Evening star., 1923-01-26
CHAPTER III.
4 MuItiple Crime.

AS Rennison advanced slowly into
the room he saw five men seated at a
table-Horsford. one Of the assistant
secretaries of the department: Town
drow of the secret service, Capt.
Reifsnyder of the naval bureau of
experimentation. Col. Hawkshurst of
the bureau of military intelligence
and Capt Merschon Of the bureau Of
naval intelligence.
Assistant Secretary Horsford rose
quickly and with unwonted awkward :
ness. AS he moved a chair toward
the table. he said:
Captain. we need You. Sit down.
here. We are in trouble-grave trouble
but so long as il had to come to US,
IT, is fortunate that the blow fell be-
fore you got away from our shores.
We are confronted by one of the most
desperate situations our governme n [
ever has had TO faCe--a. situation that
demands thought and action of almost
iishtninglke celebrity. And each move,
quickly as ii must be effected.
must be sure--stFaight in the direc-
tion of our object. A single misstep
might mar ALL
The voice OF Horsford was low and
shaking. AS Rennison seated himself
on the proffered chair he laid his hat
and walking stick on the table and
the gaze of each pair of eyes. But 1t
was only the gaze OF Towndrow of
the secret service that held his own.
He knew that in the past Towndrow
had disliked him. Why this should
he he never was able to understand
Tor Towndrow was loyal as he was
hratny, and appeared TO be devoid of
professional jealousy. He and Town
droW often had work ked together
faithfully and efficiently. but temper
amentali y they had always clashed.
Now. however. Rennison was con-
sclous OF the fact that the secret
service man was regarding him with
an expression OF eloquent, though
mute, appeal II was plain something
had occurred that had baffied even
the resourceful and confident Town
drow.
Horsford, seating himself at the ia
bic at Rennison's left. went on:
"lnasmuch as the situation requires
haste. | will outline il to YOU as
briefly and as quickly as I can 1t
has to do with the activities of Sea
flcon. As YOU know. the destiny OF
the brotherhood and it's threatened
revolution is largely dependent on the
success of that wroached freebooter
on the seas. should we be successful
m our attempts to capture Seafalcon,
or send him to the bottom of the
Atlantic in one Of his submarines,
there is little doubt but that each Of
bring to an end all land activities Of
the brotherhood within its borders.
the task OF capturing or destroying
the Seafalcon submarines, therefore.
IS one OF the most serious problems
That the navteS Of the world ever had
70 face. Three days ago we solved
ton"
Lost it, Rennison muttered in
credulously.
or q motor boat at Haynerville Long
Island, and a murder about ar, hour.
ago In the Hotel Weymouthshire,
within ten minutes walk of where
we are sitting now"
iorsrord looked at Rennison i'm
presslNely. but the features of the
Young officer were INEXPENSIVE His
Dreamy gaze was suggestive OF lndjf-
ference only the watching Town
drow recognized the Significance of
his attitude. In the course of friendly
conversation the face of Rennison
would brighten with pleasure or.
sorten with sympathy. but when he
heard the trumpet call to action he
the spirit In which a knight Of fha
oluen time drew down his visor.
AT what time was the motor h<n<
destroyed?'' he asked.
Al nine thirty this morning.
What relation did the boat hear
go tho Seafalcon submarine problem p,
The boat was equipped with Dc
Woo which had been demonstratad r.
pc unerr1ngly effective in locating
ana recording the movements ~ q Il
moving steam vessels, Including s,,h-
merged submarines. within a radius
or urteen miles. This eduipmAnt of
an exceedingly intricate and daIir, 70
nature: was the only piece of mecbano
Ism or its kind that ever had b.ar
produced by it's inventor. WIN e,,aEdl
so MS oIscover-y 50 teaIousIy that he
applfed for no patent and nevar
showed TO any offioial Of the Nary
any plan or specification employed IN
lne construction OF the deyioe. All
sxpar1ments had been msde ~ his
own expense. The motor boat hor,s
ever, had been placed at his service
~ our department. 1t was onA ~
the submarine chasers built for the
government during the late war. II
vas turned over to the inventor of
the device two weeks ago"
What Is the name Of the in.
ventor?' '"' NJ
oliver Charming. He was only.
lwenty-s1x years old. and was pro-
fessor OF chemistry In a New Yorl.
college. He had apartments in thst
city. but was unmarried. His 1abora-
iory was in a little village in New
Jersey-Loudenheld
Inasmuch as you say he was fwsn-
Ly-Hx years old, am 70 infer fe va.
manning who was rnurdes-Ad fn tha