The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-26


want to know what this game is!
What are you and your bunch out
there trying to put over?"
II tell you that wasn't Stonington
that spoke. It couldn't have been"
cried the desperate young secretary.
The captain was already on his feet
and fighting his way back to the fire
lines.
Then suppose you go up and tell
him he's been dreaming" Knocked the
irate official. Then get his affidavit
to that effect and amble back with
it."
I Manley himself was already dart
ing for the door.
That's just what I'll do" he called
out as he made for the corner OF
Broadway ON the run, and there, still
on the run, leaped to the running
board OF an empty taxicab north
bound
Get me to John Stonington's house
on Park avenue: get me there as soon
as you can" he told tho startled
driver, And there's $40 in it If you
do 1t Quick!"
ManIey's wait on Stonington's door
step was doubly disquieting. Still
more disquieting, however. was that
obese bankers reply to he<question
so fiercely hurled a. him.
My phones dead" he cried out to
Manley. II can't raise central! I
can't raise anything,r
Then beat 1T for that bank OF
xyo,,ya ad,iSad Nopfax, &c 80 ,~.o5o
for the door.
Take me with you: for Gods sake.
take me with you." cried Stonington,
catching ZAP his hat and coat and fol-
lowing him.
II can't" retorted the young man
as he darted for his waiting taxi.
I've got to look for a crook called
Oyster Joe!"
By the time John Stonington's Ian
daulet reached the bank. following
the. warning already sent on from
headquarters. an empty vault lay
amid the smoking ruins, and Legar's
galleon on wheels, loaded to the brink
with its stolen gold. had slipped away
unchallenged through the darkness
and all trace of 1t had been lost.
Tire objective pfSthat wheeled gal
leon. however, seemed to have been
nicely appreciated by Oyster Joe,
quietly smoking on the deck of an
extremely powerful-engined but ex-
tremely dirty launch moored In the
shadow of a wharf. That worthy, in
deed, showed a marked preference
for gloom, since neither his cabin
nor his deck lamps were alight.
Equally without light was the lum-
bering truck which crawled cautious
ly down TO the lfp of the wharf,
where, after an exchange of quietly
whistled signals, a number Of vaguely
outlined figures set about lifting a
pile of small but sturdy canvas sacks
and boxes from the motor truck to
the waiting launch. This was done
in utter silence. The moment the
transfer had been completed the
launch slipped out from the wharf
shadow, arrowing its way down the
East River with muffied engine and
no lights showing.
Morose as seemed the man steering
the launch, the two newcomers who
had been ordered ABOARD his craft,
after 1t had been SO silently and
quickly loaded, occupied much of his
atLeuuOu. N was SOOu pam, however,
that he had email wish for CONVERSE
ton with them. When, after three
miles OF silent travel, during which
the white-bearded man at the wheel
had responded with nothing more
than a sulky grunt. one Of the new
corners suddenly struck a match and
held 1t close to the white-beared face,
the hands gripping the wheel quite as
suddenly relinquished their hold and
fastened themselves about the throat
OF the overinquisttives cargo asentry.
Before his ceHapanioH skandlng closer
TO- the bow OF the boat. could quite
realize the meaning Of the movement.
the two men beside the wheel were
writhing and stamping and painting
about thenarrow deck.
. - y
But. oddf5 enough. inAEiat struggle
the bewhiskered old bp9tman had
undergone - sudden md Startling
change. The clutching fingers OF his
enemy in the second contest along
the boatdeck had buried themselves
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