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Show By Henry C. owlan variously and In some cases rather curiously indicated. Most were such as one might have expected, different servants' rooms in 0 the house and stables and garage and hangar. han-gar. But others were labeled " Front Gates." " Back Gate," "Wall Corner," " Garden Summer Sum-mer House," "Kiosk," "Landing," "Rocks." " I see," said Spice. " You've fixed it so that you can telephone in a hurry from any part of the place." Isaacs smiled. " No, not quite that. Put o the receiver to your ear. Spice did so. Isaacs threw on a switch marked " Garage." Spice immediately heard a blithe whistling and the rasping noise of a file. Then a boyish voice said with astonishing astonish-ing distinctness: " Say, Jimmy, this new Jane of mine over in Belhaven sorta reminds me the place several times in the course of the day or night, and I'd like to have you do the same." He slipped two keys from his ring and handed them to Spice. " Run in without , knocking any time of the twenty-four hours, whether I'm here or not. You see, Elting, while I have no doubt that any of our people would defend Mr. Aria with his life if need be, I want to keep informed as to tjieir habits and associates when off duty. This contraption of mine is rather like a pair of binoculars that can look around corners and through walls and see in the dark. It works out to supplement our feeble human faculties facul-ties like a dog's scent, or sixth sense." " Espionage to the nth degree." murmured Spice. " Does Mr. Aria know about it? " " Of course. When I showed it to him he shook his head and said that he didn't like it. Said he had perfect confidence in the loyalty of his servants. ' So did Julius Caesar in that of his friends,' I answered, ' and Brutus, " It will probably raise the price of the job. We've made a number of arrests, but that was the first time we've bagged" anybody. any-body. But I doubt if it stops their efforts. You see, Elting, the world has got suddenly plunged Into a sanguinary epoch. The war and revolutions and anarchy have cheapened human life. Killings have lost their morbid horror. The public mind has become not unlike that of an ancient Roman populace and no longer balks at bloodshed. Look at our current literature and the movies. What would have been censored a few years ago as brutal and gory and unfit for anything but dime novels or a dime melodrama in the stock yards fails now to get the spinal shiver in a ladies' matinee. How could it be otherwise when millions and millions of us have been hard at It, slaughtering each other? " Spice nodded. " You're right. That whirl the other night didn't give me the kick that with the practiced stroke of a long distance swimmer. Seated in. their wicker deck chairs, the Admiral and Mrs. Elting watched the girl admiringly, and. knowing the freedom of the seas accorded her, with no anxiety The bronzed Norwegian sailing master gave a quiet order, at which the yacht's dinghy took the water with a sailor at the oars, and he, while remaining at a respectful distance, kept the red cap under constant observation. Marcla was not the only swimmer in the immediate vicinity, as she had become immediately imme-diately aware. The afternoon was very hot, and some distance off the shore three heads were glistening, one a little farther out than the other two. This soon came within the immediate propinquity of Marcia, who greek ed it without formality. "Where bound. Spicy bud?" said she. An astonished face was turned in her direction. di-rection. " Why", it's Miss Step! How did you lea,ve the City of Brotherly Love?" He looked with grudging approval at her round, glistening arms and the h - soft contour of throat 0 OX ggg A SYNOPSIS Sydney Pcnfold Isham Chester Eltinfr. whoaa initials won for him at school tho obvious nickname, nick-name, Spice, comes back to America expecting to find it a dull place after his adventures as an aviator avia-tor in France. Before he has been homo two days, however, things begin to happen. From the studio in which he has taken temporary quarters ho sees three men breaking into the home of Bernardo Aria, a lamous financier.. He helps Aria shoot down the marauders, who prove to be emissaries of a band of anarchists, against whom the financier is secretly operating on behalf of the government, and on vol-unrecring vol-unrecring his aid in the fight is engaged to pilot Aria on trips