The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-31
CHAPTER I.


i to the mouth of the chan
mel cast off her lines, circled
about. and with snort OF
farewell turned her nose in
the direction Of He'll Gate.
The liners engines, no longer
curbed by the throttle, set
tied down 90 their seven-day
struggle against the steady
swell of the open ocean. And
the young man sighed his re-
lief.
Everything was all right now. It
could not bc otherwise. Every per-
son aboard was innocuous. so far
as his mission was concerned. lie
was sure Of II. The numerous and
inconspicuous secret service agents
who had superintended his embrak-
alton an hour earlier were sure or it,
too. For just that pup0se they had
watched for TWO days near the gang
piank. turn and turn about glanc
each passenger who set foot upon
the deck
Far ahead long drawn blot OF
murEy smoke touching the horizon
showed where the rruop convoy was
plowing itr Zig gag course eastward.
Thirteen great liners were there
most Of them in other days the
pride OF some German trans
Atlantic service A crusier. far
In front, dragging after 1t bob
bling and reluctant observation bal
loon. two destroying ships darling
inPuisilively here and there, boded
~ the chance submarine which
might unwittingly break its peri
scope above the waves.
Harrington ROthweil sighed again
not with relief this time lie was
thinking OF the 10000 khaki-clad
youngsters aboard those liners in
the distance. bound for France and
high adventure. What would ha not
have given to wear that uniform.
Young men OF military age and able
bodies were not SO popular even In
New York streets. And In London
he smiled and shook his head regret
fully a. the mere thought.
Wei, II was necessary To the
word he must remain Stacker OF
slackers, There wls nothing that
could he done. Only a HANDFUL OF
his most intimate friends knew why !
he had been obliged 10 reject "A prof |
fered commission in the British In |
telligeuce section why he had been |
forced TO turn down an equally fiat |
terinE offer on tho part OF his own |
country
The decision had been a hard onoi
TO make. And he had decided only I
when Sir Allen Burt. the wheel be
hind the wheels at Scotland Yard, |
had placed his hand on the young |
mans shoulder In final appeal.
you mustn't do a.. Harry. my |
boy" he had said sympathetlcally |
We've enough OF them at the front I
now--and useless rottcrs, some OF !
them, too. But we've only one Roth |
we'll We can't have you messing !
about IN the 'rspaheai .-~u srow, 1
and all that sort OF rot. There's more |
work and less glory right here In the |
bureau today than In any other spot |
on Gods green fOotstool, II you ,
know what / mean. Stick with us,
my lad
And Rothwcll. young American. |
patriotic and talented The man who |
was known and greeted as a per
Eonal friend by German agents from /
London to Madagascar-si simple Crea
lures Rothwcu stuck
lie was on his way back 10 the /
grind now. \ short vacation in |
America. made Imperative by "A |
threatened collapse, had brought /
him home. That was overland he |
was Carrying from worried Washing |
ton TO equally worried London n |
mass OF Information figures, plans,
notes on reserves. airplape develop !
mGnN for which any one OF several |
score enthusiastic persons OF Hun |
nish persuasion wouli have sacri-
feed gl"cfu.y 10 years OF freedom. !
A few. indeed. had evidenced such
willingness !n New York l(ring the I
week Jus, passed that Washington !
had been obliged sympothetlcally 10 l
assist them In every way possible,
even 10 the extent ot furnishing free
transportation TO "A certain barren
tract Of land I'm Georgia whose chief
boast In the line of interior dccorn-
ton was an as,onishingly large .
amount NJ harhel wire with ama2-
lugly sharp points q
iion There had been the large,
Ewarfhy IcrsnuaEe with really re
markahlc. mustnchcs and a pcnchant
Tor sirik rg effects iu wals'coats.
who had railepAlm fnr thrc" days
IN the quiet, efficient manner ~ the
German E1y-sG quiet and efficient,
IN fact, that only a mHu possessing
two eyes and the normal number Of
ears would have known mat be was
being followed.
Rothwen had taken tNe shndowlng
in good enough part. even deriving
species NJ quiet opj.ymcn' from
the pursuit on the last night ini
New York. however, when hr awak-
ened 20 find tho ns'ute Teu'ou en-
gagged I'm cutting a small circular hole
just above the lock ~ nis bedroom
door he f"lt obliged to take action.
So he hal Contrntcd himself until
u fa'. hairy wrist carefully Inserted
sell through the hole. Capping over
81 handcuff large enough 20 make
It's Withdrawal Impossible. and going
quietly back 10 sleep.
/, had been funny al least from
RothNelIs standpoint And so he
smiled reininisrcu'ly rs he leaned
from the fail. watching ne purple
skyline 81 the metropolis merge
slowly into the purple clouds - eve
ming on The western horizon.
Around him was the customary
hustle OF ne sun deck Passengers
engaging heir steamer cha O. for
the Voyac. rclentlessly pursued 'he
deck stewa' is. thre8tenirs. cliol!rE
tippinE Ic watched the proceed
irFs, indif frently perhors tui win
the eve 81 'he trained observer. SIX