Ashton-Kirk, Secret Agent

by John Thomas McIntyre

  CHAPTER XXI

  THE MAN WITH THE DECORATION

  It was rather late on the afternoon of the same day that Ashton-Kirk,accompanied by young Fuller, entered a government building atWashington. Apparently the secret agent was expected, for he was usheredinto the same superbly appointed office as upon his former visit; andthe same ruddy-faced, white-haired official greeted him.

  "So," said the latter, "the hunt has brought you here."

  Ashton-Kirk tossed his gloves and hat upon the desk and shook hands.

  "That," said he, "is now the status of the affair--it's a hunt; and thepack is an assorted one and in full cry."

  "We received your wire yesterday, and the department's agents at oncewent to work."

  "Is there any result?"

  "Nothing marked."

  "But surely they have located the girl?"

  "Oh, yes, of course. She did not make the slightest attempt to hide. Assoon as she arrived in the city she went to the Tillinghast and placedher own name upon the register. And since arriving there she has notonce gone out."

  "Any visitors?"

  "No. But about noon a message arrived for her. And our man recognizedthe messenger as one connected with, curiously enough--the GermanEmbassy."

  "The German Embassy!"

  A peculiar expression came into the face of Ashton-Kirk. He sat lookingat the secretary for a moment; and then the latter saw a slow smilegradually creep about his mouth. He took a note-book from his pocket,and glanced at some memoranda.

  "Of course," said he, after a moment, "you have the names andbiographies of the various persons attached to the foreign embassies?"

  "To be sure."

  "If it is not too much trouble, I should like to see a list of theGerman officials."

  The secretary touched a bell; an attendant heard his wants, disappeared,and in a few moments reappeared, placing a small book upon the desk. Thesecret agent took it up, and his long, inquiring finger ran down acolumn of names.

  "Von Marc," he read, "Stelzner, Konig, Dietz." Then the finger paused."Von Steinmetz," said he. "Page twenty-nine." He turned the pages untilhe came to the one indicated; and what he found there he read withattention. When he had finished he laid the volume upon the desk.

  "To have Germany drawn into this matter," said he, "will of coursecomplicate matters."

  "You expect that she _will_ be drawn into it?" and the secretary lookedat him inquiringly. The secret agent nodded, and the secretarycontinued: "To have a certain document fall into her hands might lead tonothing--and then again it might lead to a great deal."

  He sat pondering for a moment; then his ruddy face lighted up, and hesaid:

  "Pardon me a moment."

  He called for a number on the telephone and chatted with Ashton-Kirkwhile he waited. When the connection was made, he said into thereceiver:

  "Did I understand that you have Stelzner for to-night?" There was apause while the answer was being made. Then he proceeded, evidently wellsatisfied: "Very well; then you may expect an additional guest.Good-bye."

  He turned from the telephone and settled back in his chair.

  "My wife is giving a dinner to-night," said he. "I do not know all herarrangements, but I can promise you an excellent dinner and a mostdistinguished company. Also," and there was a significant look in hiseyes as he said it, "there will be a person present who will interestyou a great deal."

  "I shall be delighted to eat your dinner and meet your distinguishedcompany," laughed Ashton-Kirk. "But, above all, I am desirous of meetingthe person who will interest me."

  At their hotel a little later, Ashton-Kirk discussed the situation withhis aide. Fuller listened with amazement.

  "But," he cried, when the other had done, "this sounds preposterous! Whyshould Miss Corbin desire to deal with the German Embassy in a matterwhich she planned with Okiu?"

  "Before we make up our minds that she _did_ plan with Okiu," saidAshton-Kirk, "let us look further. As it stands we are not at allassured of it."

  "Assured!" Fuller stared in astonishment. "Have you forgotten her secretconference with the Japanese that day at the window? Have you forgottenthe talk Nanon heard between the girl and her lover on the stairs? Haveyou forgotten the presence of that lover in Okiu's house when you wereall but trapped, and his desperate attempt upon your life? And surelythe girl's own attempt in the matter of the communicating gas pipe hasnot escaped you! I say 'the girl's own attempt' because it was she whourged the man on. And, above all, the matter of the taxi-cab must bestill fresh in your memory. As soon as she was possessed of the papershe made at once for Okiu's. And he was waiting for her. Did she not getinto the cab with him? Did they not drive to the railway station? Did henot buy two tickets for Washington? Is she not here?" Fuller was tensewith excitement; his eyes snapped as he made each point. "And for all,"he added in amazement, "you seem to doubt that she was concerned in thematter with the Japanese."

  Ashton-Kirk smiled at his aide's heat.

  "I merely asked if we were assured that she was so concerned," said he,quietly. "No case is built upon appearances alone. They merely point outthings which should be examined; the results of this latter are thethreads which, when woven together, make the case complete."

