THE REIGN OF TERROR
Captain Franz von Papen, and Captain Karl Boy-Ed were spending their
last hours in America as attaches of the Imperial German Embassy, in
conference with the German Ambassador in the Embassy at Washington. The
discovery of their attempt to dynamite the Welland Canal had caused
the action by the United States Government which Count Von Bernstorff
had predicted. A demand had been made upon the German Government for
their recall as accredited representatives of the Kaiser, and Imperial
Germany had no choice in the matter. The request, styled in diplomatic
language but in reality a demand which brooked no denial, was acceded
to and already Von Bernstorff had received notice of the cancellation
of their appointments as military and naval attaches, respectively, to
the Washington Embassy.
It was some weeks since they had been in the same room awaiting a
telegram from Heinric von Lertz who was in charge of the attempt
on the Welland Canal. There had been many details to arrange and
only that same day had they received their passports and permission
from the British Government to safely pass the blockade which had
been established around Germany. The safe conduct passes had been a
disappointment. They were made out for separate ships and Von Papen and
Boy-Ed had planned many enjoyable hours together on their journey home,
receiving wireless reports on the success of plans which they were
discussing with Von Bernstorff and Dr. Albert.
"Von Bopp has proved a wonder at organization," said Von Papen speaking
of the Imperial German Consul General in San Francisco. "We have made
the mistake of failing to employ our entire forces in a general attack.
As we have been operating in the past we have engaged in but minor
tasks, plans which would have resulted in great damage if successful
but minor in the sense that only a small percentage of our forces were
engaged. The result has been that the Secret Service has always been
able to oppose us with an adequate force, after they have been led to
it by the damnable luck of Harrison Grant. We have them hopelessly
outnumbered, however, and in the campaign which will open as soon as
we have left the country we propose to make good use of our superiority
in forces. Briefly the plan is this. To strike with explosives and
fires simultaneously over the entire width and breadth of America with
a two-fold object--first to cut off the supplies for the Allies by
destroying the means for their manufacture and secondly to create such
a reign of terror in America that a declaration of war against Imperial
Germany will be too fearful a thing to even contemplate. Boy-Ed, will
you read the latest report we have received from Von Bopp?"
"Naturally it is in code," responded the naval attache, "but I can give
you the sense of it. Attacks are planned upon the Canadian Pacific
Railroad in British Columbia with the main damage inflicted in the
Selkirk Mountains where a little explosive will go a long way; the
blowing up of a number of troop trains, and trains carrying horses and
explosives also in western Canada, in fact a general renewal of the
plans in Canada which Koolbargen undertook but which resulted so badly
for our cause."
"Before you proceed farther," interrupted Von Bernstorff, "No more
money is to be spent upon any schemes in connection with Canada. It is
too costly for the result to be accomplished. Canada is practically
drained now of all the help she will be able to extend England. Her
supply of men is nearly exhausted, and two-thirds of the supplies she
is sending are gotten from the United States. We have no one left
in Canada to work through and the effort to get agents through the
emigration lines is too great for the work that can be done. Instruct
Von Bopp to confine his efforts to the United States."
"Exactly my own idea," said Von Papen, "but Von Bopp is a fanatic in
regard to Canada. His plans in regard to Canada are harmless for I
never intended that they should be started. What has he to say of this
country?"
"The docks at Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, San Pedro and other
coastwise towns have received his consideration. Munition plans which
have been suggested to him have also been carefully investigated and
are all available for our general scheme. He only wants orders to begin
the work."
"He can wait," said Von Papen, and then turning to Von Bernstorff
and Albert, "you can appreciate the advantage of having affairs
directed from San Francisco. The Secret Service is paying little or
no attention to affairs there. Von Bopp, assisted by Baron Eckhart H.
