Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-05

had belonged to the Zone organization.
One OF them realized might be of use,
I suppose. and when the plans for es-
cape were complete, was included"
Abruptly she ceased speaking. Then
in a whisper:
II think some one Is outside the
door!" she said.
Stopford threw the door wide open.
He flashed the light of an electric
torch into the corridor. 1t was empty
from end to end. He returned and
closed the door.
Nothing" he said, switching of the
torch. Yet thought I heard some
one movin!"
ut is certain" Madame Czerna re-
piled, that there are members of the
group watching this house. More than
likely there are spies inside"
Thousands of cheers" said Stopford.
"At least, we can make a fight for 1t.
But please go on. If there's to be a
rough-house, first I'm dying to know
all about you. It's important"
Following a moments silence:
by means of this organization"
Madame Czerna continued, I'VE all got
from Cayenne. What became of one of
the two men. don't know. The other
is in New York But 1 was given q
passport bearing the name of Fee
CZerna which is not my oWn--at least
the first name Is, but not the second
and what looked like my own photo
graph. Head Centres methods are
unique--perfect.
But he held me in his power. He
knew my record and could hand me
over to France. Innocent as 1 am
of any crime against the French. all
the same. according to their law l am
a convict-by my own will 1 know:
but liable to be returned to Guiana after
eXtradition. I was finally brought to
New York. and although I knew I was
employed by group enemy to the
United States Government, / thought,
until recently, 1t was political.
II have no reason to love govern
ments. and did not scruple to work for
Head Centre. Only lately l have found
out that the Zone group is criminals
murder gang! I have struggled like a
rat in trap to escape"
Tell me-" said Stopford. do you
know any point in New York from which
it would be possible to locate the head
quarters of these sportsmen? I mean,
when you first met Head Centre, what
was the last point you passed before
they sort of begun to puzzle you?"
II can tell you this Nine. Czerna re-
piled, at was a restaurant bearing the
name OF The Blue Barber was taken
there one night. was blindfolded and
led upstairs and downstairs. along pas
sages and into elevators. At last I
found myself alone with Head Centre,
in an indescribable black and gold
room"
She shuddered. and abruptly ceased
speaking. Stopford was silent At
last:
HE is terrible" she whispered. His
force of will is so great that one can
feel it physically. At the end Of OUR
first interview l came down in an ele-
vator from this room to another,
many floors below. Again 1 was
blindfolded and led through perfect
maze. At last I was placed in a car,
and the scarf was removed from my
eyes. But the car had automatically
by the chauffeur, but not until we we're
driving into the hotel at which l was
staying. l have never since been to the
| Blue Barber
Twice again. once very recently. I
have. been called to headquarters But
I have been taken a different way each
time think in the days when first
came to New York it was perhaps the
only entrance Since then 1 have been
driven in one Of the closed cars and
have alighted in garage.
Il am glad to have had time to tell
| you so much.
In house is miles distant Comdr.
! Drake Roscoe sat at a telephone. He
was speaking TO Ned w. Regain. Amer
ica's most. famous private detective. and
the conversation doubtless would have
interested Head Centre.
Yes" said Roecoe. you're in touch
with the deputy commissioner in charge
of the Gordon and you've doubled back
Where are you speaking FROM"
Police post" came the voice Of
Regain, 20 miles south of you. There
hasn't been a single arrest. All the
home have slipped through the lines
some way. Looks to me, from what I've
picked up, like the parties concerned
were outside respectable. D'you get me?
Almost everybody on the roads has been
questioned, but no suspicious characters
have paSSed-in cars, anyway. On foot
maybe lots have slipped through"
Then we're all clear here?"
Il guess SO" said Regain. The police
Any minute they'll be there"
ANY news of Nine. Czerna?"
Sure thing. She passed patrolnlan
headed south, with Stopford. They got
by all right. but the cop took the num-
Der of the car, and it's out of the Page
Sutton garage. That doctor is a wise
guy. I hope you love him as much as
you used to-"
You're short-sighted, Regain" Ros-
coe declared. He'll have her turn
states evidence. His trick of getting
her out of the house will bring us
more information than any routine po-
lice methods could do
Glad you're happy" Regain return
ed. you've right to be--you escaped
with your life. But the nets empty
Commander. We are no further into
the puzzle of the Zones than we ever
we're"
"Oh, yes. we are" said Roscie. We're
getting there slowly but all the same
we're getting. When we round up Stop
ford and Madame Czerna we shall be
miles in front of where We are now"
Roscoe replaced the receiver and
turned as there came rap at the
door.
Come in he said.
glanced at him, and:
Are you with the first cordon?" he
asked.
II am, sir"
Anything to report?"
l. Nothing. There hasn't been a single
arrest"
Clever staff work" said Roscoe Bit
terly. This section was thick with
members of dangerous criminal gang
up to an hour ago. You had ring
around the whole territory--yet every
rat of them has slipped through"
Looks that way" the captain ad-
n1itted, watching the speakers grim
face -. -.
only one hope now" Roscoe went
on. Stand by with every car you can
MUSTER.
(To be Continued.)
EDUCATIONAL.