  An hour or two later the secret agent was set down at the handsomeresidence of the secretary; and upon entering found that genialgentleman in the midst of a knot of his dinner guests and was warmlygreeted by both he and his wife. As soon as he decently could, the hostdrew Ashton-Kirk aside.

  "That round, rosy little man with the decoration upon his coat is yourinteresting person," suggested he. "We shall put you as close to him aswe can."

  The secret agent examined the little man, who was possessed of agleaming bald head, a cheerful manner, and a pronounced German accent;and while he was so doing, the secretary went on:

  "As I said this afternoon, I am not always acquainted with my wife'sarrangements. And now I find that we are also to have Matsadi--andMatsadi, if you are not already aware of the fact, is the Japaneseminister's right-hand man."

  "I have heard him mentioned," said Ashton-Kirk. "And I understand thathe is clever."

  "He has a wonderful touch--scarcely perceptible, and unusuallysuccessful."

  At the table Ashton-Kirk found himself near to Matsadi and opposite therosy little German. The Japanese was spare and narrow-faced; he woreglasses, talked little and ate less. But he seemed keenly alive to allthat was said and done; his diffident smile approved of everything.

  The little German ate a great deal and drank quite a bit more. And hetalked ceaselessly. As the dinner progressed he grew rosier than ever;his eyes and his bald dome seemed trying to out-shine his decoration.There was a chuckle in his voice when he addressed his host, which wasoften, and his head nodded humorously over what were evidently intendedas thickly veiled allusions. But as the secretary paid little attentionto his sayings, the German began to direct his remarks to Matsadi. Thelatter replied with a courteous reserve which seemed to amuse theGerman vastly; sometimes he shook like a portly mould of gelatine.

  "Ach, himmel!" said he, nodding to Ashton-Kirk, whose eye he happened tocatch, "some the sense of humor have not. As for me, always do I laugh,whether the joke is on me or not."

  "You are to be envied," replied the secret agent.

  The little man cocked his eye at Matsadi in a most knowing manner.

  "I have heard it said, 'That the race is not always to the swift, northe battle to the strong,'" he said. "Was it a psalmist, a prophet or apoet of our own time who so spoke? But no matter, it is very good--butnot complete. One might add 'That the reward is not always to theindustrious.'"

  Observing that he was being spoken to, the Japanese leaned forward.

  "I beg your pardon?" said he, inquiringly.

  "There is philosophy in the wine," observed the German, and he added tothe luster of his brilliant scalp by rubbing it with a handkerchief."And with me its wisdom stays upon the tongue."

  The Jap
anese smiled sedately.

  "I have noticed that," said he.

  The other laughed and quivered with all his round little body.

  "Good," said he. "I was in hopes that you would wake up." Then he wenton in a sort of musing tone, but with dancing eyes: "Many a man hastoiled early and late to make a plant fruitful; and the result of hiswork is that some idle one, who laughs and drinks and snaps his fingersat labor, has the ripened fruit fall into his lap."

  Matsadi seemed not to grasp the meaning of this; at any rate he smiledin a vague sort of way and contented himself with nodding his head. Verylittle passed between them after this, as the Japanese had his attentiontaken by the lady beside him; but later, in the coat room, Ashton-Kirkheard him say to the German:

  "Your simile of the industrious planter and the vagabond was a veryexcellent one. And it frequently happens so. I was much struck with it."

  A young man, wearing a number of Austrian orders, said, as he was beinghelped on with his coat:

  "Are you going on to Von Stunnenberg's, Matsadi? Perhaps I could giveyou a lift."

  "Thank you," said the Japanese. "Yes, I had thought of going."

  "I'll wait for you," said the other, as he went out.

  Matsadi took up his gloves and hat; he paused before the laughingGerman.

  "Yes," said he, and there was a thoughtful look upon his face, "yourparable was a good one. But does the story always end so? As the idleone lifts the fruit to his greedy lips, do I not see the patient toilerreaching out to snatch it from him?"

  And as Matsadi hurried after the Austrian, the portly little manchuckled rapturously.

  "They are so like children," said he.

  As Ashton-Kirk shook hands with the secretary, the latter said:

  "I trust that Stelzner entertained you. He loves to make a parade behindthe wall of innuendo and allusion when he is well fed. And, then, Ifancied that he might have heard something."

  "He was invaluable," said Ashton-Kirk. "And," with a smile, "Matsadi wasnot without his interesting weaknesses." After a short pause he said:"There is to be something or other to-night at the house of the Germanambassador, Von Stunnenberg?"

  "Yes, a ball, I believe."

  "As a rule I avoid such things," said the secret agent; "but if youcould manage to have me received at this one, I should be delighted.