Von Schaack, his vice-consul, Lieutenant Wilhelm von Brincken, and
a number of others, has been getting the necessary men, not only
for his own territory but for operations in the middle west and in
the east and south. Von Lertz will have supervision over everything
east of the Rockies but the men who will act for him will receive
their instructions before they leave San Francisco. A whole week of
explosions and fires in some of the biggest and most rushed plants in
the country will be the result. Each night will see its toll taken,
with the climax coming with the destruction of the Bethlehem big
calibre gun works. In regard to this Von Lertz is entitled to a great
deal of credit. The only unprotected portion of the plant is the coal
shutes leading directly to the fire rooms. Although the idea was
undoubtedly suggested to him Von Lertz was keen enough to realize its
worth. Women gathering up coal which has been spilled in the unloading
of cars into these shutes, is an ordinary sight. Workers of ours will
go to the shutes, ostensibly to gather waste fuel, carrying lumps of
coal which have been hallowed out and filled with trinitrate of toluol
and will slide these chunks down the shute. Could any sight be prettier
than the one which will occur when these are thrown into the fire
boxes? The explosions which will follow will scatter the fires so far
that nothing can save the plant from destruction. If any portion of it
does escape it will be useless for the entire plant will be wrecked by
the explosions within the fire boxes. Is not this plan alone, without
the others worthy of commendation by Imperial Germany?"
Totally unconscious of the stamp of fiendishness which he had planned
upon Germany by asking commendation of a scheme which would inevitably
result in horrible deaths by scalding and fire, of stokers whose only
offense was the earning of an honest living by hard work, Von Papen
paused to see the effect of this announcement upon his hearers. Albert
clucked his delight by clicking his tongue against his set teeth. Von
Bernstorff smiled evilly:
"I might say that Germany is compensated for the loss of your services
in America by the splendid work you have planned as your farewell
greeting," he said. "I have heard enough. You have planned well and
wisely. But let me caution you not to become too rash before you
leave. Clear your office well for with your departure it will lose its
sanctity, and nothing must be found. Now for a little service I wish
you to perform for me."
He opened a drawer at the table at which he was sitting and after
unlocking a compartment within it produced a pair of field glasses.
Undoing a catch at the side divided the object into two sections
showing that the interior had been cunningly arranged as a camera. From
it he took two small cartridges of films.
"Some pictures, which will amuse Hindenburg," he said handing the
films to Von Papen. "They contain views of the military parade which
took place this morning, and as they were taken through two of the
finest microscopic lenses in the world enlarged prints will give him
much information about the state of training and the equipment of the
American army. To me it was an amusing sight, comparable to a chorus
in a musical comedy. They make a brave showing on dress parade, but
everyone knows that they are few in number, inadequate in equipment,
and with absolutely nothing in the way of preparation for a war."
"Tin soldiers who have no conception of discipline or the rudiments of
fighting," commented Von Papen. "I doubt if a quarter of a million men
could be induced to enter the army if America did declare war."
"The number who would respond would make no difference," said the
German Ambassador. "Untrained they would be slaughtered in France and
would leave less opposition to us here when 'Der Tag' arrives for
America. Four years is the least possible time in which a civilian may
be made into a soldier for it takes that time in Germany, working
with the most intelligent material in the world and with the best
equipped system. By that time, if training were attempted here, France
and England will be subjugated and America on the defense in its own
country."
Nods of approval from his three listeners gave assent to the fact that
he had but expressed an idea which they all held, in fact, a belief
which was held by the entire military party of Germany.
"And now we must say farewell," said Boy-Ed, "we will not see you again
for you must condone our indescretions and show your revulsion of our
methods by being unfriendly. For were you too friendly toward us, who
have betrayed you, why even the pig-headed Americans might be led to
suspect that Imperial Germany condoned, even if it did not sanction,
our activities here."
A hearty laugh followed this ironic sally, and then after leave
takings, Von Papen and Boy-Ed departed to take a train for New York,
where many things, in addition to their packing, remained to be done
before they sailed and the time was short.
Heinric von Lertz, Madam Augusta Stephan, Baroness Therese Verbecht and
Wolf von Igel, were in Von Papen's New York office when they arrived.
"One matter which you will have to arrange yourself," said Von
Papen immediately plunging into the matter which was engrossing the
attention of all. "With Von Bopp making the arrangements for the actual
explosions and fires with the exception of the one at Bethlehem, I want
you to devote your time to the propaganda work. Have a correspondent
near each place at the time the event occurs, prepared to exaggerate
everything in connection with it. The story may contain suggestions
of the existence of a league of British and French born workingmen
who have been active in the neighborhood which had for its object the
stoppage of manufacture of supplies for the Allies in order to prevent
a war which is forcing the British and French workmen into the army,
training women for their positions, doing everything to disrupt labor
while providing capital with the means of intrenching itself. Arrange,
if possible, to have German reservists in the vanguard of those who
protect the property which remains. In each story emphasize the number
of German reservists in this country. You understand the object?"
Von Lertz shook his head hopelessly.
