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Show THE STORY SO FAR: In an effort to substantiate rumors that 200,000 foreign for-eign troops were in Mexico preparatory for an attack upon the United States, In-telllpence In-telllpence Officer Bcnning wvnt to Mexico Mex-ico City. Here be Joined tbe staff of the unsuspecting Van Hassvk, leader of the -u in INSTALLMENT SIX foreign forces, and gained the confidence confi-dence of two other officers, Fincke and Bravot. He was Joined in Mexico City by Lucette Ducos, a French spy who posed as his sweetheart. Wnvn he discovered dis-covered that the foreign troops were ready for an Invasion of the U. S., Ben- 3t M. j j ; ning returned to Washington to report to Colonel Flagwill, chief of military Intelligence. In-telligence. Flagwill stated that forces were reported massing in the Mediterranean Mediter-ranean and the Far East.ThatnightFort Houston, Tvxas, was heavily bombed. Now continue with the story. CHAPTER VII In the War Department at Washington Wash-ington the evening had passed on in feverish staff preparation for future fu-ture trouble, but with small belief that the first thunderbolt of Van Hassek's attack would fall before midnight. Even Flagwill, gifted Chief of Military Intelligence, had muffed the ball, interpreting the evening eve-ning rumors from Fort Sam Houston as symptoms of a slowly brewing mischief that might not fester into violence for days or weeks. On getting clear of the staff sessions ses-sions in General Hague's office shortly after eight o'clock, Flagwill put his shoulder to the wheel of what now had become a major responsibility re-sponsibility of his own section. He assembled his sub-chiefs and announced an-nounced his decision. "Gentlemen, the President has authorized au-thorized a spy roundup with the gloves off. I needn't tell you that in past months we haven't even scratched the surface. You all know your leads, now get into action. ac-tion. With gloves oft, and nobody to be spared who looks to us like a foreign agent. Any questions?" In grave silence the small group of officers rose. They knew that not even an order of battle had greater significance nor more vital importance. impor-tance. A secret army of termites, entrenched by years of organized stealth in arsenals and factories, was more dangerous than a dozen attacking divisions. By means of an organization that reached into every agency of investigation and law enforcement en-forcement throughout the United States, our G-2 would launch attack on organized espionage at once. "Very well, gentlemen, that's all," Flagwill said when he read from their faces that his section chiefs had no questions to ask. He added, swinging his level eyes to Benning, "You will wait, Captain, for special " tc Tv tr tSr "You knew, of course," Benning said casually to Fincke, "that the old hawk, Colonel Boggio, is here in Washington?" Fincke shook a waggish finger and accused, "I thought you warned me we mustn't be so free in mentioning mention-ing names." "Correct, but please note that I lowered my voice. Of course, if we're going to be so technical as all that, Fincke, perhaps we'd better bet-ter identify ourselves to each other officially. Go ahead." "It's the best cover-up I've ever heard," Fincke replied with enthusiasm. enthusi-asm. "You can say anything you want so long as you mention just those two things. That's vastly better bet-ter than having a regular formula for identification which the enemy might pick up on you." "Fine enough, but let's hear you identify yourself, Fincke." "Once I knew a man named Pa-lacio Pa-lacio Quatres who owned a fine pair of silver sabers," the Austrian confided. con-fided. Benning quickly searched through Fincke's remark and decided that the key words, by which Van Has-sek Has-sek agents identified themselves to one another must be "palacio quatres" qua-tres" and "silver sabers." He said: "How do you like this one, Fincke? There's an old shop known as the Palacio Quatres that has for sale some interesting antiques an-tiques in the form of silver sabers." "Just as good as mine, maybe better," Fincke approved. Boggio had finished his dance. Benning observed that the Italian was getting ready to leave the Shore-ham. Shore-ham. He made a hurried estimate. The instant arrest of these two men would only net the secret service two more spies who would spill nothing. noth-ing. Only by holding them under close observation could the ramifications ramifica-tions of their mischief in Washing- - 7f Today's To-day's alarming rumors along the Rio Grande. Benning leaned tensely forward as if to add his tension to the speed of the cab.' The radio screeched on. From time to time the announcer asked that no more telephone calls be attempted. Information would be given to all over the air as fast as received. re-ceived. Then "An enemy air force of undetermined undeter-mined strength is reported flying north, its objective may be Washington Wash-ington or New York. All persons are cautioned not to gather in crowds. Please remain calm and stay where you are. It may be that nothing will happen " His cab swung to the c.urb at the Munitions Building, Benning hurried inside. The corridors rang, with the chatter of typewriters. Army officers offi-cers of various rank were glued over desks or assembled in section conference con-ference groups as they slaved over the staggering details of the job ahead of them.