Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-10-06

VII A1A'NAFf
congratulated. He has discovered that
| was the head of a large organization
Of criminals. Here, If I mistake not
are your Department of Justice
friends. Gramont.
A knock at the door, and 1t opened
to admit one of Gramont's men.
"Here they are, sir-the chief agent
and a deputy. Shall let them inY
Gramont nodded. Two men entered
the room, and Gramont dismissed his
own man with a gesture. He saw that
the agents both nodded to Fell.
"Do you gentlemen know this manT'
he demanded, rising.
eyes" said one of them, regarding
him keenly. "Who sent for usY"
II did" Gramont gave his name,
and handed them his commission. u
have been investigating a lottery
which has been conducted in this state
for a long time by an organization
of very clever criminals. joachim Fell
Is the mar at the head of this organi-
cation. The lesser members of the
gang are in custody. The police de-
partment will not arrest this man
Fell his influence and that of his
gang is extensive in political fields and
elsewhere. l have called up the gov
ernor, and have been told not to arrest
him. l have disregarded these facts,
and I now call upon you to hold him
in custody as a federal prisoner. Now
go to It,"
The chief agent laid Gramont's
commission on the table and looked at
joachim Fell. For an instant there was
a dead silence. Then, when the fed
eral man spoke, Gramont was para
lyzed.
I'm very sorry, Mr.. Gramont, to
have to refuse"
"What !" cried Gramont, incredu-
lousy. do you dare stand there
and
zone moment, please" said Fell, his
quiet voice breaking in. 1T is quite
true that l have organized all the
criminals possible, Mr.. GramOnt, and
have put the underground lottery into
a s~ystematized form. l have done this
by the authority of the United States,
in order to %apprehend Memphis Ivy
Gumberts and other men at one crack.
These gentlemen will tell you that !
am a special agent of the Department
of Justice, employed in that capacity
through the efforts Of Judge Forester
and Senator Flaxman. / regret that
this had to be held so secret that not
even the governor himself was aware
of it until this evening. The conflict
was quite unavoidable. Not a men,
Der of that gang must become aware
of my real identity"
Gramont sank into his chair, the au-
tomato dropping from his hand. He
vas suddenly dazed, thunderstruck.
Yet he had to believe. He was dimly
aware that Lucie had gone to Jachin
Fell, her arms about his neck. He
stared from %unseeing eyes.
Realization smote him like a blow,
numbing his brain. He saw now why
the governor had conferred with
Judge Forester and the senator, why
he had been ordered off the trail. He
saw now why Fell mad preserved Sc
crecy so great that even to the chief
of police his ~imprecnable position was
supposedly due to influence higher up.
He saw how Fell must have been
working month after month, silently
and terribly. to form one compact or
ganization of the most talented crimi-
nails within reach-headed by Mem
phis Izzy. the man who had laughed at
the government for years! And he
saw himself furious. raging like a
mailman
Gramont dropped his head into his
hands. The pain of his forgotten
wounded arm stabbed him like a knife.
He jerked his head sharply up. and
was aware that the agents had depart
ed. He was alone with Lucie and Fen.
and the latter was rising and holding
out his hand smiling.
"Gramont, you got ahead of me in
this deal, and l congratulate you with
all my heart" said Fell, earnestly.
Neither Of US suspected the part
played by the other man! but you've
done the work and done it we'll. Will
you shake hands?"
Gramont confusedly tool the hand
extended to him.
1--WE been a fool" he said, slowly.
II might have guessed that something
unusual was"
"No; how could you guessT' said
Fell. There are three men in Baton
Rouge who know the truth, and three
persons in this room. That's all, out
side of the regular government men.
l had not told even Lucie, here! I
dared not. And I dare say nothing
even now. To the underworld at large
I will be known as the crook whom
not even the government could touch:
in days to come 1 may be of untold
service to my country"
"1f you will. excuse me one moment"
he went on "I shall sneak with vour