to Washington by airplane. Then Spjc receives a call from Marcia Briggs. his newly acquired stcp-siater. His father, an admiral, married a widow while his son was in France, and Spice, deeply hurt, has declared he will have nothing to do with the family, but he finds it hard to resist Marcia's breezy camaraderie. And to complicate matters further, he is convinced that he has fallen iu love with Aria's beautiful daughter, Esther. Meanwhile the conspirators meet at a dive known as the 101. club and make new plans for the murder of Aria, delegating one of their number to get a job as steward on the Elting yacht, which the financier finan-cier frequently visits. Spice is invited to tho Arias' country home near New York, where, at dinner, he meets Dr Adrian Isaacs, Aria's chief aid. THIRD INSTALLMENT. ( The Invisible Cordon. THE dinner was simple and delicious. No wine was served, and Mr. Aria commented com-mented on its absence with a smile of resignation. " I must say that I miss a glass or two of champagne, especially when tired, as I am tonight," said he. "But since the country , has ordained total prohibition we might as well accustom ourselves to it, whether wheth-er we approve the measure or not, as one can scarcely take pride in one's citizenship without obeying the letter of the law." Spice noticed that he scarcely touched the meat ' courses and wondered from what source he extracted his dynamic force. After dinner Isaacs invited Spice to a - game of billiards. Both were good players and found themselves quite evenly matched, the odds being possibly with the doctor, whose cue work was more brilliant in spots but less even. As they finished their string he said: f " I'm jolly glad you've come, Elting. I've been worried sick. Taking care of the chief is. more than a one man job, and I've had the - deuce of a time making him see it that way. ' His life will not be safe a minute of the day or night until this program of his gets put through if it does get put through. Aside from all personal considerations, he is too valuable a man for the country to lose." " From what source do you think the danger dan-ger is most apt to come? " Spice asked. J Isaacs shook his head. "Who knows? From the side least expected. I wish It were six. months, from now." " You think he'll be safe if his measure is put through? " " O, yes. There's no personal spite or revenge re-venge or anything of that sort. The ruthless heads of this organization merely want him put out of the way before he can block their movement, and their assassins are only tackling tack-ling the job for what it's worth to them. He's pretty safe here, I think, but the trouble is that, like all really big men intent on some important political undertaking, Mr. Aria forgets his caution once in a while like the other night. If it hadn't been for you they would probably have got him." : "It was just a bit of luck, my going up on the roof for a breath of air." " Well, I like to think it was rather more than that. Who knows perhaps he might have received a warning from some other invisible source but it's scarcely the thing to bank on. There's no fear at all in Bernardo Ber-nardo Aria. When you get to know him better you'll come to feel about him as I do that he is something more than a mere human mortal. Perhaps I may be something of a hero worshiper, but I can tell you, Elting, Elt-ing, that sometimes it seems to me as if I 1 had been given some great sacred trust. It's beginning to get my goat I came up here about a month ago and made this place about as murder proof as is humanly possible, but all the same my feet are not always as comfortably com-fortably warm as I like to wear 'em. Come . with me and I will show you something." i He led tho way upstairs and Into his own room, where he unlocked a door of heavy oak and switched on the lights of what appeared ap-peared to be a small laboratory, well fouipped for chemical analysis. "One of my tedious, self-Imposed duties Is to subject samples sam-ples of all the food from the markets for our table to a few simple tests," said Isaacs. " 've made quite a study of toxocology, and know most of the principles apt to bo employed. em-ployed. But here Is my real chef d'reuvre nothing original, of course, except In thoroughness thor-oughness or method." ' ( Reaching for a swinging electric lamp, he gave tho twisted wire a slight tug. when a small panel In tho wall swung open to din-close din-close an apparatus similar tO tho central telephone Switchboard of a hotel or large, private establishment. Glancing more closely st this. Spice saw that the switches were I Tf I win I get the kisTTTT slap." 