"It is for this reason," continued Von Papen. "At the time when America
is appreciating its own helplessness, because of inability to prevent
property destruction with the attendant loss of life, such stories will
drive home the fact that Germany already has a trained army in this
country which outnumbers the entire regular army of the United States.
We have tried to persuade America, tried to make them see the justice
of our cause, and failed. Now we will browbeat them into remaining
neutral.
"Stephan and Verbecht will remain under your orders. Von Igel will
remain with me. Now get out, and get busy. I will see you here tomorrow
morning before my steamer sails."
Von Papen turned into his private office to begin the packing of all
documents, which, if they fell into the hands of the Secret Service,
would reveal the full extent of the complicity of the Imperial German
Government itself in the many outrages which had been committed in
America. Madam Stephan, Baroness Verbecht and Heinric von Lertz, left
the office together to separate when the street was reached, the two
women to return to their own apartments and Von Lertz to attend to some
business which had suddenly become urgent since Von Papen would expect
a report upon it on the morrow.
Before proceeding on it, however, Von Lertz stepped to a telephone, to
speak to Dixie Mason, asking to be excused from a luncheon engagement
with her. He did not know how long the business he had in hand would
take and stood in too wholesome fear of the departing military attache
of the Imperial German Government to neglect it for pleasure.
"Perhaps I am derelict in my duty to my country," said Dixie Mason to
Harrison Grant, at an appointment she had arranged with him after she
had received the telephone call from Von Lertz. Grant had promptly
extended a luncheon engagement and the two of them were seated at
a window table in one of the more exclusive New York hotels. "Von
Lertz is slipping away from me, and I cannot bring myself to make the
necessary effort to hold him. Since the Baroness Verbecht joined the
German spy army he has found a woman who will cater to all of his
beastly instincts, and the demands he makes on me are impossible."
"America does not demand such a sacrifice from her womanhood," said
Grant heatedly, "if such methods are necessary to gain information then
we will go on without any information he can furnish us."
"It isn't that he has lost confidence in my loyalty to his cause,"
continued Dixie, after a grateful little nod to Grant for his
understanding of her position, "but most of my information was gained
through little chats over a dining table. Now he has no time for these
between entertaining the Baroness and his own work. Something is
brewing, I know, for he is not with the Baroness today since she is at
home. I haven't the least inkling as to where he is, but Heinric is not
such a lover of work that he will do it for the mere sake of having it
done. It means he is doing something under instructions, and that means
something against America."
"Nothing will be attempted until after Von Papen and Boy-Ed are safely
out of the country," said Grant, "and by that time we may strike a lead
of some kind."
"If only you could bring yourself to meet Madam Stephan half way,"
bantered Dixie, for the admiration which the German woman spy had for
him was an aggravating matter to the president of the Criminology Club.
"I think she knows what it is all about and might tell you in return
for just a little affection."
"Please, please," said Grant, "but tell me, how does she feel about the
way in which the Baroness is pushing her out of her position as leader
of the women spies because of the attraction Von Lertz has found in the
Baroness?"
"Much hurt at it, for she has a sincere affection for Heiny."
"Do you think a letter from me appealing to jealousy might result in a
confession from her?"
"No," answered Dixie after a thoughtful pause. "She is intensely loyal
to the master she serves and will let nothing personal interfere with
that. No information could be gotten from her because of the deflection
of Von Lertz unless something happens. But I have to leave you, it is
understood that you will keep Von Papen in sight until he is on his
steamer and I am to do the same for Boy-Ed."
Dixie found that circumstances aided her greatly in the task she had
selected for herself. Despite the fact that Von Papen and Boy-Ed
were being dismissed in disgrace, a large number of people called
at the office which housed both of them to wish _bon voyage_ to the
discredited emissaries. When she arrived at the office she found that
Baroness Verbecht, Madam Stephan and Von Lertz were already closeted
with Von Papen and that Boy-Ed was receiving all the callers who were
of sufficient importance to be met personally. So it naturally fell
to Dixie, as an intimate of both the former Embassy aides, to act as
hostess to the throng which gathered.
It was to her liking. She flitted here, there and everywhere throughout
the offices, greeting a person here, and bidding adieu to one there,
but all the time with her eyes open for any information which might be
of value. Only one thing did she find. This was a bill submitted by
a telegraph company which Von Igel was working upon, checking on the
receipt of the message from the office files. To aid himself he had
carefully written on the blank the name of the sender of the message,
or the name of the person to whom it had been sent. The frequent
repetition of "Von Bopp" on the blank caused Dixie to pocket it for
future investigation. Another thing which she noticed was that Boy-Ed
was sending most of his personal and private papers into Von Papen's
rooms, which led to the surmise that Von Papen had undertaken the task
of caring for all the important papers of the office.
