Ashton-Kirk, Secret Agent Read online

  CHAPTER I

  SOME PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES

  Fuller studied the heavy, decided signature at the bottom of the typedpage; then he laid the letter upon the table.

  "One who judges character by handwriting," said he, "would probablythink the secretary a strong man."

  Ashton-Kirk took the stem of the long German pipe from between his lips.

  "From your tone," said he, "you do not so consider him."

  Fuller was looking down at the letter.

  "With that looking me in the face, how can I? Here is a matter oftremendous importance--one of the most guarded secrets of the governmentis endangered. Yesterday, in what was undoubtedly a panic, he wired you,begging help. Then, almost immediately after, he weakens and writes,requesting you to do nothing."

  Thick clouds arose from the Coblentz; the smoker snuggled down into thebig chair luxuriously.

  "And from these things," said he, "you draw that he lacks force?"

  "Yes; he quit before even catching a glimpse of the end."

  There was a moment's silence, and then the secret agent spoke.

  "There are times," remarked he, "when it is not altogether desirable tocatch that glimpse." He blew out a veil of smoke and watched it idly fora moment. "It is possible, in pushing a thing to the end," he added, "toforce an entirely unexpected result. Take for example the case of theMolineux chaplet, some little time since. Could there have been morefire, more determination than that exhibited by old Colonel Molineux inthis room when he brought the matter to our attention? And yet, when Ishowed him that his own daughter was the thief, he instantly subsided."

  Fuller regarded his employer with questioning eyes.

  "You think, then, that some one concerned in the government has beenfound out as----"

  But the other stopped him.

  "Sometimes," said he, "we are even more anxious to spare an enemy than afriend. And the reason usually is that we do not care to force the saidenemy into such a position that his only resource would be an openblow."

  "Ah!" Fuller's eyes widened. "They hesitate because they fear to bringabout a war." He looked at the secret agent, the question in his facegrowing. "But with whom?"

  Ashton-Kirk put aside the pipe and got up.

  "For years," said he, "the specialists of the Navy Department have beensecretly working upon a gun designed to throw a tremendous explosive.That it was delicate work was shown by the quality of the men employedupon it; and that it was dangerous was proven by the lives lost fromtime to time in the experiments. Six months ago the invention wascompleted. The news leaked out, and naturally the powers wereinterested. Then to the dismay of the heads of the department it waslearned that a most formidable plan to obtain possession of the secrethad been balked by the merest chance. The agents of the government wereat once put to work; not satisfied with this, the secretary wired me tocome to Washington at once. But I was in no haste to do so, because Iforesaw what would happen."

  The questioning look in Fuller's eyes increased.

  "I knew that the agents of a foreign government laid the plan,"proceeded Ashton-Kirk. "Who else would desire information upon such apoint? And at this time there is but one government sufficientlyinterested in us to go so far."

  "You mean----"

  Ashton-Kirk yawned widely and then asked:

  "Have you seen the morning papers?"

  "Yes."

  "Perhaps you noticed a speech by Crosby, the Californian, in Congress.Rather a slashing affair. He continues to demand a permanent fleet forthe Pacific and increased coast defenses."

  The windows were open; the high-pitched complaint from the mean streetdrifted up and into the room. A bar of sunlight shot between twoup-rearing brick bulks across the way; it glittered among the racks ofpolished instruments, slipped along the shelves of books and entered atthe door of the laboratory; here the vari-colored chemicals sparkled intheir round-bellied prisons; the grotesque retorts gleamed in swollensatisfaction.

  A knock came upon the door, and Stumph, Ashton-Kirk's grave-faced manservant, entered with a card.

  "It is the gentleman who called yesterday while you were out," saidStumph.

  The secret agent took the card and read:

  "Mr. Philip Warwick."

  "He asked me to say," proceeded Stumph, "that his business is urgent andimportant."

  "Let him come up."

  Stumph went out. Fuller began fingering a packet of documents which hetook from the table.

  "I suppose," said he, "that I may as well file these Schofield-Dempsterpapers away."

  "Yes, the matter is finished, so far as we are concerned. It wasinteresting at first, but I'm rather glad to be rid of it. The piquancyof the situation was lost when the 'forgeries' were found to have beenno forgeries at all; and the family despair is a trifle trying."

  "Mr. Philip Warwick," said the low voice of Stumph, a few moments later.

  A big, square-shouldered young man entered the room; he had thick, lightcolored hair and wide open blue eyes. That he was an Englishman wasunmistakable. For a moment he seemed in doubt as to whom he shouldaddress; but Fuller indicated his employer and the caller bowed histhanks.

