everyone else in Washington, I have taken great
interest in the terrible murder of my old friend. The man's statement
aroused my interest, and, having a few minutes of leisure, I told my
secretary to show him in."
"What did he look like?" inquired the Secretary of State, deeply
interested.
"A tall, dark chap; his hair and beard were black, and he had the
bluest eyes I've ever seen in human head."
"Was he well dressed?"
"No, his clothes were shabby but fairly neat. He looked as if he had
spruced up for the occasion. I can't say I was prepossessed in his
favor by his appearance."
"Did he give you his name?"
"No."
"Do you think he was an American?" put in Douglas.
"It's hard to say. At first I sized him up as being a Spaniard."
"Didn't you ask his name?" again inquired the Secretary of State
impatiently.
"I did, and his errand. He ignored my first question, and in answer to
the second said that he had come to examine some records. I informed
him that he had come to the wrong office, and that my clerk would
direct him to the proper room. He then made the astounding statement
that he had an appointment to meet Senator Carew here in this office
at twelve o'clock. I was taken completely by surprise by the man's
statement and asked: 'What day did you expect to meet Senator Carew
here?'
"'This morning, at twelve o'clock,' he answered, and then added, 'He is
late.'
"Thinking the man a little daft or drunk, though I could detect no sign
of liquor, I said abruptly, 'A likely tale; Senator Carew is dead.'
"'Dead!' he shouted, springing out of his chair.
"'Yes, dead--murdered last Monday night.' I hadn't anticipated giving
him such a shock, or I would have broken the news more gently. The
effect on my visitor was appalling. He collapsed on the floor in a fit.
The electric bells in this office are out of order, and, although I
shouted for help, no one heard me. I sprang out of my chair, undid the
man's necktie and collar, threw the contents of my ice pitcher in his
face, and then bolted into the other room to get assistance. Most of
the clerks had gone out to their lunch. I called two men who happened
to be eating their lunch in an adjoining room, and we hastened back
here only to find my strange visitor gone!"
"Gone!" ejaculated the Secretary of State.
"Vanished. The only sign of his presence was the spilled ice water on
the floor, and that chair overturned," pointing to the one Douglas was
occupying.
"Did no one see him slip out of the door into the hall?" asked Douglas.
"No. Unfortunately the messenger, who sits near my door, had gone into
the room across the corridor. The man made a quick getaway, and luck
broke with him, for no one noticed him leaving the building."
"How do you know he isn't hiding somewhere?" inquired Douglas.
"If he is, he will be captured, for Chief Connor and a number of Secret
Service men are searching the building."
"When did you discover the plans of the battleships were missing?"
Wyndham swore softly. "That's the devilish part of it," he said
bitterly. "As soon as I realized the man had really run away I glanced
over my papers. Everything seemed to be all right. I pulled open this
drawer," opening it as he spoke, "and saw these blue prints lying
exactly as I had placed them under this folded newspaper. I slammed the
drawer shut, thinking my strange visitor was simply a harmless lunatic,
who had probably read about Carew's death until he became obsessed with
the subject, and dismissed the matter from my mind."
"Was this drawer locked when your strange visitor was admitted?"
"No."
"Then anyone might have stolen the papers," exclaimed the Secretary of
State in surprise.
Wyndham reddened. "No, they could not. The only time I've been out
of this room was when I ran out looking for aid for that miserable
scoundrel. That is the only chance there has been to steal the papers."
"You think, then," began Douglas, checking his remarks off on his
fingers, "first, that the whole thing was a plot; that the man used
Senator Carew's name to arouse your interest or curiosity; that he
faked a fit, and in your absence removed the plans and substituted
false blueprints, taking a chance that you would simply look to see
that everything was safe in your drawer and not examine further, and
then made his escape."
"You've hit it exactly," acknowledged Wyndham. "Those were the
conclusions reached by Chief Connor also."
"It was no irresponsible person who committed that theft," declared
the Secretary of State thoughtfully. "It was a well-laid plot, neatly
carried out. How long have the papers been in your possession, Wyndham?"
"They were sent here yesterday for my inspection. There has been a
leak here somewhere, damn it!" Wyndham set his bulldog jaw. "I'll
trace it to the bottom, and when I find out----" he clenched his fists
menacingly.
"What callers did you see besides the Spaniard?" asked Douglas.
"Let me see--the usual run, several office seekers, a number of naval
officers--oh, yes, my wife came in with Colonel Thornton and his niece,
Miss Eleanor Thornton."
"Before or after the Spaniard had been here?" questioned Douglas
swiftly.
"Shortly afterward. They came in about a quarter of one and did not
stay long."
"After you had discovered the loss of the plans?"
"No, before. I only discovered their loss three-quarters of an hour
ago."
"How long were your wife and her friends in this office?" inquired
Douglas persistently.
"About fifteen minutes."
"Then how does it happen that I saw Miss Eleanor Thornton descending in
one of the elevators when the Secretary and I were on our way to this
office to see you?"
"Oh, Miss Eleanor told me that she was going to the library to look
up the records of some of her ancestors, as she wishes to join the
Colonial Dames. I think she has been up there ever since. My wife and
Colonel Thornton left together without waiting for her."
"You are absolutely certain, Wyndham, that you haven't been out of this
office except on that one occasion?" asked the Secretary of State for
the second time.
"I will take my Bible oath on it," exclaimed Wyndham solemnly.
The three men gazed at each other in silence, each busy with his own
thoughts. The Secretary of State was the first to recover himself.
"Have you had your lunch, Wyndham?" he inquired.
The latter shook his head. "I've lost my appetite," he growled.
The Secretary of State rose and placed his hand on the broad shoulder
of the younger man. "Don't take it so much to heart, Wyndham," he said
kindly. "We'll get at the bottom of this tangle before long. We'll
all stand by and help you, and, remember, Chief Connor is a host in
himself."
"Thanks," Wyndham straightened his bent shoulders; his face was set and
his eyes snapped as the spirit of the born fighter returned. "I'll move
Heaven and earth until I catch that Spaniard. Must you both be going?"
"Yes." The Secretary of State answered for Douglas as well as for
himself. "We have detained you quite long enough. Let me know
immediately of any new developments."
"I will. Mr. Hunter, it's been a pleasure to meet you, although I am
afraid the information you have given me, considered with the loss of
the plans of the new battleships, complicates the situation. Good-bye,
come and see me again," and the big door swung shut.
Halfway down the corridor the Secretary of State paused and regarded
Douglas seriously. "Talk of complicated situations----" he passed his
hand wearily over his forehead, then started with sudden resolution.
"Come on, Hunter, I'm going over to the White House; a talk with the
President may clear my brain. Wyndham may have lost his appetite, but
he's given us food for thought."