Evening star., 1923-02-19
BY J. AUBREY TYSON
Copyright. ls27 by the Naenitlss csnps.y.)

after seven. The thought now came
to him to communicate to Carrick
descriptions OF the men he had iden-
tined as spies. These descriptions
would enable Federal agents to
shadow them when they should have
occasion to report to their superiors.
Such Information could not be sig
nailed from the window, of course,
without making Carrick, himself. an
object of suspicion. But other means
or communication were at hand. The
gaze Of the army man swept the
room thoughtfully, then rested on the
table.
AS smoker, Rennison preferred a
pipe to cigars. While talking with
Miss -Warburton, however, he had
hghted two cigars, which, only half
smoked. now lay on the ash tray on
the table. The methods of employ
ing the stump post were as faml-
lar to Carrick as they were to him.
concealed in one of these "stumps,"
a note might be flung from the win
would nean nothing to any person
VINO had not received signal to pick
it up.
Rennison was about to detach a
lear from his memorandum book for
the purpose of putting the idea into
execution when new thought came
70 him, and he hesitated. Once more
he glanced at the sleeping actress
on the couch.
ninging the concealed note to the
street he would be taking a double
hazard. Against him were pitted
some of Seafalcon's shrewdest and
most resourceful agents, and 1t was
possible that to one or more of these
known Should the note fall into the
hand of one of these, the course he
was pursuing would be revealed and
the doom of Miriam Warburton must
other hand, should the cigar be pick
ed up by Carrick or one of his asso-
ciates, the vigilant Brotherhood men
would be quick to realize that he was
in communication with federal
agents, and the result. SO far as the
actress was concerned, would be the
same.
He returned the memorandum book
to the pocket from which he. had
taken 1t. but picked up one of the
"stumps'' from the tray and lighted
IT. Putting at the cigar, he strode to
the window and threw back one of
the lace curtains: The apparently
careless glance with which he swept
| that Of Carrick and passed on.
Conscious now that every movement
made by him was being carefully
watched by friendly eyes the man
left hand, imaginary ashes from the
right lapel of his coat. This was the
stump signal" The observer now
would understand that should the
hand it should be picked up; tossed
| with the left, it was to be disre-
garded.
1t was with his left hand, however,
| that Rennison f1icked the cigar to
the street. 1t fell between the rails
| Of surface car track.
Without looking again toward Car
rick, Rennison drew back and let
| the curtain fall. Thus screened from
| view. he glanced once more at the au-
back was toward him, but Wilmer,
| with whom the major still was CON-
| versing. was manifestly alert. mo-
ment later a trolley car hid the ma
chine from Rennison's gaze.
| Scarcely had the car passed, how.
ever, when a short, powerfully built
man of middle age. clad in a wrinkled
gray suit, appeared in the roadway.
From one of his hands fell a soiled
| handkerchief. IN picking it up he
dropped it again--this time over the
/ cigar Rennison had tossed to the
street. When he thrust the handker-
chief into one of his pockets the cigar
| went with it.
! Rennison watched the stranger
| grimly as the man stepped up on the
| opposite sidewalk and walked briskly
| away.
| Quick work, that" he unused. And
he wondered what would have hap
| pened had he placed a message in the
cigar and had given pickup" sig
|! nal to Carrfck.
| "Carrick would not have let him
! get away with 1t, of course" he re-
| f1ected, but its recovery would have
made it clear to Seafalcon's friends
that they are being double-crossed by
| Miriam Warburton and her supposed
! dupe."
| AS it was. however. the picking up
! of the cigar by one Of Seafalcon's s
men would serve a useful purpose.
The action of Rennison in throwing
the cigar to the street plainly had
attempting to communicate with
some associate. But this associate
had failed to appear and an examina-
ton Of the stump" would be suffi-
! with the result that the enemy would
feel greater confidence in his plans
than would have been probable had
the incident of the cigar not occur
red.
AS Rennison stepped back from the
window he realized that preparations
for his departure must be made quickly
Glancing toward the couch, he saw thai
Miriam appeared to be sleeping soundly
His lips were compressed as, with his
hands thrust into the pockets Of his
trousers, he paced thoughtfully to and
fro. At length, turning abruptly. he
crossed to the telephone and took
%nch he esied was that of the WaI
Department in Washington. He had
directed Jimmy to remain at the
switchboard until o'clock, and il
was Jimmy's voice that responded.
about to say over the wire would be
recorded and reported to the enemy
Rennison prepared to accomplish q
double purpose. First, 1t was essen
should know that all was going vel
with him and that he would be In
| Washington by 10 o'clock. Second
it was time that the enemy should
Ihave reason to believe that he already
the papers which had been taken from
the body of Charming. Accordingly
having recognized the voice at the
other end Of the wire, Rennison asked
perfunctori1y:
rs that you, Jimmy"
GThis is Severn speaking"
"Yes, sir"
well, before you connect me with
to ask you to do something for me
I am in Baltimore, and before left
Washington last night had no time
to go to my rooms for my suitcase
I will be at the department at IL
o'clock. but will be too busy to gel
to tho hotel. I want you to get some
things from my room. Meet me in
Col. Hawkshurst's Office at that hour
and I will tell you what to do"
"All right, sir"
"Now give me the coloneps Office.
The coloneps usual hour for report
ing at his Office was 8 o'clock, but
Rennison knew that, as result OF
the message he. had sent to Town.