Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-02-04
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Tr
Detective Stor.
OUT OF THE AIR

the shadow Of doubt, but the way
In which the messages were trans
mitted was a mystery-dark and APP
parently unfathomable.
This was In the days before Amer
lea entered the war. In the days when
the United States was. theoretically
AT least. neutral nation. But Vor
Bernstorf, Won Papen and the rest
the embassy at Washington were
Ing everything they could TO fu'
their schemes from this SIDE
Atlantic
But not even the secret service
could penetrate the mystery Of the
messages That these were flashed
from the huge wireless towers on this
side Of the Atlantic. or relayed from
the German radio stations, seemed
fairly obvious. But how?
"rhey must be sending the stun
through the air." argued the chief Of
the secret service 10 Talbot, one Of
his best men, "for the simple reason
that we've closed all their other chan
nels"
ANY idea as to the code they are
using?" asked Talbot.
None at all, but it's probably con-
cealed somewhere in the messages
which they send out TO the ships at
sea-press bulletins. stock quotations.
and the like. We've studied them
carefully, but haven't been able to find
a thing"
How about the outburst from
Nauen every morning?"
1.-The only explanation for that
seems to be that it's an attempt
fog the air so that ships and 9TH
towers can't get anything through
Eyes. but in that case would thu
Germans send 1t for an hour ear
every morning? Why not all day longr
And why that hash Of language that
doesn't mean thing? II they were
trying to fog things they'd wireless the
Bible or Nietzsche or excerpts from
some other long book instead OF that
mess Of meaningless rot"
"Al right" retorted the chief, III
you think there's clue there, go to II"
But Talbot didn't begin his inves-
LEGATIONS with study of the Nauen
"hast." He made his way at first 10
the laboratory OF Charles +. Apgar, a
deep student Of wireless telegraphy.
II was 10 Apgar that he told his trou-
bles and. when he had finished. the
expert leaned forward and picked up
something from the table In front
him.
see that? Apgar asked. Talbot
nodded.
Looks like an old-fashioned cylin-
drlcal phonograph record" he said.
"Iust what II is" admitted the ex-
pert. "oniy you use 1t in connection
with a wireless photograph"
"A wireless phonograph?' and the
government operatives voice showed
that he had never heard Of such q
contrivance.
"Yes. photograph attached 10 the
receiving eud Of radio station. !
finished woraIng on II a few days ago.
and | think It's jast what you need
for this lob. II will record and keep
track OF every sound that comes into
the station. enabling you TO listen in
on messages months after they have
been sent With a supply 'sese
records and the necessary paI.eh
ought 10 be able 10 figure out n
TEN the Huns are using. withou mel
being any the wiser. II may take
weeks or even months. but it's just
question Of being everlastingly at II
Agar was right Talbot
that il took him nearly four
Ia get on 10 the system-fo'
of ceaseless listening-In p
De Forest audlon
picks up sound wave
of miles away and
never have locT
not been for
with the aid 4
sage until ke had il
trying out the vari
and symbols until he S,
the right one.
Then. one morning. when
Of the secret service least
him. ne burst into the Office
exclamation:
"i'ye got II.
fifteenth fr
out a She>
row upon row OF ng
commencing with "5-
Looks interesting.
chief. but what does
"Got German
Novel;. have. II
edition-Just the one tn.
the code. The letters
hers Of the pages and
ignate the words. tbe
type. Five aud
fifth and eight
II II mean
page two
so far
less