The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-09

W turning consciousness in the little white house in the Cove of Por- togarten, Walter Grinding. in eonnee- tion with the police, launched himself on the trail of the fugitives He took with him Phil Calmont and Inspector Henderson of the detective force-the latter a celebrated man in his way, both witty and wise. The policeman and Grinding had been organizing the search from the hour when the latter discovered the flight of James Kahn.
 The curious circumstance that. during the last weeks, Mir. Romer had gone each day to the new pit, and had there conferred with Phil Calmont. seemed to the inspector to have an undoubted bearing on the case. He must. there fore see Phil. But, once having spoken with that young man. he was impress ed with his straightforwardnes and quickness of judgment, that of his own accord, he invited him to make one of the searching party Various men of the force were on the track already, but nothing of importance had been reported
 1t became early evident that the tracks of the automobiles led away towards the south. James Kahn had not made for the great cities. Nor, indeed. would one have expected so simple a strategy from man of his intelligence.
 If the cities are full of people, they are also full of officers of justice. To Walter Grinding, at least, the design of Kahn seemed clear. The "Confiden- tial" had had the command of the Incubus" coal and ore fleet. He could call it together like an admiral or according to his liking disperse it to the four winds This had been a priv ilege which the two acting superinten- dents, McKill and Grinding, had al- ways envied him. Captains asked for cargo for leave, for long voyages, or for short. according to their needs. But there was nothing for it save to send them to the general manager, MT. James Kahn.
 Grinding had borrowed an automo- bile from one of his friends, with chauffeur in whom (so it was report ed) they could place every confidence A day of sun had followed the evening Of soft growing" rain when James Kahn had started
 As soon as they were off-that is, Grinding, Phil and Inspector Tender son-the detective proceeded to ex- plain:
 "He had meant to take Casimr with him. But something had happened. l don't yet know what. Casimir's coat and driving gloves were lying upon the table in the hall of The Caravan serai.' Therefore, when James Kahn sent him on a mission-with the letter to MT. Romer at the bank-he did not take the automobile. That would have attracted too much attention. He rode a bicycle along the path that skirts the town, over by One Tree Farm, and then, leaving it among some under brush (where this morning I found his brass pump), he walked up to the door of the bank, crossing the waste ground at the back, where, in old times, they used to burn the witches. handed in his letter, and so vanished
 "casimir went back to wait for him." said the detective, 'promised-that is, and din t-cleared out as soon as his back was turned"
 Then Casfmr took the big Mercedes and got after him." broke in Phil sud- denly, the reasoning of the police off cer striking him quite suddenly But Grinding shook his head slowly. His intelligence acted more slowly.
 Well" he said at last, T suppose you fellows of the force ought to know best. But for me, who have seen tn em together day by day, these two. Kahn and Casimir, were playing one game a bad game. maybe, but the same. They were fellow -countrymen. Have l not often heard them talking in their queer outlandish gibberish by the hour mo, not French-I can do a little bou-  German. l know Herr Ja, Nein & Col But something sharp and snappy like green log laid on the fire hissing and splitting. O, l have sat and won dered what they were jawing about. You may depend that where one is. the other is not far off"
 The inspector nodded cautiously
 Perhaps" he said, q agree that they were both in it-that is, till Cas- imir went to the bank with the let ter"
 The pursuing automobile was not one of the most recent type, and twice it held the party half an hour en panne. which means "in the sulks" But the chauffeur understood his machine and humored 1t as he might have done a restive horse.
 Where are we going?" said Grinding. as the long undulating west-country road unrolled itself before them indef- intely.
 ITO Dalmellingtonr' said the in- spector. That was where our man Fox last heard of them. We shall have other news there. But I don't under stand either To the south there is only the okenesGalloway country no big towns, one single thread of rail- road cutting crossways-the short-sea to Ireland in one direction, and in the other an eight-hours' Journey to Lon uoii Oy lne fastest train. NO. if iE - quite incomprehensibleI"
 When was in the office" interrupt ed Phil with certain apology in his voice, incubus & Co. had often little steamers and sailing craft potterine about between Port Mary and the Cum berland coast-besides Balcary, Pal nackie, and the mouth of the Nth. Sometimes even tugs were sent there to be ready for the big colliers-to tug them out, I mean"
 The inspector glanced sideways at him, and then brought down his hand heavily on his thigh.
 T believe our young friend has itp' he said. MT. Grinding, you don't han pen to know what Incubus boats were at liberty during the last few days?"
 Grinding shook his head. It was not in his department.
 "Only the office knew that-indeed for these last months, since Mr. Phil there, left us, l may say that in such things the office was Kahn, together with his partner Casimir."
 The officer looked across at Phil
 q suppose you could offer no guess?' be said.
 "I am afriad not" said Phil: "it would be tug-almost certainly "a eargoboat would be too slow Since the firm got the big German naval contract, you see they never knew where the Kiel fleet would want to coal. So MT. Kahn had whole fleet of tugs with powerful engines to take out the big roads to the rendezvous Doubtless he ordered round one of these"
 "A tug-yes," meditated the officer