Ashton-Kirk, Secret Agent

by John Thomas McIntyre

  CHAPTER XXIV

  SURPRISED!

  When Ashton-Kirk and his aide reached the sidewalk a man in a cloth capapproached.

  "Mr. Culberson is awaiting orders," said he.

  "Tell him to call off his men," replied the secret agent promptly.

  Without comment, the man in the cloth cap walked away. Fuller wasamazed.

  "You have changed your plan?"

  "Our affairs do not wear the aspect they bore when I called upon theCulberson Agency for help," said the secret agent.

  There was an unemployed taxi-cab by the curb a little distance away;they got into this and in a short time were put down at their hotel. Thesecret agent asked some question of the clerk, which the latter seemedto answer in the negative; then they ascended to Ashton-Kirk'sapartments.

  The secret agent threw himself into a comfortable chair and drew atobacco pouch toward him. As he rolled a cigarette he said:

  "We must lie idle until I get a call from Burgess."

  "He is in Washington, then?"

  "Yes; I had a few words with him over the wire while at VonStunnenberg's. The secretary told him that I was there."

  Through the open window the drone of the night could be heard. It wasnow perhaps two o'clock, and the city was deep in sleep. From somewherein the distance a car could be heard passing now and then; occasionallythe smooth hum of a motor, or the sharp "clup-clup" of a cab horsesounded nearer at hand. In silence the two young men sat smoking; halfan hour went by and then the telephone rang, brusquely. Ashton-Kirksprang to the receiver.

  "Hello," said he.

  The voice of Burgess made reply.

  "Everything right," said he. "I followed them from the embassy to theTillinghast."

  "The Tillinghast!"

  "Yes, I'm speaking to you from there."

  "I will be with you in a very few minutes." Then as an afterthought, thesecret agent added, "They are _all_ there, I suppose."

  "They all came here--yes. And they held a consultation in a smallreception room on the second floor. After this the young fellow wentout."

  "I see."

  "Those men of Culberson's came in mighty handy. One of them followedhim."

  "He has not returned?"

  "Not yet."

  "Very well."

  Ashton-Kirk hung up the receiver, and reached for his overcoat.

  "Is it the Japs?" asked Fuller, expectantly.

  But the secret agent shook his head.

  "No," said he, "it is not the Japs. But," and the other noted thespeculative look come into his singular eyes, "I rather think we shallsee something more of those very interesting personages before the nightis over."

  A cab took them to the Tillinghast in less than a quarter of an hour. Itwas a huge, ornate place, showily furnished and glaring with lights. Inan office floored with marble and rich with gilt and mirrors, they foundBurgess, engaged in conversation with a clerk. He greeted Ashton-Kirkeagerly.

  "You are just in time," said he. "The young man just came in, and twoJapanese were with him."

  Ashton-Kirk smiled as though well pleased.

  "I rather fancied that he had gone to fetch them when you told me thathe had gone out," said he.

  "I hope," said the hotel clerk, earnestly, "that this matter is nothingthat will harm the credit of the house."

  "Not in the least," Ashton-Kirk assured him, smoothly. "It is more thanlikely that it will never even be heard of outside ourselves."

  The clerk breathed freer.

  "In that case," said he, "it's all right. And now, gentlemen, seeingthat it is a government affair, if there is anything that I can do, Iwill do it cheerfully."

  "Thank you," replied the secret agent.

  As he spoke there came the sound of a buzzer; a youth at a telephonecalled:

  "A waiter in Parlor F."

  "That's the parlor your party is occupying," said the clerk,interestedly.

  "Hold the waiter until I can speak to him," said Ashton-Kirk. Heconsidered a moment. "This Parlor F," he added, "does it communicatewith any other room?"

  "Yes, with Parlor G."

  "Excellent!" After a few more questions to which the clerk returnedpointed answers, Ashton-Kirk gave Fuller and Burgess some low-voicedinstructions. "And now," he said to the clerk, "I will see the waiter,if you please."

  The man was a Swede with sandy hair and mild blue eyes; and his name wasGustave.

  "Gustave," said the secret agent, "how long have you been a waiter?"

  "Fifteen years," replied the Swede.

  "In that time," said Ashton-Kirk, "you should have learned your businesspretty well."

  Gustave grinned mildly.

  "Oh, yes," said he.

  Ashton-Kirk handed him a coin.

  "When you go into Parlor F," said he, "forget what you have learned. Beclumsy. Make a noise. Do something that will draw people's attention toyou for a little."

  Again Gustave grinned.

  "I will forget," said he, slipping the coin into a pocket. "The peopleswill not be pleased, but I will forget."

  That he kept his promise was evinced by sundry crashes and exclamationswhich came from Parlor F shortly after; and in the midst of theseAshton-Kirk entered the room adjoining and unlocked the communicatingdoor. Then Gustave retired, followed by a series of remarks in a voicethat was strange to the secret agent, and for a few moments there was nosound save the clinking and clash of glasses.

  "Such a clown," said the voice, "such a clown to be sent to servegentlefolks. It could happen in no other country but this."

  "Will you please come to the matter in hand?" said the gentle voice ofOkiu. "You sent for us for a specific purpose, and we should be greatlyobliged if you would hold to that, Mr. Karkowsky."

  Karkowsky laughed in the manner of a man who was very well contentedwith himself.

  "Of course, of course," said he. "Business is always a pleasure to me.Especially very profitable business such as this will prove to be."

  "We do not ask your price," said a voice which the secret agentrecognized as that of Matsadi. "We merely desire to be certain that thepaper is ready for delivery."

  "You may rest assured upon that point," replied Karkowsky. "Drevenoff,show him the scapular."