'ni, " Lct's se! Hold on' t you." ' 1 t J "They're off!" She over her gleaming should ' don't like that bet, take it by ,. t: I If you win you get the kiss t, 1 get the slap." "Hold on: You're mkung ft which is slappee? " , "You, stupid! And if I and klssee." "S " Then if I win I am sla and if I lose now wait" m . "You are kissed and slap , enough. Don't you see'' t, Never mind. It's getting m. anything once. Get ready-et They foamed shoreward. J strong swimmer, though not aT fast one. Doing his best, h, to drop the red cap in his wait forge ahead of him. side by Z? through the still water, heading for a tiny wedge of beach behhT ledge. They reached it groundet,? up in a breathless state, which ' impossible. Marcia looked an.' laughed. " "Who won?" Spice gasped. -Neither." Marcia waded eettjU. down on the sand. Spice followed a moment or two they sat su, h flushed, panting, eyes glowing it with admiration and combaUvenea t rial dueL " Then the bet is off," said Spice. " f course not We neither of , therefore we both lost" " Nonsense! You might as : neither of us lost, therefore we both " Well, have It that way if ym, we both get a kiss and a slap." " Can't see it We both keep v r. He looked with grudging approm i round, glistening arms and the soft ct of throat and shoulders. "Where 4 keep it? Some poule d'eau." "What's that?" " French for water chicken.' "i " I could have beaten if I wanted t "Why didn't you, then?" " Because something tells me ths would be rather a poor loser, Baddy.' Spice sprang to his feet "lai Miss Step. I won't take that fromo; If you want to run it off IU raceyoji beach to that big rock sticking wti end of that reef. Doubles or quits." " AH right Perhaps it win do yoj They waded out again, then m yards beyond their depth. " Ready." Go!" said Marcia. and the brine t! as they clawed forward. It wu i sprint this time, not much over ttj Spice had confidently expected to i ing from Marcia's deep bosomed bn that she would not prove equal to its ly following spurt Wherefore his is ment and chagrin were great whet f.rst half dozen strokes, she shot tk l-.im a speed launch might past tug. steadily increasing her lead a winning post was passed. HenV v v.er gently, she watched his appra e mocking 6mlle. " Was I right? " " Ton were." Spice gurgled "! l-.rr. e l-een framed. The money k A-i before Marcia knew wham : happen she found herself set round shoulder, caught under thed i'-.r.vi close, and paid in foil upon lips, the final balance liquidated a W r-crrath the surface. As their ti bobbed up again Spice's ears were ing by tho ether part of ths wall " My word. Buddy," said Mar more and my heirs would have m lect" 1 " Tcu specified that it should beHj s:ni your end of it was sisterly eK recalls my early years. Better get your breath before you aboard." f They paddled to the shore themselves in the shallow water- 1 was a little pale. She looted at Spia seemed to him that her eyes had of denly dark. They were the tone a1 of tho flat bands of algae swirling knees. A little shudder rlppW " Oct your breath and 111 you. " said Spice. TouVe I done it" She gave a choking little most think I have," and shud Sploe felt a sudden pan? ' """"f '. "t ome on." said he. "you're a1 " I'm what?" " Chilled, overtaxed." ' " Rubbish! Turn why that shimmy'" She looked st him as""1- " think, uk how near 1 came to t ' and pet-bap "'''' ar0 .; that It Is a pleasant drath. and music, and thlngs-th1-!"' v shimmy yourself. Well. tW nil for the first event Pont 5 ' me. It's getting late. There Is mother WSVtaf" She . ,-i ..fi' mto t'v I I-- ': v -' No I'd rather go couldn't Keep up." . I To he n.t"'ci ; , , owrUW ISIS: By I of a Uttle cutis I met up with In London. How's that song go the Tommies sing? ' Same nose, same eyes, same hair, same size,' something like that." " Dictaphones all over the shop," said Isaacs, as Spice hung up the earpiece. " They are not only in the various quarters of our personnel, but In places where plan3 for deviltry might be discussed or people prowling prowl-ing about the place might foregather. For Instance, this ' Wall Corner ' Is such a spot and the 'Kiosk,' a teahouse out on the end of the little promontory beyond the boat house, and the ' Rocks,' which is an