Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-23

bedspreads huddled outside Peter Cham
up. The place was alive with armed
men. A car belonging to the fire de-
partment throbbed before the door.
Into this, covered by six detectives
Peter Champion hurried. Roscoe and
Stopford leaped in behind him. Then
car bristling with detectives led on. Two
more armed parties brought up the rear.
you'll be safe in IS minutesl" Roscoe
shouted.
where are we goin'?" yelled stop
ford.
ITO the Ruritania" was the re-
ply. Its of the Zone map. And Pier
81 will be patrolled all night by score
Of police"
A Gordon had been drawn around the
deserted house. At 8 o'clock q search
party ventured to explore. They were
looking for q bomb. Exploration OF the
furnace revealed that some kind Of large
glass vessel had been exploded. The
furnace was full of glass fragments. The
party proceeded. Following the furnace
clue, they examined the radiators. Every
radiator in the house had the valve on.
If steam had been admitted, 1t would
have filled the building.
MyStifled, they searched further. Peter
Champions house was old. Its worn
flooring and wainscotS had harbored
many mouse, several rats, and not less
than a thousand reaches.
These, to rat, to roach, had quit
ted their hiding places. They lay dead on
carpets, on polished floors, on bookcases.
The police captain leading the party
turned to one of his men.
"Have you got it?" he said. THAT
was some kind of poison gas they looSed
OF below. There's nothing left alive In
the place!"
At about which time Peter Champion,
Roscoe and Stopford were taking early
coffee with the captain of the Ruritania.
The newspapers had just come aboard;
and every paper featured the quixotic
will of Peter Champion.
A quartermaster's knock interrupted
the conversation. Roscoe was wanted
on the telephone. He went down to the
deck. He had saved Peter Champion.
With moderate optimism he might hope
that Champions son was out Of danger.
He took up the instrument, and:
eyes" he said. "You called me?"
Congratulations" came a mus3sal
voice. "Comdr. Roscoe-you begin to
interest me-"
you know when we sail, stopfordP"
said the commander.
You bet do, sir! Sharp on the tick
of /, ackemma."
The captain of the Ruritania stared
at his senior surgeon. DR.. Stopford re-
turned this scrutiny unmoved.
81 understand your anxiety" The
seaman watched Stopford steadily. "But
1t is close on IL. Even II you cut 1t very
fine, what chance have you In two hours
Of tracing Comdr. RoScoe?"
1T don't like his silent wire. don't
like the way he slipped ashore after
dinner without tippin' me on. He's up
against the biggest murder gang New
York'S bred to date-you know that, sir.
] can't sit idle. He may need help"
quite so, Stopford. But the pier Is
stiff with detectives. -"
Not one has seen himl"
Certainly extraordinary. But police
headquarters has been notified. What
more can you do?"
well, I've got couple of theories
probably fatuous: but I'd feel happier II
I followed 'em up"
"Do so. by all means" the captain
replied. "If you miss the ship, your
case will rest with Liverpool"
Thank you, sir" Stopford stood up.
zone O'Clock sharp! Good luck"
AS Stoptord came down the gang
plank, Pier 81 resembled q nest of
waspS. Stopford made his way to the
staircase.
When a man is so badly wanted" by
New York criminal group that he is
forced to seek shelter under another
flag, the fact points to q dangerous and
highly efficient organization. When the
man happens to be prominent oftlcer
of the United States Navy, the power Of
such group is palpably formidable.
These things Stopford fully under
stood. He felt fairly confident that Ros-
coe had slipped through the invisible
Gordon. But he was determined not to
sail until he was sure. No one could
have suspected that he knew himself to
be In almost precisely the same case as
when Che was student in those days.
he had gone ashore from this very ship
in charge of medical stores. That had
been Gallipoli. This was New York. But
the danger was no less.
A junior purser of the Ruritania was
paying of taxi as Stopford came out.
1t was sheer good luck that the doctor
spotted his man.
eli! Deacon! Hang on to that taxil"
Convinced that his every movement
was watched, Stopford welcomed Dea-
cons appearance. This was taxi he
might safely hire. Every other tonight
was to be distrusted. He was now on the
Zone map. And his route lay through
HelIs kitchen.
'Hullo, doctor! You're surely not go
ing up-town?"
"I'm going to West Forty -fourth
street." said Stopford, jumping In. BE
tween Fifth and Sixth"
"But"-Deacon glanced at the big
Illuminated clock-"you'u Just hit the
after-theater rush. You can never do
It, doctor"
"You may be perfectly right" Stop
ford agreed. But tell the bIoke drivin'
the cab where j want To no Tn Ra a
good chap, Deacon. I'm rather pushed
for time
For long enough after the taxi had
disappeared, the junior purser stood
staring after it. His reverie was inter-
rupted by q question:
who's your crazy friend?p
DeacoE turned and stared into the