The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-25

most wonderful face he had ever seen:
the most beautiful, he told himself, the
most bewildering.
The girl inclined her head slightly
The door opened abruptly. and the
man stood on the threshold.
Your cab is here he said
Long after Dick St. Aubyn's cab
wheels had ceased to echo through the
silent street. the man stood on the wet
pavement.
Twenty-Five Barley street" he
muttered. What on earth is he do
ing there? And VINO is hep for 25
Barley street was the private resi-
dence of the first lord of the admiralty.
The butler flung open the door, and
announced Mr.. st. Aubyn.
Lord Pennyfeather rose with a smile.
lust within your time, st. Aubyn,'
he said.
Dick, covered with mud, dishevellei
and pale, staggered into the room.
"A cab accident" he calculated, as
he sank into a chair. Delay unavoid
able.
Il have learnt on the best authority
that France has discovered a genius
who promises her a new self-steering
torpedo within two months. The ma
val experts across the channel evident
ly pin their faith on it. This may, or
may not, account for the uncomprom-
Using attitude the Dual Alliance has
adopted
1neFe was q Sllence. a neaVy pause.
''Self-steering torpedo" said the min
lister, after a long silence Its a curl
Gus coincidence. This very day I had
an interview with an inventor, or a
crank, who promised Did you
hear he added sharply, whether the
torpedo was steered by a new applica-
ton of a submarine electric current?"
Dick shook his head. Il could learn
nothing definite beyond the fact" lie
answered.
at G
his chief, briskly, you have done adj
1nirably. You must now discover the
details of the new French torpedo"
ST. Aubyn had been in Paris for ten
days; he was absolutely nonplussed, a
most unusual position for that acute
intelligence officer to find himself in.
Dressed as beggar, he remained
outside the French admiralty office
noting with his keen eyes every man.
woman, or child who entered. st. Au-
byn was acquainted with half the men
who passed through the doors, but, in
spite of this, he learned nothing.
One man passed in whose face Dick
knew but could not put name to- He
puzzled long, but could find no place
for it in his memory. The government
confidential clerk knew no more, if as
much, as he did himself. He returned
disconsolately to England at the end of
ten days, and reported his lack of sue
cess at 25 Barley street.
81 don't like it, said Lord Penny
feather, in glancing over his report.
1T looks too much as if they had wind
of a patent we are experimenting with
ourselves. That invention I told you
Of
May interview your protege?" ask
ed Dick. He probably knows the
names of the men working on the same
lines
Ten minutes later Dick ST. Aubyn
o1o In hon col
accompanied by his minister's conf
Dental secretary. In five minutes he
was standing in a large workshop,
crowded with models of torpedoeS, in
laboriously Cyril Hardacre, the secre-
tary. took him into a smaller room be-
yond. A man writing at a desk lifted
his head quickly, and rose to greet
them.
Dick uttered an exclamation of sur
prise why, you are the man who
was so kind to me the other night" he
cried.
| He held out his hand. and the other
placed his long, nervous fingers for a
moment in his grasp. II should much
like to call and thank your daughter
for her hospitality, if you will allow
me-" he added.
Dick found it impossible to fix his
mind on explosives and internal ma
chimes.
He shook himself angrily. What a
time to be engrossed in lovers dreams,
when his business was urgent and his
reputation at stake. He STROBE along
the streets resolutely. fixing his atten-
| ton on the matter of torpedoes, but
do what he would the pale face and
deep-set eyes of Eileen's father re-
NAMED before him. Suddenly he paused
his brows knit, his face clouded-
| DAMN" he muttered- What was
Patrick O'Hara doing in the French
| admiralty offices last week? What {
fool was not to recognize his race be-
fore."
ssYou aren't in earnest, st. Aubyn?'
asked Lord Pennyfeather, looking a
his visitor open-eyed.
It wish to God I were wrong, sir,
said poor Dick. "O'Hara is a swindler
he is selling his torpedo model to tn
French government on the same terms
as he is selling it to the English TIT
identical torpedo is being built in thel
workshops as in ours, and Patrlcl
IO'Hara works at it for fortn1gh
There. and then for fortnight mere
He intends to get e200.00O out OF eacl
government and then disappear"
Half an hour later Patrick q Hara wa
| confronting the first lord OF the admlrai
| tv and Dick ST Aubyn.
| go Hara,' % said the former quietly, you
treachery is discovered The trenc
| model
| him like some hunted animal seeking 70
a n1ee-ss of escape
1.-The room is watched, said the minis
ter quietly: policemen are under tn
windows and at the doors You are
2 prisoner. Great Heavensi St. Aubyr