The Washington times., 1917-02-21

j
OF many years as a headline writer /;
and probe" these days Is In his man
ner toward everyone he meets.
Feel" said Cleggett after the prob
ing. We felt, as he indicated. Cleg-
gett was wearing a steel shirt upder his
clothing.
Look" he said, handing us his cane.
We twisted the knob. and. as we had
expected, found that the stick contained
sword Two .45-calibre revolvers SO
with Mr.. Cleggett. one In a holster on
each hip; he has a large automatic pis-
tol in each overcoat pocket and two
small automatics in his vest pockets
But the most original feature Of his
equipment is his hat. Externally It
seems to be merely the ordinary derbly.
sitting rather low on the head. He
handed 1t to US. II is lined with steel
1t is in effect. a helmet
MY own idea" said Cleggett
proudly, standing with his legs spread
a little wide-for Cleggett sometimes
swaggers standing still-and gazing
on the hat with admiration. at IL
to deflect shell splinters and shrapnel
and bullets. And 1t is handy to bail
a motor boat with when I am hunt
ing submarines"
what corps have you joined?" we
asked him.
None" said CIeggett. "I am oper-
ating independently. / felt that II
tied myself to any one organization,
either on land or sea, at least a part
OF my all-around experience would
go for nothing"
For two weeks now Cleggett has
been guarding the countryside
bridges. the subways, the aqueducts,
the docks. the navy yard. the forts,
even the rivers. On the roof OF his
house in Brooklyn, overlooking the
harbor, is a powerful searchlight; he
spends hours scrutinizing-'probing"
vessels that pass through the But
termilk Channel The other day he
conceived a suspicion against q fer
ryboat hand and dogged the boat
back and forth across the East river
all afternoon in his gasolene launch.
Scouting Independently, one can
pick up a remarkable number of
clues, and one. can follow them with
out being hampered by orders from
some official busybody at headauar-
ters.
"a headquarters staff" said Cleg-
gett, "is toosoften lacking in imagi-
nation"
CIeEgett has horses in a dozen diff
ferent stables. He Is ready to mount
and gallop in any direction at short
notice. And in dozen different
garages are automobiles for his con-
Venience in dashing to the stables
where the horses are.
But why use horses at ALL" we
asked him, ''if you have automo-
biles7"
"An automobile is all very WELL"
said CleEgett, "when one knows ex-
actly where one is going and wishes
to get there in the least possible
time. But one cannot pick up clues
while one is racing along in an auto
mobile. There is the same objection
to an aeroplane. But while one is
riding horseback one can look about
him at the terrain: I find that clues
come to me better on horseback. j
have picked up some OF my best clues
while riding a horse"
But in tho night?"
MY horses" said Cleggett, "are all
fitted with powerful electric search
lights. 1t is my own idea"
In spite of these convincing mill
tary reasons, II seems 10 us possible
that CIeggett still clings to the use
of horses because he thinks horse
Is more picturesque than an automo-
bile. ClegEett is a hero. but he Is
always a bit inclined to think OF The
picture hs is making. In this re-
spect he resembles Alexander the
moral than Alexander. Clegett would
never indulge in the drinking bouts
to which Alexander was given.
While CIeggett was telling us about
the horses and the searchlights a
tall and immensely obese woman
nassed US upon the bridge. She car
ried n large basket and whatever
was in II was covered with news |
napers. Her mouth and chin were
muffied UP.
CleRrett watched her narrowly as
she Iabored by, suspicion on his face. |
"The chances are" he muttered. |
that that muffier conceals beard"
"You think"
at Is a man in disguise. There Is
no doubt about it,
And, stepping close 10 one OF tine |
towers OF the bridge, he loosened all |
his pistols in their holsters.
''You are going to follow herr"
yes" he whispered, and was of |
like a sIeuth hound. But he turned |
again almost Immediately and came |
back. perplexity in his manner.
81 am in a quandary," he confessed. |
"I have been watching that suspicious
tugboat tied up in the slip yonder. |
How can / watch both?"
But before we could suggest any
thing the solution had already oc-
CURED to him. Cleggett Is as quick |
witted as d'ArtagnRn-althou his |
relations with women have always |
been on a higher plane than those of |
Dumas hero.
'T will lure or inveigle that per-
son." he said. "on board the suspected |
tugboat and watch them both at |
once! I will shanghai the man II
And he was on again. with an ex-
preston OF deep cunning on his face.
Cleggett is as crafty as the great |
Louis the Eleventh. But he would |
never. had he been King of France In |
Louis place, have employed his craft
N cruelty. DON MARQUIS.