It was of this she first spoke when she met Harrison Grant after both
Von Papen and Boy-Ed had been escorted to their separate boats.
"It is a shame that we had to observe the rules of civilized nations by
letting them take those papers," she said, "when they themselves have
violated every one."
"I noticed how careful Von Papen was of two bags, a portfolio and one
trunk," said Grant, "so I have cabled the British authorities that it
might not be amiss to search them for information which might be of
comfort to the enemy when the ship touches at Falmouth."
"Oh, good," exclaimed Dixie. "And now I am starting for San Francisco
this afternoon. I think I have a lead worth working on."
Then she told him of her reasons for wanting to watch the movements of
Franz von Bopp, the Imperial German Consul General at San Francisco.
Grant heartily agreed with her. Then on finding that she had already
engaged her train he accompanied her to the station and saw her start
on her week's journey.
He chafed at the idleness which confronted him. Shadows had been sent
on the Baroness, Madam Stephan and Von Lertz, as well as others who
had been active in previous German activities. Von Lertz was reported
as having interviewed and retained the services of a larger number of
publicists whom he had dispatched to various parts of the country.
Grant decided that perhaps acts of violence as a part of the German
propaganda were to end with the departure of the two arch-conspirators,
and that Von Lertz was directing a campaign of publicity work in an
effort to regain American sympathy.
Finally through sheer inactivity he began thinking of the letter to
Madam Stephan of which he had spoken to Dixie. He finally decided that
sending it could do no harm, and he dispatched a short note, telling
her that it might be wise for her own safety to give up any information
she might possess.
The note was destined to have a far reaching effect, but not in the way
in which Grant thought. Madam Stephan received it and after reading it
tore it to small pieces, enraged at the idea that Grant had such a poor
opinion of her that he could believe she would turn informer. Baroness
Verbecht called a short time later while Madam Stephan was busy with
her morning toilet. The Baroness was a natural spy and when she saw the
torn bits of letter on the table she gathered them up carefully, and
carried them with her when she left. At her own apartment she spent the
day piecing them together until the whole note stood revealed. Then she
had a hearty laugh at the stupidity of the American who would expect an
agent of the Wilhelmstrasse to turn informer and brave the mighty wrath
of Imperial Germany.
The dispatch published the following day, however, telling of the
seizure of Von Papen's papers at Falmouth caused her to think of the
letter. A plan whereby she could put Madam Stephan in a position where
she could no longer claim the leadership of the women spies of the
Kaiser in America occurred to her and she put it into instant execution.
She hurried to the former office of Von Papen where, as she expected,
she found Von Lertz seething with rage at this new disaster to Germany.
She had counted upon rage and fear dulling the never too sharp wits of
Von Lertz, and he was in the mood which she had anticipated willing to
believe almost any explanation.
"How, how could they have known of those papers, check stubs and
everything else which should have been destroyed, instead of being
taken to Germany as proof of our fidelity?" he groaned.
"Here is your explanation," said the Baroness extending the note to
Madam Stephan from Grant on the letterhead of the Criminology Club.
The fact that it was undated made her story plausible. "She received
that five days ago and since then I have watched her. She has met Grant
four times and was with him four days ago when he sent a long cablegram
to England. I could not get the contents of that message but it was
without a doubt notification of the papers which Von----"
But Von Lertz had not waited to hear her finish. He had fallen a ready
victim to Baroness Verbecht's scheme for discrediting Madam Stephan and
had dashed from the office to confront the supposed traitor with her
perfidy.
He was forced to wait at her apartment, for Madam had not yet arisen
and as he strode up and down in her study his rage momentarily
increased. An open book lay on the table. Hardly aware of what he was
doing he picked it up and read two or three passages before he even
noted the title.
"Bah," he suddenly exclaimed in disgust. "'A Tale of Two Cities.'
She has so far forgotten Germany that she turns to English books for
entertainment."
