Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06
SEVENTEENTH 1NsTALLMENT.

QdIheIlcQ IOOLA AVOAA "AAASA+
might be approached circuitously
from 1.-THE Blue Barber'-a speck
i Of red light glowed.
"H. O." said q monotonous voice
"Report of Sector Captain A I in
charge of party covering road house.
Zone officer 2 A is still there, with
DR.. Stopford. Zone Officer 8 A is ex-
pected to take over Immediately. Timed
sos Report ends"
Report of Divisional Chief A."
mo report to hand"
Some moments of silence followed
then:
Report of H. @. patrol covering Sec
tor Captain I A l." said the musical
voice Of the man masked IN the dark
ness Of the room.
ITO hand. Patrol reports two firing
groups with group masters stationed
north and south of road house, with
cars. Four more groups standing by.
Sector captain has taken charge and
made usual dispositions. Timed 3. Re-
port ends"
Another interval of silence ensued
One might almost have sensed the
feverish activity of that master mind
weaving schemes there IN the darkness
The red light glowed; and at last: :,
Instruct sector captain in charge,
came an OIQ6I, W 1CPOA0 SAAS
of Zone officer 3 A, and put him
through to me on x Radio. Get In
touch with Divisional Chief A: Re-
assemble dispersed units in their own
zones. All units will stand by. MOVE.
The red light went out.
From the darkness OF a wall an
illuminated map sprang suddenly into
view. 1t was a map of New York City
and its environs. And it was covered
with an intricate network OF concentrlc
circles, each split up into divisions ana
subdivisions. 1t was the mucn-Sougnt
Zone map-the map for which more
than one wealthy man would nave
sacrificed a big slice of his fortune. 1t
showed, variously colored, the notorious
Zones of the giant criminal group
which enveloped New York ana II
revealed what so many were seeking
the location of Head Center.
Presumably the formidable genius VINO
had created and who controlled this
dreadful and secret weapon against So
ciety was studying it from Where ne sat:
But there was no SOUND 10 uloIcate
his presence. And suddenly the Hlap
disappeared as mysteriouSly as II hao
appeared. ,..o,,;,,o
about this house" said Nine. Czerna.
Dawn was eerily creeping over tne
countryside. Stopford was at one OF the
windows, peering along the ROAD.
"There is a car parked north Just ny
the bend" he reported in a low voice.
"and another south"
The woman laughed drear1ly. nv
1--WE are surrouded," she replied.
know it. And some Of them are INSIDE!
I am safe, I am one of them. But they
will never let you go free, for they VIII
not know what you may have learneo'
Listen! Don't you hear it?"
Out of an electric silence:
yes" Stopford admitted. There Is
some bloke prowlin'! But it may be the
house servants" $1,000
There is Just one hope" Nine. Czerna
went on monotonously. "One OF tne
men who got away with me from the
penal settlement is now my superior OF
ficer in the Zones. think he mlgnt
I'm not keen on his help" drawled
Stopford. .ro+
yllor life would mean no more tnan
she snapped her f1ngers-"n you STOOD
True enough" stopford admitted.
"But what's to do?"
IT must try to rouse some one. There
IS no all-night telephone service mere
I can call the divisional chief
What! You know his numbers"
eyes"
what about Head Center?" .
mo one knows his number. Unless
the divisional chiefs do. This I cannot
say"
She crossed the room and took up the
telephone. Sounds of f,S:tive movements
in the corridar became M1mistakable.
Quick" she said, lock the door!"
Some one turned the door handle, as:
eyes! Yes" Nine. Czerna whispered.
"Please connect me with the exchange!
Thank you"
Faint footsteps receded in the corri-
dor outside. It was growing rapidly
lighter. Stopford could see madame's
slender fingers twitching nervously. He
crossed to the window, then pulled up,
az