  "Sir," said he, "if I am intruding, I ask your pardon. I was directed toyou by Professor Hutchinson of Hampden College, with whom I have becomeacquainted through our mutual interest in the Oriental languages."

  "Ah, yes. Hutchinson is a very old friend of mine, a splendid fellow,and a fine judge of tobacco. Will you sit down?"

  "Thank you."

  Mr. Philip Warwick sat down, and looked very big and strong and ill atease. There was a perplexed expression upon his handsome face; but hesaid, quietly enough:

  "I take this occasion, Mr. Ashton-Kirk, to express my appreciation ofyour book upon the Lithuanian language. I spent some years in the Balticprovinces, and am fairly familiar with the tongue."

  Ashton-Kirk smiled, well pleased.

  "A number of people have been good enough to notice that little book,"said he, "though when I wrote it I did not expect it to get beyond myown circle. You see, the Lithuanians have grown rather thick in thissection of the city; and the great similarity between their language andthe Sanskrit interested me."

  "The work," said the young Englishman, "is very complete. But," and hisvoice lowered a trifle, "much as I am delighted with it, still, that isnot why I have ventured to call upon you."

  "No?" The secret agent settled himself in the big chair; his singulareyes studied the visitor with interest. Fuller having finished with thepapers at the table now asked:

  "Will you need me?"

  "Perhaps."

  The assistant thereupon sat down, took out a pencil and laid a pad ofpaper upon his knee. Philip Warwick shifted uneasily in his chair; hispowerful fingers clasped and unclasped nervously.

  "Professor Hutchinson informs me," said he, "that you take an interestin those problems which spring up unexpectedly and confound theinexperienced. Have I been correctly informed?"

  The secret agent nodded.

  "Am I to understand that you have brought me such a problem?" he asked.

  The visitor bent forward a trifle.

  "Perhaps," he said, "it will prove no problem to you. It may be, to someextent, that our imaginations have been playing tricks upon us. But,however that may be, the whole matter is utterly beyond ourcomprehension. I have done what I can to get to the bottom of it andfailed. If you will be kind enough to hear and advise me, I shall beprofoundly grateful."

  Ashton-Kirk gestured for him to go on.

  "The affair," began the young Englishman, "is not my own, but that of myemployer, Dr. Simon Morse." He caught the look in the eyes of the secretagent, and added: "No doubt you have heard of him; his theoriesattracted wide attention some time ago."

  "I recall him very well," said Ashton-Kirk. "A sort of scientificanarchist, if I'm not mistaken; he had many daring ideas andconsiderable hardihood in their expression."

  "Any sort of government, human or divine,
has in him an outspokenenemy," said Warwick. "I know him to be a man of great learning andsplendid ability, but somewhere in his brain there is a something whichnullifies it all."

  "You say the matter regarding which you came to see me is that of Dr.Morse. Did he ask you to come?"

  "No, no," young Warwick held up his hand, hastily. "He knows nothing ofit; and I much prefer that he should not. You see, he is a man ofpeculiar temperament. He is very silent and secretive regarding hisprivate affairs; also he has," drily, "a somewhat violent temper."

  "You picture a rather unpleasant character."

  "But I do him no injustice," protested the young Englishman. "Frankly,he is not at all my sort; and I should not remain with him a day, wereit not for Stella--Miss Corbin."

  "I see."

  "She is his niece--the only child of a younger sister; and the thingswhich I am about to relate have caused her much alarm. She fears thatsome strange danger threatens him. He has always been kind to her, andshe is very much attached to him.

  "Dr. Morse is an Englishman and a graduate in medicine; but having largemeans has given but little time to the practice of his profession. Ashis published works have shown, he detests all governments; however,that of Russia has always been his pet aversion. He has declared it themost corrupt system extant, and maintained that not a patriotic pulsewas to be found among the ruling class throughout the vast empire. Itsmighty army, he predicted, would crumble before the first determinedfoe.

  "When the war broke out between Japan and Russia, Dr. Morse at onceplaced his niece in safe hands; then he disappeared for more than ayear. Upon his return it was learned that he had, somehow, managed tohave himself enrolled upon the medical staff of the Russian army, andhad witnessed most of the operations in Manchuria. Though he came backrather worn and with a slow-healing wound, he seemed much elated.

  "'I now have the direct proof which I desired,' he said. 'The Muscovitearmy reeks with chicanery; and the book that I'm going to write will setthe whole world talking.'