Then Madam Stephan entered the room. Enraged at the cool unruffled
appearance of the woman he hurled forth a violent denunciation of her
as a being unworthy of the respect of anyone, and ending by accusing
her of being a traitor to Germany. A finer grained man would have read
the falsity of the charge in the effect the accusation of disloyalty
had upon Madam Stephan. In the moment she was turned from a bright,
vibrant, keenly alert woman to a crushed, heart-broken, dull eyed,
horror stricken, pleading wretch.
"No, Heinric, no," she moaned, falling to the floor at his feet. "Tell
me that you don't mean it. I have forgotten compassion, sympathy and
kindness that I might be faithful to Germany. I have given my every
thought, my life, my right to love and happiness, and even virtue
itself to carry out Germany's command. Am I not now even worthy of
trust?"
Her voice had gained in strength as she made her plea, and she paused,
kneeling, with tear streamed face upturned, and out-stretched arms.
Even the dull witted Heinric von Lertz was affected by the sincerity of
the appeal, but it was not for a German gentleman, a disciple of Hun
Kultur, to weaken at the misery of a woman.
"Imperial Germany demands that your fealty be above question, or that
you die," he said brusquely. "Unless you can send me absolute proof
within one week that you have communicated in no way with Harrison
Grant you must die. One week of grace I grant you, because last night
the reign of terror for America began, and I will be very busy. One
week from today--absolute proof or death."
As he was talking Madam Stephan had fallen forward and had grasped him
tightly around the knees. As he finished Von Lertz disentangled the
clutching arms, threw her violently to the floor and hurried from the
apartment. Madam Stephan lay still. A faint had quieted for the time
being her tortured brain.
Von Lertz had spoken truly of being busy. As he re-entered his office
Von Igel met him.
"There was a long distance telephone call," said Von Papen's former
secretary. "The message was 'O.K. at Buffalo' and also this telegram."
Von Lertz grasped the yellow envelope and hastened into the former
private office of the military attache. There he took a long list of
cities in America from his pocket and put a check after Buffalo. Then
he tore open the telegram.
"O.K. at Wilmington," read the printed message.
And throughout the day similar messages continued to arrive from
all parts of the country, each denoting the destruction by fire or
explosion of American property and in many instances American lives.
Many were from the West for Franz von Bopp was busy. As proof after
proof came to his hand that the crimes were proceeding unmolested,
showing that the Secret Service had been totally unwarned, Von Lertz
thought of Madam Stephan.
"I must see her tomorrow," he told himself as he closed his desk late
that night. "Perhaps there is a mistake, but I am too tired tonight."
He overslept the next morning and arose too late to stop at her
apartments before he was due at his office, and by this little chance
happening the entire course of Franz von Papen's reign of terror for
America was changed. Madam Stephan, following her recovery from the
first shock of the accusation had set herself to thinking clearly. She
knew of the mental processes of Heinric von Lertz, and as she noted the
success of the plot she felt there was hope for her. When the morning
papers of the following day showed more explosions and more fires she
became almost cheerful. Then the noon editions of the daily papers
dashed her hopes to the ground.
Franz von Bopp's office in San Francisco had been raided by the Secret
Service. The papers hinted that much documentary evidence of German
plots had been seized. Many prisoners had been taken. But Dixie Mason
who had caused the raid was uneasy. Evidence had been gained of plots
for explosions and fires on the western coast, but explanations of the
crimes in the east had not been found, and the little Secret Service
operative knew that but half her work had been done.
The effect of the news upon Madam Stephan was startling. She dismissed
any hope of being able to prove her innocence to such a man as Heinric
von Lertz. She thought of how different it would be if he were a man
of the type of Harrison Grant. Then in a flash the whole truth burst
upon her. She realized in a twinkling the entire falsity, the utter
worthlessness of a system which could elevate a man of Von Lertz's
calibre to the position he occupied. She appreciated the vileness of
the crimes in which she had participated and gained an understanding of
the glorious things for which American ideals stood. With the thought
came a decision based upon the fineness of her nature which she had
suppressed during her entire life. She called for her wraps. It was as
a woman new born that she left her apartment. She was a woman arrayed
on the side of humanity as against Imperial Germany.
She made her way straight to the Criminology Club. As she walked she
wondered how she could ever have thought that the thing she was about
to do was abhorrent, how she could ever have thought of it as anything
but her bounden duty to humanity. At the club the announcement that she
was awaiting him made Harrison Grant start eagerly.
