The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-05

cealing himself there so as to attack
Manning In the not improbable event
of the latter coming in to give orders
about his car.
1t should be clearly understood that
| each of these two men was devoting
himself to certain capture and almost
certain death. Yet this element in the
affair did not weigh with them in the
slightest degree, and such desperadoes
are apt to discomfort even the shrewd-
est and most efficient police in the
world.
The young diplomat had scarcely
stepped out of his car before a special
messenger handed him telegram. 1t
was from an undersecretary at Wash
ington and read:
Plan of eastern coast defenses stolen
from war department. Consult with Cap
tain Randolph at Fort Wadsworth imme-
diately.
So long before the Mohammedan's
scheme had time to mature his would
be victim raced past again at full
speed in a downtown direction.
Bronson, for his part, undertook to
do certain work for Manning and
sped away in another machine, where
upon, with true oriental fatalism, All
med and his fellow thug resigned
themselves to vigil which might last
all day and far into the night.
1t took Manning fully two hours to
reach Fort Wadsworth. Once arrived
there, however, he was soon closeted
with Captain Randolph, one of the
most capable of the younger school
of American army officers whose work
has won the golden opinions of every
experienced soldier in the world. Ran
dolph was concerned, though not seri-
ously alarmed, when he read the tele-
gram. s
eve may as well be candid about
this matter" he said. "Our coast de-
fenses would hardly amount to row
of beans against modern guns. Many
of our forts are mere death traps. In
fact, if the war department. begins at
once to put our defenses in order this
very plan which has been stolen would
be the most misleading thing that
could fall into the hands of the en-
envy"
"But there is a very serious side to
it," said Manning gravely. Whether
useful or not, the plans have been
stolen"
"Oh, yes, that's where the shoe
pinches! 1t isn't pleasant to reflect
that traitors are actively at work in a
government office. I'm very glad the
department sent you here today Man
ming. y There is something else
which I suppose ought to tell you"
Randolph rose from the Office chair
in which he had been sitting, lighted
cigar and gazed thoughtfully through
the window at basfion on the oppo-
site side of the paved courtyard in
which his quarters were situated.
Manning realized the cause of the
young officers difficulty.
''Hold onv' he said with q smile.
Before you give me your confidence
you ought to see my credentials"
He produced certain letters from a
pocketbook and handed them to the
soldier. After few minutes Of close
scrutiny Randolph turned with an air
of relief and caught Manning by the
shoulder.
"Why," he cried, '.you're the very
man I want. Now, I'll tell you some
thing really worth while, and you will
understand just why the war depart
ment sent you here. I have nearly
perfected new disappearing gun with
an effective range Of twenty-four
miles. A working model is housed in
that very bastion across the way, but
my drawings and specifications are In
an office on the eighteenth floor Of the
Chemical building in New York. If
those plans were stolen, Manning,
there would be something doingr'
This information was startling in.
deed. Manning at once gave his as.
tonished hearer fairly comprehen-
sive resume of Ali Singh's activities.
They discussed ways and means for
time. Then Randolph took his new
| friend to the bastion, unlocked closed
easement and showed him model of
the gun which was so realistic in its
working parts that Manning found it
hard to believe he was not looking at
an actual weapon rather than a dunn
my mostly composed of painted wood.
Subsequently the two went to New
York and overhauled Captain RAN
dolph's Offices in the Chemical build
ing. The drawings Of the gun were
kept in safe when not in use, and
three doors with excellent locks would
have to be forced before thief could
even begin the slow and difficult task
of eating way through steel walls
with high pressur burner.
| Still, to make ass doubly sure
the inventor decided to station an
armed sentry in the hallway between
6 in the evening and in the morning
until his secret had passed out of his
own control into the bolted security
of a government arsenal. He made
the necessary arrangements by tele
phone and remained in the Office until
the first guard was posted by the non
commissioned officer in charge of the
small squad detailed for the duty.
| Other matters detained Mannins
downtown. 1t was night and bright
moonlight when he felt himself free t.
give his chauffeur the gladstone direc
ton, Home
Meanwhile there had been consider
ahle excitement in Riverdale avenue
Bronson, too, had been kept away from
| his sister and the sprightly Nav gOO(