  "But before beginning the book he determined to have a long rest; hetook a fine old house, just outside Sharsdale, in Kent; and with himwere his niece and an old French woman servant who had been in thefamily for many years. They lived very snugly there for some threemonths; then there began a most singular train of incidents. Of these Ihave but a slight personal knowledge, for, as I have said, Dr. Morse isa secretive man. But, little by little, Stella and I gathered up thefragments and put them together; the result was rather an alarmingwhole. Odd happenings became of daily occurrence; a peculiar, namelesssomething seemed hovering about the place; a vague agency was felt inthe commonest things; the household began to live in the expectation ofsome indefinite calamity."

  "Pardon me. You were at Sharsdale at the time, I take it?"

  "Yes; stopping at the village inn. My excuse was that I was doing somesketching; but," with great simplicity, "as a matter of fact, I wasthere in order to be near Stella Corbin."

  "I see. Please go on."

  "Gradually we came to know, from the doctor's manner more than anythingelse, that he fancied himself watched. Indeed, more than once Ipersonally noted traces of what I can call mysterious visitations. Andtwice within as many months the house was broken into and ransacked fromtop to bottom."

  "A moment ago," said Ashton-Kirk, "you spoke of odd happenings. Justwhat were the nature of these?"

  "What I consider the first," answered Warwick, "was the visit ofKarkowsky. He drove up one morning in a high-seated pony cart--around-bellied, fresh-faced, smiling little man with eyes that stared asinnocently as a child's. He seemed in most urgent haste, gave his name,said that he was a Pole and gave as his business that of confidentialadviser in those delicate matters which one hesitates to bring to theattention of a solicitor. I was with Dr. Morse at the time, and I recallthat Karkowsky's manner was most important and his time apparently ofmuch value. But, queerly enough, his methods were singularly futile;they led in no particular direction. Several times Morse hintedconcerning the nature of his errand, but he avoided the subject. Finallyhe arose, and I fancied that he wore a disappointed look; and upontaking his leave gave the doctor his card bearing a London address andbegged that he be communicated with should his services ever be needed.

  "On the night following this visit, Dr. Morse dined with me at the inn;Stella was away from home and the old French woman was with her. Aboutnine o'clock I walked with the doctor to his garden gate. Just as wewere saying good-night we noticed a dim light shine in his study window.As we stood surprisedly watching, it disappeared. A moment later,however, it returned, a faint fluttering sort of light which maintaineditself with difficulty. Again it disappeared and once more returned; andthen we understood. Some one was lighting his way about the room withmatches.

  "At first we thought it must be Stella returned unexpectedly; butinstantly we knew that this could not be, for she would have turned onthe lights had she had occasion to visit the room. We entered and softlyascended the stairs. But all was dark and still; we searched everywhere,but found no one.

  "A week later, Stella and the servant having returned, they all awokeone morning some hours later than usual. The bedrooms were heavy withthe fumes of a drug; locks had been broken, chests, desks and cupboardshad been opened, and their contents strewed the floors. But, strange tosay, nothing had been stolen.

  "Two nights after this Dr. Morse was struck down in a lane; he was foundby some workmen and brought home. Of this incident he refused to speakother than that he had not been robbed.

  "Stella now became frightened. At night she saw shadows flitting in thegarden; that these were not fancies was proven by the strangefoot-prints which I found in the soft mould. The dog died of poison;another was procured, a savage, crafty creature; but she went the way ofthe first. One day, and at broad noon, the doctor arose from his deskand went into an adjoining room for a book. He was not gone above aminute; but upon returning he found a loaded revolver lying upon thetablet upon which he had been writing. This apparently drove himfrantic, for he seized the weapon and rushed through the house. Butthere was no one save Stella and old Nanon.

  "Then once again they were drugged and the house ransacked, but thistime the attention of the intruders seemed directed toward Dr. Morse'spapers only. They showed every indication of having been exhaustivelyexamined; but nothing was missing.

  "As these things continued, the tension began to tell; the face ofStella's uncle became drawn and his eyes quick and feverish. At theleast sound he would start; and it became almost as much as one's lifewas worth to approach him from behind. Then suddenly and secretly hemade up his mind to come to America; at the last moment he made me anoffer to accompany them as his secretary.

  "'The work upon my proposed book will be heavy,' he said, 'and I shallrequire aid.'" Here young Warwick nodded and smiled. "Nothing could havefallen in better with my desires than this," he said. "And so, ofcourse, I accepted the proposal. This was three years ago; at first weoccupied apartments in the city here; but some five months back, Dr.Morse took a house on Fordham Road, Eastbury; and there the work uponthe book, the idea of which had greatly expanded, went on without ahalt.