For two nights he had gone without sleep, working incessantly, trying
to get some clew which would expose the whole of the plot. He knew of
the messages which were being received by Heinric von Lertz, but the
coincidence of each being from a city in which a fire or explosion
had taken place was not sufficient evidence to warrant a raid. The
news of the raid in San Francisco had not aroused hope, for he had
received a long message from Dixie Mason telling of everything found in
the offices and he realized that he still had before him his work of
stopping the reign of terror in the East, without aid to be expected
from anywhere. So he grasped the out-stretched hand of Madam Stephan
eagerly.
"You came in response to my letter?" he asked.
"I had scarcely thought of that," responded Madam Stephan. "I have come
as a true friend of the German people. Mr. Grant, I love my people
and my country. Events of the past two days, of which you need never
know, have shown me that it is only through the destruction of Imperial
Germany and everything for which it stands, that they, my people and my
country, can take the place I want them to have in the world. Misguided
as they have been from birth they cannot throw off the yoke. With
America's help it can be done. So I am here to aid America. I will be
compensated if I bring the day of Germany's salvation, the day upon
which the horizon of humanity is revealed to the German people, as it
has been revealed to me today, one hour nearer."
She then related quickly all that she knew of Von Papen's plan for a
reign of terror in America.
"Heinric von Lertz will not wait until the day set for the destruction
of the Bethlehem steel works to attempt it," she said. "The news from
San Francisco will cause him to attempt the climax of the plot planned
by Von Papen before it is discovered. Even now he may be starting on
it."
She then gave him the address of the artisan in Harlem who was
inserting explosives in the hollow lumps of coal for use at Bethlehem.
Grant tarried hardly longer than was required to express his thanks
after receiving this information and hurried away.
But he and his men arrived too late. Evidence aplenty was found to
prove that Madam Stephan's description of the work that was being done
had been true. But the three men who had occupied it were gone.
"They left but a moment since, sir," volunteered a woman who lived on
the same floor. "A sleek light mustached young man called, and they
left with some satchels in a taxicab."
So Heinric von Lertz had taken the course which Madam Stephan expected
of him. Grant did some quick thinking. Hastily running over timetables
which he carried in his pocket he found that a train was leaving
shortly for Bethlehem and taking a long chance he ordered his men back
into the machine that had taken them to disregard speed regulations and
quickly arrived at the station.
With but a few minutes to spare they burst into the large train room.
Suddenly Grant raised his arm and pointed. Heinric von Lertz was at one
of the track gates talking earnestly, to three men.
"Stewart, Cavanaugh, come with me, we must keep out of sight of Von
Lertz," cautioned Grant. "You other men are not known to him. Keep the
men to whom he is talking, in sight. We will meet you on the train."
Grant, and his two most trusted men, found their way to the train
through the employee's gate, opened to them by their Secret Service
badges. On the train he found the three German conspirators well
covered by his men. Von Lertz had not boarded the train, according to
a report of one of the operatives.
It was after night-fall when the train landed them in Bethlehem. The
sky was lurid with the glare from the big gun works, incessantly
turning out large calibre artillery, by means of three shifts
of workmen who kept the wheels turning night and day. The three
conspirators slunk off into the shadows leading toward the settlement
of the foreign laborers in the big plant, closely followed by Grant and
his men.
In one of the poorest sections of the city the men mounted an outer
stairway leading to the top floor of a two-storied building. After
some delay they were admitted. Ten minutes later the figure of a woman
came down the stairway, stepping cautiously and carrying gingerly some
objects in her apron. Hastily assigning two men to keep her in sight,
he organized the remainder of his force for a raid.
Despite a desperate resistance the four men found in the upper part of
the house were quickly overcome. One grip filled with the doctored coal
was seized and on the floor lay the discarded outer clothing of a man.
Taking only Stewart with him Grant started in pursuit of the figure
which had left the house, a figure which he now felt sure was one of
the three men who had come from New York now dressed as a woman.
The conspirator because of his acquaintance with the neighborhood had
easily eluded the two men who were shadowing him. Grant came upon them
hopelessly searching to pick up his trail. Without delaying Grant
started, running at top speed, toward the coal shutes.
The conspirator was already there and was busy dropping bombs down the
shutes. Grant fired one shot, but missed, due to the uncertain light.
The man at once fled and sending Cavanaugh and the others in pursuit
Grant ran to the nearest shute. Without hesitation he dropped into the
yawning black pit of its mouth.
A second later, bruised and covered with coal soot, he rolled into the
boiler room of the big plants. Springing hastily to his feet, he tore
his coat aside to show his Secret Service shield.