overhanging over-hanging ledge, almost a grotto, where anybody any-body landing on the beach would be apt to go." "Of course you are sure about your own people? " said Spice. " Yes, practically so. But there is always the chance of a perfectly faithful servant being made a fool of. Danger might come in the shape of a beau of one of the maids, or a new chum of a chauffeur or stableman. This eavesdropping isn't a pleasant idea, of course, but I don't give a hang for the ethics of it If I can add another link to the chief's chain mail. Speaking of mall, T even go so far as to exercise a certain amount of censorship. cen-sorship. The postman leaves it In a locked pillar box and I distribute It. sometimes looking look-ing It over. It all sounds beastly as the devil, doesn't H? " " I suppose that's because we're at peace," aid Spice. " Everybody took It for granted In time of war." "Quite so. And about everybody was doing do-ing it. I made a good bit of study In doping out code letters In different languages. It's rather fascinating. After a bit of practice you get so that you can spot a phony letter Instinctively. Just as a bank teller or mint expert can spot a counterfeit without quite being able to tell why. Tho first Impression is the most Important. You seem to feel that that is not exactly tho way In which the writer would have expressed the idea. Then you set to work to dig It out of tho subject matter." " I la ve you ever r: truck anything f.iiMpldoun here? " "No, but I make it a point to listen about his best one, gavo him the coup de grace.' I keep him surrounded with an invisible cordon cor-don of scientific safety devices. The place Is belled and wired till you can't rest If you prowl around at night don't be surprised at a sudden blaze of light." A bell tinkled In the bedroom. " Look." said Isaacs, and Splcc. glancing at the celling, cell-ing, saw a tiny brilliant spark In tho center of an arabesque. " Mr. Aria has gone into his study," said Isaacs. " That pea light goes on when he scats himself In his desk chair and burns until he gets out of it?" " My word, but you've sure got him pretty well covered!" said Spice. " Lct's hope so," Isaacs answered. " I've suppressed the yacht this season. Wo really, don't need her, and it would make just so many inoro people to keep an eye on. Your father will probably be lying off here a "good part of the summer, but we shall not allow any of the crew to land on the place. There is no reason for their doing so. as tho yacht club is nearer tho town. The grounds are guarded at night by a rellablo watchman, watch-man, with tho two chiens pollclcrs and three alredales. So as far as I can see, about the only danger Mr. Aria runs 13 In his goings and comings, and that's your Job, old top." " Well," said Spice cheerfully, " if the bus breaks in two or n. wing comes off, or anything any-thing of that sort, I shan't bo here to suffer your reproaches. There's really less danger In flying than In automoblling If you know your business. No chance of getting hit by train or a trolley car, or drunks so far. When the air gets thick with Joy riders it will bo a different proposition. Mr. Aria says he likes altitude, so we'll rltmh high and follow tho beach a good bit of the way. Look here, doctor, do you think my father is in any danger from these swine? " " I really don't believe so, HJItlng. Mr. Aria is tho wholo show. He's tho man Ihey want. It's not only becauso ho happens to bo the prime mover, but because with his financial affiliations and Influence he can bring all kinds of pressure to bear, not only throughout through-out this country, but In others. Besides thnt, he's a tegular central Intelligence department, depart-ment, knows all their Ins and outs and their moves In Ion- I hcj arc net oa lly put in motion. Ptrhapi nlso the fact or his being such a quiet, InoffsnslVS person may arouse Homo person! animosity or make them hope that repeated deadly titlarks, rrn If tinnurressful, tiilKhf get his goat." " Thai one ths nor nlghi oughl lo put a crimp l" Ihe.ni,'1 said Bplce, a dog fight would have done before the war." "Well. lcUs go down and have a little music." Isaacs suggested. "Esther's a good violinist and I saw the cello like n dub." He reached for the panel of the dictaphone system, sys-tem, then, as If on second thought, picked up the receiver, and. holding It to his car, switched on tho garage. " Getting the rubber rub-ber ear habit." he