  "But," and the young man gestured oddly, after the fashion of onecuriously impressed, "though the doctor had crossed the sea he had nottraveled beyond the reach of his mysterious persecutor. The happeningsat Eastbury are every bit as queer as those at Sharsdale; and they beganin the same way. As the doctor and I sat working in the library one day,a taxi-cab stopped and Karkowsky, as cheerful, red cheeked andcomfortable as before, alighted. And as before, he seemed in greathaste. Apparently Dr. Morse had never marked, as I had done, Karkowsky'sfirst visit as the beginning of his strange troubles. At any rate heshowed no resentment, but merely seemed surprised at so unexpected avisitor. The Pole talked volubly about the new country and of hisprospects; the delicate matters, so he said, which it was his businessto handle were vastly greater in number in America. And I noted that hekept to this point; no matter wha
t unexpected turn was given theconversation he always came back to it. And all the time he kept hiseyes fixed eagerly upon the doctor. But at the end of a half hour hearose; again I sensed that he was disappointed; but he said nothing,merely handing my employer another card and begging that he be summonedany time his services were needed. Then he took his departure.

  "It was next morning that I entered the library rather quietly andfound Dr. Morse with a heap of mail before him; in his hand he held asquare of white paper at which he looked fixedly. Upon this was aroughly drawn device done in brown crayon. I could make nothing of it.When he discovered me looking over his shoulder he uttered an impatientexclamation, tore the sheet into strips and tossed them into the wastebasket. That same day I opened some mail matter, as was my habit whenthe doctor was not about; and in one of the envelopes I came upon aduplicate of the drawing that I had seen in my employer's hands. When Ihanded this to him a little later I fancied that I caught a gleam of theold haunted look which I had so often noted at Sharsdale."

  "Have you, by any chance, one of these drawings?" asked Ashton-Kirk.

  "I have." Philip Warwick took out a wallet and from it selected a paper."It is the third that came--and in every respect like the other two."

  The secret agent looked at the paper carefully; it bore a rough, hurriedtracing done with a brown material--and looked much like this:

  Attentively Ashton-Kirk examined the drawing. But if it bore any meaningfor him, he gave no indication of it; for placing the paper upon thetable, he said:

  "Go on."

  "As I had suspected upon sight of Karkowsky," resumed Warwick, "thepersecution of Dr. Morse was resumed. But, so it seemed, the matter hadentered into a new phase. There was no more mysterious prowling,waylaying and housebreaking; the mail only was used. But, so far as Iknow, duplicates of this drawing," pointing to the one which the secretagent had just laid down, "were the only things sent up to yesterday.The outline of the thing never varied; but, oddly enough, the colorhas."

  "Ah!"

  "At first the design was always in brown. Then, finally, one came inlight blue, and for a space they were all of that color. The next changewas to black, then to red, and finally to white--drawn upon neutraltinted paper. But yesterday," and once more the young Englishman openedthe wallet and took out a paper, "this came."

  Ashton-Kirk took the sheet and glanced at it. In the same brown materialthat had been used in making the other drawing he found the picture of awoman.

  "Apparently meant to represent a person of some consequence," he said."There is a sort of tiara, or coronet upon the head." He laid thedrawing upon the table with the other. "Was there never any accompanyingwriting with these?"

  "None that I ever heard of."

  "Have you any of the envelopes in which they came?"

  "No."

  Ashton-Kirk arose and took a few turns up and down the long room; thenpausing at a stand he opened a case of heavy looking cigars, one ofwhich he offered Warwick.

  "Thank you, no," said the young man.

  The secret agent, however, selected one, lighted it and resumed hispacing.

  "That is about all I can tell you," said Warwick. "And now if you canoffer any explanation of it all, I beg that you do so. I shall beperfectly frank and say that I am not greatly interested in the matterbeyond natural curiosity. But," and here the strong fingers began tointertwine once more, "Miss Corbin is filled with fear, and it is forher sake that I appeal to you."

  Ashton-Kirk shot a quick look at him.

  "Your personal regard for Dr. Morse's possible safety is not very great,then?"

  "I wish him no harm. But there is no warm feeling between us. If youknew him you would understand the reason for this readily enough." Hepaused for a moment and then went on. "Perhaps," he said, "the matter,as I set it before you, seems absurd. But to Miss Corbin it is acontinuous menace--a thing which throws its shadow across her uncle'sdaily path. To her, it is impossible that what has happened and ishappening has not a deep significance; the apparent resolution behind itinspires her with awe. It is her firm conviction that if something isnot soon done, unspeakable things will happen."

  Ashton-Kirk paused by the table; the smoke from the heavy cigar curledpungently upward.

  "What address did Mr. Karkowsky's card bear?" he inquired.

