Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-07-04

OH II.


CHAPTER /.
Cyril Gordon had been seated at
his desk but ten minutes and was
deep in the mornings mail when
there came an urgent message from
his chief, summoning him to In Inn
mediate audience in the inner Office.
The chief had Keen blue eyes and
shaggy eyebrows He v wasted
words; yet those words when spoken
had more weight than those of most
other men in Washington.
There was the briefest of good
morning CLEANS in his nod and glance,
but he only said:
Gordon. car you take the Penn
%sylvania train for New York that
leaves the station in thirty-two min
utes?'' ef
The young man was used to abrupt
questions from his chief, but he
caught his breath, mentally survey
ing his day as it had been planned:
why, sir, 1 suppose l could-if 1t
ia necessary" He hesitated.
ut is necessary" said the chief
CURLY, as if that settled the matter.
"But-half an hour!" calculated
Gordon in dismay. II could hardly
get to my Dom and back. to the
station, I, don't see, how Isn't
there a train a little later?"
Later train won't do. Call up
your man on the phone. Tell him to
pack your bag n meet you at the
station in twenty minutes. You'll
need evening clothes. Can you de-
pend on your man to get your things
quickly without fail?"5
There was that in the tone of the
chief that caused Gordon to make no
further demur.
"sure!" he responded with his U.S.
the phone. His daze was passing
of. Evening clothes? 2" he questioned
curiously, as il he might not have
heard Alright.
Yes, evening Clothes" was the
curt answer, land everything you'll
need for daytime for "a respectable
\ gentleman of leisure-a tourist, you
understand
Gordon perceived that he was be.
ing given a mission of trust and i'm
portance,s not unmixed with mystery
perhaps. He was new in the secret
service, and it had been his ambition
to rise in his chiefs good graces. HI
4 rang the telephone bell f%uriously ant
called up the number of his owr
Il apartments, giving his mar orders IL
a breezy, decisive tone that caused 6
- toOh VI SdLlSldSIiOH u StLLlS dUOuI LII
fine wrinkles of the chiefs eyes.
'Gordon's watch was out and he wa,
telling his man on just what car HI
must leave the apartments for thu
station. The chief noted it was two
cars ahead Of what woulds have beer
necessary. His gray head gave an al
most imperceptible nod 4of common
dalton, and his eyes showed that h.
was content with his selection of {
4 man.
Nov, sir" said Gordon, as he hunt
I up the receiver, "I'm ready for or.
ders.'
We'll, you are to go to New York
ar: take a cab forssthe: Eosmepolil
( Ho:el--your room there is already, Sc
cured by. wire. Your name is JOIN
BurnI1an. The name;So of the hotel Fant
memorandum. You will find await
ing you an invitation to dine >thi
evening with a Mr.. Holman, VIII
knows of you as an expert"i in code
Il reading. Our men met him on tn
train an hour ago and arranged tina
4 he should invite you. He didn't know
whom they represented, of course
He has already tried to phone yo,
at the hotel about coming to Dime
tonight. He knows, o are expecte,
there before evening. Here is q let
ter of introduction to him from a ma,
he knows. Cur men got that also. 1
is genuine, of course.
WI Last night a message of nationa
Importance, written in cipher, wa
stolen from !one of u men before i
had been. read. This is o In tn,
have you decipher it for him and
few guests who will also be presen
at dinner. They wish to use it, TO
their w purposes. Your commits
sion Is to get hold of the message an,
bring tito us as soon as possible. An
other. message Of very different i'm
port. written upon the same kind o
paper, is in this envelope. with l
translation for you toruse in case yol
have to, substitute message 70,
will have to use your own wits an,
judgment. The main thing is, get tn
1paper, and get back with it, with a
Ilittle delaytas possible. Undoubtedl,
your life will be in danger should.
be discoveredathat you have made Of
with it. Spare no care to protec
yourself and the message. at all haz
sage, young man! 1t means much t
the country. 81
I'm this envelope is money-all 20,
will probably need. Telegraph o
phone to this address Of you are ii
trouble. Draw m us for more. /
necessary. also through thtSSsame ad
dress. Here is the code o can us
in case o find it necessary to tele
graph. Your ticket is already bought
I have sent Clarkson to the station
for 1t. and he Will meet you at TIL
!. train. FQu a give him instruction
: in lease you find you have forgotten
= anything. Take your mail with you
and telegraph back orders to you
s~tenographer. I think that is all. oh
t yes, tonight, while you are at dinner
you will be called to the phone by on
Of our men. If you are in trouble
y this may give you an opportunity t
get away. and put us wise. You will
find a motor at the door now, walt
ing to take you to the station. If you
y man doesn't get there with you
things, take the train. any way, an,
buy some when you get to Ney
York. Don't turn aside. from. you
commission for anything. Don't lie
anything hinder you! Make it
matter Of life and death! Good morn
ing. and good luck!"
The chief held put a big, hairy han,
that was surprisingly warm and sof
considering the hardness of his fac
and voice, and the young man graspe'
1t, feeling as II he were suddenly be
ing plunged into waves of an unknown
depth and he would fain hold on L
this strong hand. Is
He went out Of the ONCE quiet;
= enough. and the keen old eye
{ watched him knowingly. understand
ing the beating OF the heart unde
Gord6n's well-fitting business coat
the mingled citation and dread owe
heEcommission. BUT there had bee
no hesitaney. no question OF accept
- 1890