The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-03-11
AClever Ruse
By woRTHINoToN LEE

graph, and l studied IL closely.
II have memorized the face sum
GENTLY TO Identify him when com,
across him." said confidently.
I'VE want this man. Leon Gam
merit" continued the detective chief
because all his antecedents and hi,
present associations and methods indl
cate that he is a foreign spy. Read
up our files on this man and try to gel
the goods on him. II would consider
ably improve your status here to run
this man down."
bowed. and started for the secret
service Ole room. On my way be.
slowed my usual admiring glance upon
the stenographer, Miss Ada Ryall. Her
return smile. friendly and encourag.
ing, nerved me to hope that I might
score a real brilliant stroke Of sheer
detective genius.
was a novice In the line. but the
pay was good and my especial work.
that Of running down aliens and slack
ers, In measure a patriotic task.
This was my first really important
commission.
For two months Leon Gammert had
evaded every trap set for him. Oper-
atiyes who had been on his trail report
ed that he led quiet life. practically
devoid OF companionshlp. He roomed
at a respectable boarding house. the
only remarkable feature as to such oc-
cupancy being that he had the one
room II contained In the attic. went
at the task cautiously. intelligently
and with hope. My man came and
went. He was given out as an agent
for an industrial insurance company
and I learned that he was In that en-
ploy on a commission basis. l ascer-
talned, however, that he did not bring
In much business.
| Swallowed Gammert one whole day.
All Of its working hours were devoted
to visiting factories where they en-
ployed large number of foreign work
men. A good many of them belonged
to obscure secret societies. | watched
Gammert approach and converse with
number of these. This procedure
seemed nationally In concurrence with
his business. He would address a man.
take out folder describing the insur-
ance company he represented. 60 over
IL with the man and hand him his
card, to all intents and purposes filling
the natural duties Of an insurance So
llcitor.
At the end of a week I had not
scored one discovery that Gammert
was otherwise than what he repre-
sented himself TO be. The first Satur-
day night, however, there arose cir I
that later led to a distinct |
clue. / followed Gammert to an OBJ
scure little shop occupied by a cob
bier where Gammert placed a pair of
'hoes on the counter. Looking through
he windows, as the cobbler undid the
package | observed that the shoes
we're nearly new, yet Gammert left
hem to be repaired. Monday night
re went after them. l thought little
Il the occurrence until the following
Saturday night. when Gammert again
epaired to the same shop and went
through the same performance.
oted where the cobbler placed the
hoes. did not follow Gammert. but
waited until the cobbler went away.
hen with the aid of a picklock
orced the door and made an examina-
lon Of those shoes.
~ have him at lastl" was my jubi-
ant commentary.
The heels of the shoes unscrewed I
hey were hollow. In each I found
closely folded paper. IT held as
lany as two hundred names and adj
resses. The names were those Of the I
zen Gammert had visited. Under the Z
lsurance solicitor camoufiage he had
cen securing willing agents for the
,reign government for whom he was :
hired spy.
| hurried TO headquarters with my
rlze The chief was not there. Then b
did a rash thing. ] placed the lists s
a safe and went alone to arrest :,
The door of the attic room !
as unlocked. / entered and faced n
y man.
81 am from the secret service" g
i'd. "and you are ny prisoner" Z
Quick as fash Gammert sprang at p
e, whirled me about and struck me e.
It'll some heavy missile. When +;
me back TO consciousness I found b,
yself tied securely to a chair. At n al
Bile a dense vapor was arising from
vessel placed over a lamp. MY man a
rs gone. In one corner of the room "
rs a cage. All this noted as real. =
ID that in few moments the fumes OK
the vapor would overcome me.
| do not know II IL was the inten-
N of Gammert TO kill me. or only to r,
ace me In stupor until he got far II
d fast beyond the city. II was just &C
! nearly strangled. blinded and Gi
lpless that there was a crash. One Ac
the windowpanes was broken in and 80
,arrier pigeon iuttered into the room,