  "It is in the Polish section. Corinth Avenue and Fourth Street."

  "Do you know whether Dr. Morse has called upon him?"

  "I do not. But I am inclined to think that he has not done so. However,I have taken it upon myself to pay the man a visit. He lodges upon athird floor, over a harness-maker; and when I entered he received meeagerly and with delight. But when I began to question him he grewenraged and ordered me from the place."

  "You have never repeated the visit?"

  "No."

  The secret agent drew softly upon the cigar; its spicy aroma filled theroom.

  "Coming in personal contact, so to speak, with this matter," said he,"it is but natural to suppose that you have formed some opinion as tothe cause of it."

  The young Englishman nodded.

  "Yes," he said. "I have. It is my opinion that the Russian government isbehind it all. They have heard of the proposed book."

  But Ashton-Kirk shook his head.

  "The Russian government," smiled he, "is charged with a great number ofthings; and the foundations of most of them are as light as this.According to your story, Dr. Morse's papers were once examined veryminutely. Were the notes for the book among them?"

  "Yes."

  "That then places Russia outside the probabilities. If that governmenthad been sufficiently interested in Morse to have done thehousebreaking, rest assured that the notes, if considered harmful, wouldhave disappeared."

  "I have thought of that," said Warwick. "But," with a shake of the head,"St. Petersburg being denied me, I am at a loss."

  "There are two common causes for most things of a criminal nature," saidAshton-Kirk. "These are robbery and revenge. The fact that nothing isknown to have been stolen in either of the nightly visits to the houseat Sharsdale seems to eliminate the first of these; and that Morse wastwice drugged and once waylaid and still not seriously injured, doesaway with the other."

  "It would seem to."

  There was another pause. The secret agent regarded Warwick intently.

  "Think carefully before answering the question I am now about to ask.What is there in the doctor's possession that you have seen, or haveeven heard hinted at--that is in any way remarkable or unique?"

  Warwick pondered, but finally shook his head.

  "Take your time--think deliberately. What does he own that would excitethe cupidity of persons of much power and great wealth?"

  "I know of nothing," replied the young man.

  "It would scarcely be a thing to be measured by a money value,"encouraged the secret agent. "It might be, and the fact that thedoctor's papers were once searched seems to indicate it ratherstrongly--a document."

  Again Warwick shook his head.

  "As I have said, Morse is not of a confiding nature. He keeps hisaffairs to himself."

  Ashton-Kirk laid his half-burned cigar upon a bronze shell; and as hedid so his eyes fell once more upon the drawing of the crowned woman. Asudden tightening about his mouth showed a fresh interest; taking up thedrawing he examined it with eager attention. At length he said:

  "Previous to the first visit of Karkowsky at Sharsdale--Morse had neverexperienced any of the things of which you told me?"

  "No."

  "You are sure of this?"

  "Positive. Old Nanon would have been sure to have heard of them. She hasbeen with him since he was a child."

  "You have mentioned that Dr. Morse is possessed of means. Did he inheritthis, or did he accumulate it himself?"

  "He inherited it from his father."

  "Have you ever heard anything uncommon of the father? Any of the sort ofthings which you have just mentioned?"

  "No. According to Na
non he was an extraordinarily gentle andsimple-minded man."

  "Has Dr. Morse ever traveled in the East?"

  "In Egypt and the Holy Lands when a young man, seeking material for hisanti-religious lectures. Then, of course, there was the war inManchuria."

  "Have you ever heard him express any opinion as to Orientals?"

  "Only that they were intelligent and in many ways capable. The Japanesehe only came within musket shot of, but," with a smile, "he thinks themvery competent fighters."

  Ashton-Kirk joined in the smile.

  "A remarkable race," he said, "and one of whom the last word has not yetbeen spoken."

  Here Warwick arose and Ashton-Kirk pressed the bell for Stumph.

  "This," said the secret agent, "promises to be a very interestingmatter; and, it so happens, one that falls in with my inclinations atthis time."

  "You will undertake it then?" eagerly.

  "With pleasure."

  Stumph held open the door that the caller might depart.

  "In behalf of Miss Corbin," said Warwick, earnestly, "I thank you." Hehesitated a moment, and then said: "Before making a definite start inthe matter, I suppose it will be necessary for you to visit us atEastbury. I confess that rather puzzles me. You see, I would not haveDr. Morse----"

  "Rest easy as to that," Ashton-Kirk assured him; "we need tell himnothing."

  "When will you come?"

  "To-night."

  Philip Warwick smiled.

  "You are prompt," said he. "But Miss Corbin will be delighted."

  And with that he took his departure