The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-06-06
Copyright, l9l5.D
SsVA7 HERE away-the coast or
" down East" / asked, BAN

w down t.aSr. dSktu, poh
tering and breathless one
afternoon when | had hurried up to
the new Grand Central in answer to
an urgent telephone call from Ken
nedy. 81 had caller this afternoon"
he continued running his eye over
the other passengers to see If we were
observed "She is going back on this
train. | am not to recognize her at
the station, but you and | are to walk
to the end OF the platform and enter
limousine bearing that number.
He produced a card on the back of
which was written a number in six
figures Mechanically | glanced at
the name as he handed the card to
me. Craig was watching intently the
expression on my face as | read,
Miss lvonne Brixton."
Since when were you admitted
into society,"" | gasped. still staring
at the name OF the daughter of the
millionaire banker, John Brixton.
She came to tell me that her
father is in a virtual state of siege,
as it were. up there in his own house"
explained Kennedy in an undertone,
so much so that, apparently. she is
the only person he felt he dared trust
with message to summon me. Prac
tlcally everything he says or does is
spied on; he can't even telephone
without what he says being known"
Siege" ! repeated incredulously.
Impossible. Why, only this morning
| was reading about his negotiations
with a foreign syndicate of bankers
from southeastern Europe for ten
million-dollar loan to relieve the
money stringency there. Surely there
must be some mistake in all this. In
fact, as | recall it, one of the for
eign bankers who is trying to inter
est him is that Count Wachtmann
who, everybody says, is engaged to
Miss Brixton. and is staying at the
house at Woodrock. Craig, are you
sure nobody is hoaxing you,'
Read that" he replied laconically.
handing me a piece of thin letter pa
per such as is often used for foreign
correspondence. Such letters have
been coming to Mr. Brixton, under
stand, every day"
The letter was in a cramped for
eign scrawl:
John Brixton
''Woodrock New York
American dollars must not endan
ger the peace of Europe. Be warned
in time. In the name of liberty and
progress we have raised the standard
of conflict without truce or quarter
against reaction. If you and the
American bankers associated with you
take up these bonds you will never live
to receive the first payment of interest
THE RED BROTHERHOOD OF THE
BALKANS
| looked up inquiringly What is
the Red Brotherhood? l asked
AS nearly as | can make out" re-
piled Kennedy. "it seems to be sort
OF international secret society"
And they operate so secretly that
Brixton can trust no one about him."
/ asked.
81 believe he is ILL.," explained Craig.
AT any rate, he evidently suspects al
most every one about him except his
daughter"
At Woodrock we took our time in
getting off the train. Miss Brixton,
a tall, dark-haired, athletic girl just
out of college, had preceded us, and
as her own car shot out from the sta
ton platform we leisurely walked
down and entered another bearing
the number she had given Kennedy.
We seemed to be expected at the
house. Hardly had we been admit
ted through the door from the porte
cochere than we were led through a
hall to a library at the side of the
house. From the library we entered
another door, then down a flight of
steps which must have brought us
below an open courtyard on the out
side. under rim of the terrace in
front of the house for short dis
lance to a point where we descended
three more steps.
At the head of these three steps
was a great steel and iron door with
heavy bolts and a combination lock
of a character ordinarily found only
on safe in banking institution.
The door was opened. and we de-
seconded the steps. going little far
ther in the same direction away from
the side OF the house Then we turned
at right angle facing toward the
back of the house but we'll to one side
OF it. 1t must have been, | figured out
later. underneath the open courtyard.
A few steps farther brought us to a
fair-sized, vaulted room.
Brixton had evidently been waiting
impatiently for our arrival. "Mr.
Kennedy" he inquired, adding quick
Nv without waiting for an answer. Il
am glad to see you. | suppose. you
have noticed the precautions we are
taking against intruders! Yet it seems
to be all of no avail. | cannot be