Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-03


Hewitt stood STILL gazing through the
small aperture In the doorway ea
You'd scarcely H. expect q man
w'h talk spch with that ans accent en wonsd
your" he. observed. snlusingly. ut ism t a
French accent. nor q, German: hut 1t seems
foreign. You don't happen to know htm,
mo, don't. He called here about half
past ~, just while we We're in the middle
of our search, and was frantic over the
loss of the drawings. Il was In the outer
office myself and told him to call later.
have lots of such agents here. anxious to,
sell all sorts Of engineering appliances. But
what will you do now7 Shall you see my
men?'' 4fstsf = If-. sss.ra.s s5.r- ess5 rs asse
! Il think, said Hewitt, rising-.I think
IN get you to question them yourself"
Eyes, / have a reason. Will you trust
me with the key Of the private room vp-
posite? I will go over there for little,
While you talk to your men in this room.
Bring them in here and shut the door; \
can look after the office from across the
corridor, you know. Ask them each to de-
tail his exact movements about the office
this morning, and get them to recall each
visitor who has been here from the begin
: ming of the week. I'll let you know the
reason of this later. Come across to me In
few minutes
Hewitt took the key and passed through
the outer office into the corridor.
Ten minutes later Mr.. Dixon. having
questioned his draughtsmen, followed hlm
bic in the private room. on which lay sew
eral drawings on tracing paper.
"See here, Mr.. Dixon said Hewitt, Il
think these are the drawings you are ahx
ious about?"
The engineer sprang toward them with
cry of delight. why, yes, yes!' he ex-
claimed. turning them over, every one OF
them! But where-how-they must have
been in the place after all, then? what
a fool have been!''
Hewitt shook his head. II m afraid you re
not quite lucky as you think, Mr.. DIX
on he said. These dra wings nave nos nos:
certainly been out of the house for little
while. Never mind how--well talk OF that
after. There is no time to lose. Tell me
how long would it take a good draugh-s-
man to copy them?'
.They couldn't possibly be traced over
properly in less than two or two and haiI
long days of very hard work. Dixon re-
piled with eagerness.
"Ah! then it is as l feared. These trac-
ings have been photographed, Mr.. Dixon,
and our task is one of every possible dlm-
Guilty. If they had been copied in the
ordinary way, one might hope to get
hold of the copy. But photography
upsets everything. Copies can be null
tiplied with such amazing 1ac1lty
that, once the thief gets decent
start, it is almost hopeless to checkmate
him. The only chance is to get at the neg
atives before copies are taken. I must act
at once; and 1 fear, between ourselves, II
may be necessary for me to step very dis
tinctly over the line of the law in the mat
ter. You see, to get at those negatives may
involve something very like HOUSEKEEPING.
There must be no delay, waiting for le-
gal procedure, or the mischief is done. In
deed, l very much question whether you
have any Legal remedy, strictly speaking"
.'Mr Hewitt. implore you. do what you
can. 1 need not say that all l have is at
your disposal. 1 will guarantee to hold you
harmless for anything that may happen.
But do entreat you, do everything pos
sible. Think of what the consequences may
bel!
"Well, yes, so 1 do Hewitt remarked.
with a smile. 1.-The consequences to me If
l We're charged with housebreaking, might
could mitigate However, 1 will do what l
can, if only from patriotic motives. Now,
1 must see your tracer, Ritter. He is the
traitor in the camp.
Ritter? But how?"
Never mind that now. You are upset
and agitated. and had better not know
more than is necessary for a little while,
in case you say or do something unguarded.
With Ritter l must take deep course;
what 1 don't know 1 must appear to know,
and that will seem more likely to him if
disclaim acquaintance with what 1 do
know. But first put these tracings safely
away out of sight"
Dixon slipped them behind his bookcase.
NOW" Hewitt pursued. " call Mr.. Wors-
fold and give him something to do that will
keep him in the inner office across the way.
and tell him to send Ritter here"
Mr.. Dixon called his chief draughtsman
and requested him to put in order the draw
ings in the drawers of the inner room that
had been disarrangcd by the search, and to
send Ritter. as Hewitt had suggested
Ritter walked into the private room with
an air of respectful attention. He was a
puffy-faced, unhealthy-looking young man.
with very small eyes and loose. mobile
mouth.
"sit down. Mr.. Ritter" Hewitt said in a
stern voice. Your recent transactions with
your friend, Mr.. Hunter, are well known
both to Mr.. Dixon and myself"
Ritter, who had at first leaned easily
back in his chair, started forward at this
and paIed.
''You- are surprised. I observe; but Won
should pc more careful in your move
m mfab vo out of doors if you do not
MI Hunter, believe, has the drawings
which Mr.. Dixon has lost, and, IL so, am
certain that you have given them to him.
That, you know. is theft, for which the law
provides severe penalty
Ritter broke down completely and turned
appealingly to Mr.. Dixon.
'Oh sir" he pleaded 1T isn't so bad. I
assure you l was tempted, 1 confess and
hid the drawings; but they are still in the
office, and 1 can give them to you-really,
can"
'Indeed?" Hewitt went on Then In
that case, perhaps you'd better get them at
once. Just go fetch them in; we won't
trouble to observe your hiding place. I'll
only keep this door open, to be sure YOU
don't lose your way, you know-down the
stairs, for instance"
The wretched Ritter, with hanging head.
skunk into the Office opposite. Presently he
reappeared, looking, if possible, ghastlicr
than before. He looked irresolutely down
the corridor, as If meditating a run for 1t.
but Hewitt stepped toward him and mo-
TONED him to the private room.
"You mustn't try any more of that sort
Of humbug." Hewitt said with increased
severity THE drawings are gone, and you
have stolen them; you know that well
enough. Now attend to me. If you re-
ceived your deserts, Mr.. Dixon would send
for policeman this moment, and have you
hauled off TO the Jail that is your proper
place. But, unfortunately, your accom-
plice, who calls himself Hunter-but who
has other names besides that-as / happen
to know-has the drawings, and 1t is abso-
lutely necessary that these should be re-
covered. 1 am afraid that it will be neces-
sary, therefore, to come to some arrange
ment with the scoundrel-to square him. in
fact Now, just take that pen and paper
and write to your confederate as / dictate
You know the alternative IL you cause any
difficulty"
Ritter reached trembling for the pen.
Address him in your usual way" Hewitt
proceeded. Say this: There has been an