"Stop, men," he shouted. "Not another shovelful until we have examined
the coal."
He stooped, for almost at his feet lay a chunk of coal which he
recognized as being of the same kind used for making the bombs. It was
larger than the ordinary screenings used in the furnaces, but would
never have attracted attention for large lumps were frequently found.
Picking up the piece that had excited his suspicions, Grant found one
side was of black card board. Hastily he peeled it off, and held it up
before the astonished stokers, who had been watching him wild eyed, a
tube filled with the most powerful explosive known!
Orders were given hastily. The firing pits were all emptied and the
coal taken away for rescreening. Fresh cars were rushed up to the
shutes and before the steam had dropped below the point where it would
not drive the engines fresh coal, safe coal, was being poured into the
gigantic fire boxes. Grant's work was done and he repaired to town to
wash and dress. Hardly had he restored his usual immaculate appearance
when his men arrived to report that the spy at the shutes had been
captured and was in jail with his fellow conspirators.
Then telegrams began to arrive, forwarded from the Criminology Club
in New York. They told of raid after raid which had been made, each
nipping a plot in its budding, each conducted on information furnished
by Madam Stephan. Not one of Imperial Germany's attempts had been
successful. Grant's last waking thought that night, was of two women.
"Dixie and I must see to it," he murmured sleepily, "that Madam Stephan
is given opportunity to appreciate to the full the life of freedom to
which she has just awakened."
But Madam Stephan had already made the supreme sacrifice. She was lying
at that moment in her apartment, dead, a bullet wound in her heart,
victim of a system the full extent of which she had not yet realized
although she had been a member of it. An hour before her maid had
requested the evening out and had appeared at the office of Heinric
von Lertz. He had scarcely noticed her for message after message had
reached him of the frustrations of the various plots of destruction,
and he was nearly frenzied. Suddenly he was drawn up taut. The maid had
given him the secret sign of the Imperial German spy army.
"You, you," he gasped.
"Yes," she answered without emotion. "Eight years have I served Madam
Stephan as personal maid on guard against the moment which has now
arrived. She gave information to Harrison Grant at the Criminology
Club, and I have come to remind you of your duty."
The heart of Heinric von Lertz became cold with fear. So this was the
way Germany trusted her most confidential workers. He wondered of his
own valet, of his housekeeper, of everyone whose respect he had thought
he held. Mechanically he put on his coat and hat. He talked aimlessly
as they rode toward Madam Stephan's apartment, wondering, thinking of
the relentless grip Germany held upon her spies.
At the door to Madam's apartment the maid pushed something into his
hand. He shuddered as he felt it to be a revolver.
"It is her own," said the maid in a cold lifeless voice, "so it makes
no difference which one of you use it. You will find her in the
library."
As she was speaking she had slipped her latch key into the lock and had
entered. Von Lertz followed in a semi-daze, and walked alone into the
library.
"Madam Stephan, I have come to claim the debt you owe Imperial
Germany," he said in a voice which he hardly recognized as his own.
Mechanically he thrust the revolver toward her.
Madam Stephan started to her feet from the easy chair in which she had
been reclining. One look at the pallid, set face of Von Lertz convinced
her of the desperateness of her position. Life had become very sweet
to her after her intimate talk with Harrison Grant. She made a sudden
lunge at Von Lertz.
She had just reached him when there came the muffled report of a
revolver shot smothered in clothing. Von Lertz had reversed the weapon
and pulled the trigger. Madam Stephan staggered back and then fell full
length on the floor, her life blood oozing out through a wound which
had penetrated her heart.
As Von Lertz stood aghast gazing at the result of his handiwork the
maid entered. She took the revolver from his nerveless hand and
stooping by the body of her former mistress twisted the fingers of the
right hand, already cooling in death, about the handle and the trigger.
Then she walked to the table and picking up a book, opened it, and
began marking a passage.
"This will be absolute proof of her suicide," she remarked calmly. "It
occurred to me this afternoon. You know she had been reading Dickens,
expecting to be ordered to England any day for work."
Von Lertz dully took the book which was extended to him. He recognized
it as the copy of "A Tale of Two Cities," which he had examined but a
few days previously. He saw the sentence which the maid had underlined:
"It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done, it is a
far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."
He stood motionless as the maid took the book from him and placed it on
the table where the message would be the first thing to catch the eye
of an investigator.