Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-03
The Stars Week End Fiction
THE DEADLY TUBE
Complete in Three Installments
By arthur B. Reeve

1 ter" he said. adjusting the apparatus
again. i've cleaned everything but
the mattress and the brass bars be-
hind the mattress on the bed. Now
I'll tackle them. ] think we ought
/. to go into the suction cleaning busi-
ness-more money in it than In being
a detective. I'll bet"
The cleaner was run over and under
the mattress and along every crack
and Granny of the brass bed. This
done and this. dust also carefully
! slowed away. we departed. very much
to the mystiication of Marie and.
could not help feeling. Of other eyes
that peered In through keyholes or
! cracks in doors.
ingly. Il think we have stolen .
march on them. j don't believe they
i were prepared for this, not at least
AT TINS stage In the game. Don't ask
me any questions. Walter. Then you
one should try to pry. them loose.
Only remember that this man Law
! renee Is a shrewd character"
The next day Marie came. looking
( even more careworn than before.
| Whats the matter. mademoiselle?"
/
ter night?"
| oh. mon Dieu. I rest we'll. yes
But this morning. while I am break
! fast. Mr.. Close send for me. He say
| that am discharged. Some servant
tell of your visit and he very
angry And now what ts to become
Of me-will madame his wife> give a
recommendation now?
Walter, We have been discovered"
exclaimed Craig with considerable
l " ~ lon
poor girl who had been an involun-
tary sacrifice to our investigation.
| Turning to her. he said: Marie. I
know several very good families, and
am sure you will not suffer for
what you have done by being faithful
to your mistress Only be patient n
| few days. Go live with some Of your
folks will see that you are placed
| again"
The girl was profuss in her thanks
Il hadn't anticipated having my
hand forced SO soon." said Craig after
she had gone. leaving her address.
| However, we are on the right track
WI What - was ait 1t that you we're going to
| Something that may be very inn
| portant, Craig" said, though
don't understand 1T myself. Pressure
Is being brought to bear on the Stas
to to keep e, .hi: thing on. Of the papers
|
I'm not surprised" commented
Craig. What do sou mean BY pres.
sure being broughty
Why. Closes lawyer, Lawrence,
don't suppose that you know. but he
has some connection with the inter-
ests which control the Star-snd said
that the activity OF one of the re-
porters from the Star, Jameson by
name, was very distaeteful to Mr.
| Close and that this reporter was
| employing a man named Kennedy TO
| assist him.
Il don't understand it. Craig"
confessed. but here one day they
days later they almost threaten Us
| with suit IL we don't stop publishing
1T is perplexine." said Craig. with
! picked. but rather enlightened.
| He pulled down the district tele-
and we sat in silence for a while.
However" he resumed. II shalt be
| said nothing. Several minutes
| elapsed. Then the messenger raped
on the door.
II want these two note. delivered
right away" said Crnis to the boy:
you don't get interested in q detec-
tive story and forget the notes If
you are back here quickly with the
| receipt I'll give you another quarter.
Then. after the boy had gone. he
said casually to me: Two notes TO
Close and Gregory. asking them to be
present with their attorneys tonight.
| Close will bring Lawrence. and Greg
DRY will bring young lawyer named
Asche. very clever fellow. The
notes are so worded that they can
! hardly refuse the invitation
| Meanwhile 1 carried out an assign
ment for the Star. and telephoned my
! story In so as to be sure of being
! with Craig at the crucial moment.
| For / was thoroughly curious about
| his next move in the game. / found
him still in his laboratory attaching
+! tons on the outside Of a queer-look-
| ing little black box.
whats that?" I asked, cycling the
| sinister looking little box Suspicious
ly. AN Internal machine? You're
n not going h to blow the cuiprit into
Never mind what it II. waiter.
! You'll find that out In due time. 1t
| may or may not be an internal ma
chine-of a different sort than any
The less you know now the less like
| ly you are to give anything away by
| look or an act Come. now. make
yourself useful as well as orna-
| them In the cracks of the floor. and
be careful not to let them show. A
| little dust over them will conceal
them beautifully.
Craig now placed the black box
back of one OF the chairs well down
toward the floor, where 1t could
hardly have been perceived unless
one were suspecting something of the
sort. While he was doing SO I ran
| the wires across the floor, and around
the edge of the room to the door.
There" he said, taking the wires
from me. Now I'll complete the
room. And while I'm doing 1t. go
over the wires again and make sure
i they are absolutely concealed"
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