Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-08-24

hicAlueA VI TIE unlOus
by Jove! !" exclaimed Major Steele.
"He told the truth to Miss Dare.
He is a barber"
He get away, l think" Eeminded
Toxic.
Never, with my men on the job -
Toxic bowed in awe of the noted
army sleuth and glad to be relieved,
departed.
Major Steele sRuntered up to the
bar covertly surveying tie room. 1t
was evident that his glance took in
nothing of unusual interest. A little
later of his stool pigeons came and
casually whispered something in his
ear. The major blanched.
Hes gomez"
Hes not on the premises"
you looked in the cellar, back yard,
everywhere?"
ii has gotten away, major"
The major brought his glass down
on the bar with a sharp ring. They
left together at once.
They had hardly reached the street
before Adams crawled from under an
empty whisky barrel in a darkened re-
cess in the stock Brushing the
cObwebs from his clothes, he APP
preached the cashier, coolly paid his
check and walked out. He rambled
down the venue smiling broadly to
himself.
Yet by his actions Adams showed
that a matter of serious import was
in his thoughts. He drifted along TAX
ing the route that led to the senate
building. On his arrival his mind was
quite made up. 1t wanted but a few
minutes to the regulation closing hour
and in the rush he got by the guards
unnoticed.
There was no indirection In his
movements. He seemed to know where
he was going and how to get there.
He went straight to the rooms of the
National Preparedness committee.
"Is Senator Warfeld busy?" he
asked the clerk in the reception room,
stammering a little.
1t was his buslnesslike manner that
removed suspicion from his appear
ance.
1.-THE committee is in session. the
clerk told him Though about to adj
journ. Shall l you, or will
you waltz
Adams indicated that he would wait
and planted himself on a bench.
The wait was a long one; it was
nearly dusk when the committeeman
filed into the reception room. The clerk
was not there at hat particular mo-
ment. Adams seized the chance and
slipped unObserved into the inner Of
fee. Several seconds passed before
Senator Warield, seated at his desk
reviewing a file of preparedness data
containing a summarized report of the
committee, was aware of his presence
and turning discovered him.
The senator half started from his
chair. Adams smiled and raised a re-
assuring hand.
II w-want to tip you OFF to some
thing, senator" he began, pointing to
the file ''abOut that. You c-can be-
lieve me Or n-not, but 1 got a notion
that there's g-goin' to be a hold-up on
those papers,"
"What do you mean? Who are
you?" demanded the senator, rising.
MY names Adams, 7. o. Adams Of
M-Monks Corner, Nebraska, but that
d-dOn't mean nothing to you. My
tips s-straight. I'm a barber and 1
hear things. There's a g-gang Of for
eigners that's going to git that there
budget as sure as you're b-born IN
less you hide 1t away"
Senator Warheld stared at Adams
with in~creGullty. He reached for his
telephone and took the receiver from
the hook. No one responded. He
Jerked the hook up and down several
times impatiently without removing
his keen eyes from those Of his Wis
itor. Still there was no response.
Adams broke into a dry laugh. "By
golly, senator !" he exclaimed, his face
lighting up; "they hxed your tele-
phone, dern'd If they amt"
SIT can't be possible! !" cried the
alarmed statesman, rushing into the
outer room in search Of an attendant.
Adams followed him.
"What deviltry is this?" Numbered
Senator War6eld, finding the room va
cant and turning fercely upon Adams.
AS he spoke the lights flashed out.
"No deviltry, senator" purred a dis
tlHctly foreign voice from u the en-
velOplng darkness; "only a little
game Of International politics."
Then followed a terrific struggle.
The OOm seemed to fill with shapes.
Adams clutched someone. His hands
came in contact with the senator's file.
He grabbed 1t and started blindly to
lind an exit. He heard the senator's
sti1ed cry and tho thud of his falling