Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-07-06

cabin the Foreign Alliance was still IN
session. The Silent Menace, however,
was not present. lie had been there
and his return was momentarily eX-
peCtcd.
He is late" commented one MEM
Der of the group looking at his watch.
After some time had passed, taxi
cab dashed UP TO the landing. Four
men OF DusineSslike appearance leaped
out and gazed around as If expecting
TO be met. In some disappointment
they dismissed the taxi and cautious
ly approached the vessel. The decks
fore and aft were deserted.
Il guess this is the boat" speculated
one of the four, noticing the name on
the PROV ITS the Il. b. Thomas"
They hurried across the gang plank
| into the wagon entrance under the
head rail. There masked man, lin
gering. in the shadows, stepped forth.
"The disguise is excused, gentle
men?"
"Sure!" grunted one of the men.
THAT was understood"
You are ready to do buslness?"
"For spot cash only"
Follow"
Several of the ships crew, negroes,
now put in an appearance, hustled
huge box on their shoulders and led
the way to the ship captains cabin.
They deposited their burden and with
drew.
The four visitors entered, followed
| by the man in the mask who closed
and locked the door.
"Messieurs," he began, addressing
the Foreign Alliance, whose faces also
We're mufiled. These are the Amer
! lean munitiOn manufacturers.
The Foreign Alliance returned to
their seats, focusing their undivided
/ attention upon their leader and the
matter at hand.
Monsieur Karnayiw The man thus
addressed rose. You are the NUM-
ton expert and will outline our prop
ositiOn."
1T is this" briskly began Karnavi,
advancing. I'VE have here" point
| ing TO the box, &C. an explosive Of
/ hitherto unimaginable potency. We
alone know Its composition, several
| tons of which are secreted In this ship.
| What we lack are castings. These cas-
! ingS must be in various sizes and
shapes, resembling say, an imitation
! bunch of grapes, an eur of corn or
potato, and 50 forth. How quickly can
! you manufacture the casingsF
How soon do you want themf'
"A carload of the potato sizes with
! in two weeks from date
"Delvered where?"
ITO our submarine warehouses at
at --" turning to their silent and
/ listening leader, ut which ware
! house, monsieur? Bay Sound, Capes
/ or Gulf or shall we save time by ship
ping via the West Coastf'
Now ensued u short parley in Ian
guage which the intensely interested
and somewhat uneasy visitors did not
understand. Presently Monsieur Kar-
navi mentioned certain celebrated
/ town on the middle Atlantic coast.
/ The munition manufacturers agreed
| that freight facilities to this point
were ideal and that unloading could
/ be accomplished without the slightest
suspicion.
Now let us see the color of your
money and that sample bomb said
one of the manufacturers, inpatient
ly. 1--WE can make the deliveries If
the castings are simple to mold"
Another member OF the Foreign AL
lance left his seat and taking from his
pocket an ofllcial-like envelope handed
it to his superior. 1t was unsealed.
II contained u draft payable at the
banking house Of Null & Son, one of
the foremost financial institutions in
America, having to do with internation-
al dealings running far into the mil
lions of dollars.
There was no question of the genu-
Inc character of this draft which any
one could cash.
as it satisfactory, gentlemen"
suavely inquired the leader of the For
cign Alliance.
The Americans were more profound
ly impressed than they cared to show.
Quite All smiled broadly.
he ItNutI VI TIC L VI itSh hllltlllNt
now approached the box containing the
sample bomb. 1t was Il curiOusly con-
structed affair not unlike a wardrobe
trunk in size and dimensions.
"The lid is on the side" explained
the leader of the Foreign Alliance rs
he stopped to release it. "It's a pretty
big hiding place for such Il little pack
age. But, them He shrugged ex-
presslvely THE package is so dan
ger6us. If it were to strike the floor
it would explode and blow up the
ship"
The Americans drew back in alarm
MS the leader of the Foreign Alliance
opened the lock.
An instant of suspense followed. He
started to raise the lid when it flew
open and he drew back startled Miss
Pearl Dare stepped out of the box
holding the potato-shaped sample
bomb threatenngly in her hand.
aston 2" she cried rs with wild wells