  There was a moment's pause, during which the secret agent could wellimagine the young Pole drawing the desired object from his pocket.

  "There!" said the triumphant voice of Drevenoff. "There it is. And seehere where the edge has been opened--the paper."

  Karkowsky laughed once more.

  "Ah," said he, contentedly, "these little matters! What a time we havein hunting them out--what a chase they sometimes lead us. And how gladwe feel when it is all over."

  "There would have been no chase in this matter at least," said Matsadi,"if you had lived up to your word in the first place."

  "Not my word, my dear sir," spoke Karkowsky. "That has always been good.But one cannot always depend upon the steadfastness of a boy."

  "I am as steadfast as you," broke in the voice of Drevenoff. "But bloodis thicker than water."

  "I will not deny that," said Karkowsky, soothingly. Then, as thoughturning to the others, he added: "It happened this way. This was a wildlad. Russia drove him out. He fled to this country. When his father camewith Count Malikoff they became reconciled. He was permitted to returnhome. But he was a Pole; he hated Russia; and beside that, _I_ pointedout a chance to make a fortune. He stole the document which we now havehere."

  "And then," said Okiu, "you opened negotiations with Tokio. And when allhad been settled, you would not turn the instrument over to us for theprice asked."

  "That," said Karkowsky, "was the result of the indiscretion of a veryyoung man. I could not turn it over to you. Drevenoff had given it tohis father."

  "What else would you have me do?" demanded the young Pole, warmly."Could I see him wrongfully accused, disgraced? No. I returned thepaper, told him what I had done, and stood willing to have him do withme what he would."

/>   "But his father," said Karkowsky, "was afraid to act; he feared forhimself and for his son. He hid the paper in his scapular, and whendying gave it to the English physician."

  "He was afraid to trust a Russian--he dreaded to risk giving the paperinto the hands of one who might profit by it. I know that was hisreason, because I knew my father," said Drevenoff. "But the Englishmanattached no importance to the scapular; he placed it among his effectsand forgot it. If my father gave him any instructions with regard to thedisposal of it, he also forgot them."

  "I reasoned out what must have become of the scapular when this youngman came to me after his father's death," said Karkowsky. "He was thenwilling, once more, to join me in the sale of the paper, because," andthe man's laugh was full of mockery, "there was no near and dear one whocould be harmed by it."

  "Because you would sell your soul, Karkowsky," said young Drevenoff,"don't think me a fool if I would not."

  "I beg your pardon," said the elder Pole, "I meant no offense. And as toselling my soul for so little money, don't believe it. If I ever come tosuch a transaction, my dear child, the price will be of someconsequence."

  "And when you reasoned that the English doctor must have what youdesired," said the smooth voice of Okiu, "you began your operations?"

  "At once," answered Karkowsky. "We took ship to England, located him atSharsdale, and went to work on the matter. We tried everything, but withthe same lack of success."

  "From what you said a few moments ago," said Matsadi, "you think thatDr. Morse was unaware of the document's existence."

  "At first I did not dream of such a thing," said Karkowsky, "and,indeed, it was not until after he had come to America that it occurredto me. On going to Sharsdale I tried to open negotiations with him; Itried the same here. But in neither case did he rise to the bait. But_now_ I am convinced that he never knew the thing was in hispossession."

  Matsadi laughed.

  "Then, Okiu," said he, "all your planning was wasted."

  "So it would seem," replied Okiu, gently.

  "We suspected that you had some hand in the queer communications whichDr. Morse received from time to time," said Karkowsky. "We knew that itwas not by chance that you took the house directly behind him.Drevenoff," with a laugh, "tried to get your man to talk many times, butcould not."

  "Humadi," said the Japanese agent, "never talks."

  Here there was a sort of rustling sound; the swish-swish of silkenskirts over the floor; then a new voice spoke, a voice which madeAshton-Kirk breathe a quiet sigh of content.

  "I think you have rambled long enough in this thing. It will not benefitany of us in any way to know what the others have done to gainpossession of the paper. That it is here is, I think, sufficiently tothe point."

  There was a subdued clapping of hands at this.

  "Bravo, Julia," cried Drevenoff. "To business, I say. That is what weare here for."

  "Exactly," spoke Karkowsky. "That is what we are here for. Theprice----"

  "Is what was named before," interrupted Julia. "And the paper is to bedelivered when the money is turned over."

  "To-morrow?" asked Matsadi.

  "To-morrow will do very well," said Karkowsky. "Ready money--no checks,or drafts," cunningly. "They are things not always to be trusted. Thehard coin, or the downright bank-note; that is what pleases me in a caselike this."

  "To-morrow, at noon," said Matsadi, curtly. There was a drawing back ofchairs and the sound of several persons arising. "You can be seen here,I suppose?"

  "Yes," replied Karkowsky. "We will come here. Have the money in largebills, if possible," with a laugh; "we don't care to be loaded down, ifit's to be avoided."

  "It shall be as you desire," said Matsadi. Then there came the sound offootsteps crossing the floor of Parlor F, and a door opened."Good-night," said Matsadi.

  "Good-night," replied the others.

  Softly Ashton-Kirk opened the communicating door, and stepped into theroom. Karkowsky was just about closing the door leading into the hall;at his side was Drevenoff and a girl with flaxen hair. As the doorclicked behind the Japanese the girl threw up her hands and laughedtriumphantly.

  "Alexander," she cried, "it is ours at last! We have won! In spite ofall _they_ could do--in spite of the clever American, we have won!"

  She threw her arms about the neck of Drevenoff; but as she did so therecame a queer, throaty cry from Karkowsky; and then for the first timesince he had entered the room, she saw Ashton-Kirk.