began, then stopped. Spice, watching his face, saw an expression of annoyance deepen Into one of strong displeasure. dis-pleasure. He listened for a few moments, then hung up the receiver with a frown. "Here's a case in point." said he. vexedly. " .No doubt It's of negative value, hut It's Just the sort of thing I want our people here to avoid. One of our chRurfeurs tells the other that a fellow he met the othor day In New York offered to put him next to a place where he could always get a drink after the first of July, some sort of a hole In the wall down In South Brooklyn, near the Erie basin, and known as the ' 101 club.' He wanted to take him down there yesterday afternoon." " I suppose there will be no end of dives like that now," said Splcc. " No doubt. This lnd of ours is a good chap, and declined tho Invitation for now or later. But I can't help wondering if there was anything behind the Invitation. Beoplo ore going to be pretty cautious about tipping off strangers to their blind tigers." " It seems an out of the way place to ask a fellow to go for a drink." said Spice. "Yes, -and a tough neighborhood." Isaacs looked thoughtful for a moment then took out his notebook and Jolted down. "Investigate "Investi-gate 101 club. South Brooklyn, near Eric bnsln." Late one creamy afternoon in July s trim steam yacht glided In from the eastward and earns to anohor aboul I quarter of a DAile off the Arias' landing and about twlco that distance from the yacht club. This pleasure packet, Sylvia by nnme, was tho property 0( Admiral Boyd Hltlng. tho gift Of bla newly wedded wife. No sooner had the anchor splashed over the bow than there came another splash from Off the tall of the quarter deck. This was caused by the delightful nnd athletic person of Mi Marcia Hrlgns, ns In a crimson swim Dllng null and waterproof cap of the same color she bestowed It on tho faco of the smiling waters, which dimpled with pleasure m the gift. Breaking the surface ti few yards from where the had plrroed It in her dive. Marcia rolled Otl her sldo and struck put shoreward With deep regret for the shores of brotherly broth-erly hatred." Marcia answered, and looked at Esther and Isaacs, who were paddling about not far away. " Is that the fair daughter of Judea. whose portrait you were so Jealous of? Please introduce me to her and Ben-Hur." " This Is a private bath. Miss Step, but if you insist I suppose I must. So that joy tub is your happy floating home? Is the admiral ad-miral aboard, and .Mrs. Ad?" "Those are their august beans, sticking up over the rail. And yonder Italian renaissance renais-sance barrack is where you are stationed. Spice? You appear to have made a pretty good landing." She gave Esther a curious stare. " Yes. that polished corner of the temple is good to gaze upon, though I could do without. Is she very nice?" " She Is that, and also modest, which is more than one can say of certain latter day persons of the feminine persuasion. Pardon me. Miss Step, but do you happen to be wearing a bathing suit? Because, so far as 1 can see, it is not noticeably in evidence.'' Marcia gave a powerful stroke, which raised her bosom high, then kicked a splash of water ut her stepbrother. "Approved by the Maryland board of censors. cen-sors. Charles Harper, chairman.'' s;ild she. "Then come along." said Spice, "and I'll introduce you." They swam to the others, and the introductions introduc-tions were duly performed, when a little reception re-ception was held, it Is doubtful if at that moment a quartet of young people more worth looking nt was to be found in the same large bathtub. Marcia invited them to go aboard the yacht, but Esther declined, owing ow-ing to the lateness of the hour, and presently swam In under the convoy of Isaacs, nnd at the same time they saw M,-. Aria walking; down to the hoathmise. Me passed them In the launch a moment later on his way out to board the yacht and waved to Marola. calling out that they were nil to dine at tho house that night, "Then yon lmd better beat It. Miss Step." said Spice. " I know how long It takes gills to dress." " You don't know how long It takes this flicker, my little boy. speed Is my nickname. Just as Spice Is yours. Then 1 never have to bother with my hair, thanks to my recent descent from the woolly oave lady If you want to go yourself. I it rac, j-,,,, aUfJgfat in to the beach." "You're on. For what?" " A brotherly kiss against n sisterly slap. |