The Little River news., 1922-03-22
True Detective Stories THE BOMB PLOT

' TAP-Tap-Tap! The knocking at the door of the
 house occupied by Charles yon Kleist, in Brooklyn, was not peremp- tory, nor yet did it savor of stealthi- ness. During the silence which fol- lowed, the two men on the doorstep looked at each other inquiringly. Then
 1 Tap-tap-tap, they knocked again. Slowly, silently, the door swung open and, from the inner recesses of a l pitch-black hall, came a voice which inquired, in guttural German: "Who are you, and what do you want?"
 We come from the Wolf" was the reply. He said that you would know what we wanted"
 Prom the Wolff" echoed the voice from within. How do I know that Ton are not wolves yourselves? How
 Thisll prove who we are," inter- rupted the man who had previously spoken, producing card and slipping it past the stout chain which guarded the door. Read and act" he contin- ued, still in German.
 A moment later the chain had been removed and the two men, their coat collars turned high, their hats pulled low, entered the darkened hall. Not until the old man had refastened the i,fo where the tightly closed shutters ef- fectually prevented any spying from the outside, did he again address them. When he did speak, it was merely to inquire their names.
 "Barnitz," replied one of the men the one who had carried on the con- yersation from the outside.
 Earth" said the other.
 'Barnitz," the old man repeated ru- minatiyely. "That is a name of the Fatherland, good name. But Earth? I know it not. Is 1t not English?"
 American" corrected the first of the strangers. "It would not do to use too many of our citizens in this plan. It would cause suspicion. We must use all kinds of people-that's how we fool these Yankees! Besides should you doubt, there is the card from the Wolf. That bears both names"
 "That is so' agreed the German, "and Von Igel is not one to take any chances. He is too close to Von Papen. For what were you sent here?'
 1.-The Wolf wishes to be assured that everything is going smoothly.
 Then, after a moments hesitation, during which he studied Von KIeist's face very carefully: Have you com- pleted the bombs?"
 "A few only. It will be simple to make the others. Come, will show you"
 Through the winding, labyrinthine passages of the old house the German led them, and then out into the back yard-a tiny plot of ground barely a few feet square.
 "As you will note," he said, i've can- not be overlooked from any of the sur- rounding houses.
 The man called Earth, glancing up,
 
 the bare walls of warehouses drowned down upon them. As he looked, how ever, he seemed to catch a queer glint from one of the nearby roofs-a glint as of sunlight refracted from binocu- lar-glass.
 After he had removed three tulip bulbs, planted in straight line, as if to mark a certain spot, Won Kleist pro- duced small oblong box, black and ominous.
 This" he said, motioning them back into the house, "is the only one have ready for use. The ones I shall show you in the cellar-in order that you may tell the Wolf just how his plans are being carried out-are merely the cases. But this one Doctor Scheele turned over to me as sample. Care full! Don't drop it!
 "There were several of these on the Lusitania, and when the news of her destruction first arrived I thought that my handiwork was responsible. But the honor was not mine, unfortunately. There are also similar bombs planted on the Friedrich Der Crosse, in case these Yankees ever attempt to seize our property. The moment they start her engines, that moment they start the bopbs Yes" concluded the old man, "you can tell the Wolf that his plans are being well carried out. Kar- bode, Schmidt, Paradis and Praedel are attending to the ones on the ship, and Scheele and Becker on land"
 Splendid !" exclaimed Barnitz. "The chief will be delighted to hear this. Why not come with us now and tell him about itT'
 Thinking, of course, that his visitor referred to Wolf von Igel, Kleist read fly agreed, and it was not until their taxicab stopped in front of police head quarters that he sensed anything wrong. Before he knew it he was being walked into the office of Inspector Thomas J. Tunney, with gun in his ribs.
 Chief" cried Barnitz, "that card