- Colonel Flagwill was in his office alone. Benning found his chief lolled back in a chair with heels laid absurdly ab-surdly on top of his desk. He was puffing composedly at a cigarette, his face relaxed. "Hello, Benning," Flagwill said laconically. la-conically. "How you feeling?" Benning said, "Well, sir, I heard the news and thought I ought to report in case you need me for anything." any-thing." The colonel stretched himself. "You know, Benning, I saw it had to come, and I feel better now we've got it on our hands. All we need is the President's word to start general gen-eral mobilization of the Army and National Guard. As soon as the Chief gets back from the White House we'll be in motion." Flagwill indulged a sardonic smile. "Not that our mobilization will do any immediate good to save the country a lot of headaches. But it'll be a start." instructions." Benning stood in front of the Flag-will Flag-will desk until the swinging doors closed behind the others. The colonel colo-nel spoke at once. "In your report on Van Hassek's headquarters at Mexico City, Benning, Ben-ning, you mentioned that Colonel Bravot left on some mysterious mission, mis-sion, ostensibly to Europe. I think you said your Austrian friend also disappeared the last day you were in Mexico.", "Yes, sir," Benning affirmed. "You'd better have a look-see among the hot spots in Washington. It's entirely possible you'll see someone some-one you know. A break of that kind might lead us anywhere." Benning took a taxicab to the Army and Navy Club where he effected ef-fected some slight changes of appearance. ap-pearance. At the Shoreham his gaze was making a first round of the tables skirting the dance floor when it centered cen-tered with a start upon a familiar face. The man, dressed in dinner clothes, sat alone, his eyes gleaming with some inner excitement as he puffed at a cigar. Benning moved iin for a closer view and found ill l L h. 1 iin,,,,., in J "What's the news about bombers headed this direction?" "Our air staff is divided on whether wheth-er Van Hassek has any bombers that can make Washington and back to Mexico without refueling. But my own idea they could have an emergency landing-place somewhere along the way, couldn't they? -It'd work this once, anyhow." "Then there may be a real air threat, sir?" "I urged General Hague to get the President to leave the White House and go over to Chevy Chase for the night," Flagwill averred. "At least to set up in less vulnerable quarters quar-ters in Washington. There's no use pretending a fool's paradise in this country any longer, Benning. Anything Any-thing can happen now." A major from the chief of air service banged into the room, his face ashen, though he spoke collectedly. col-lectedly. "We've picked up what appears to be confirmation, Colonel," the major ma-jor reported. "As near as can be made out a squadron of seven bombers, bomb-ers, with an undetermined force of smaller ships, passed over North Carolina a short time ago. Speed "That means we are at war." ton be traced down. He decided that Boggio was bigger game and got to his feet. "Where'll I find you later, Fincke?" he demanded. Fincke stared at his watch and its dial seemed to bring a nervous quiver quiv-er to his fingers. His eyes lighted up again in that strange excitement of his. "I'll be about for only a week or so, Bromlitz," he answered. "If this place closes, we can find each other at meal-times at one of the good places on Connecticut Avenue. But after tonight we must be very careful." Benning's cab swung sharply and without warning to the curb as it 'turned into Pennsylvania Avenue. Vaguely Benning had noted that the driver had his radio tuned in on a dance program. As the car jolted to a stop the cabman put his radio on full blast and turned to Benning with gaping eyes. "Did you hear that, mister? he gasped. . . An excited broadcaster, striving for control of his voice, was talking loudly. "The report is just confirmed-San confirmed-San Antonio attatked from the air-hundreds air-hundreds reported killed by explosive explo-sive bombs-New Orleans is being bombed at this minute-Galveston is being bombed-air attack on Unit-ed Unit-ed States without warning Again the driver turned a face distorted dis-torted by a frenzy of excitement. "My God, mister!" he shouted. Is that the real thing?" Benning said in a firm calm voice. "Please drive me quickly to the Munitions Mu-nitions Building. That means we re at war." . Until those first bombs crashed on Fort Sam Houston there had been no reports given to the public of the prompt verification. Undoubtedly here was the Austrian captain, Fincke, of the Van Hassek staff. Benning walked casually up to the Fincke table and sat down beside the Van Hassek spy. "Hello, Fincke," he said. Fincke started, his right hand jerked toward his pocket, then he relaxed with a nervous laugh as he recognized his unexpected visitor from the Palacio Nacional. "My, Bromlitz, but you startled me!" he gasped. "I didn't know you were within a thousand miles of Washington." Benning said in a matter-of-fact way: "Flew up yesterday, Fincke. Hoped I might be lucky enough to run into you tonight. How are things here?" Fincke leaned across the table and lowered his voice. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "Did Colonel Bravot send you to work with us tonight?" he whispered. Benning pretended annoyance and warned, "Not quite so free with names, Fincke." He added with a bantering smile, "I thought the colonel colo-nel promised that you were to go back to your artillery when the show started?" "Himmel, but there's bigger game here than a battery of field artillery!" artil-lery!" Fincke retorted with a snap of his fingers. "Already I am a major, ma-jor, Bromlitz. If I succeed tonight it will b'e because of my knowledge of ballistics, my training in the artillery, ar-tillery, and there'll be another promotion pro-motion for me." "Then what?" Benning mocked. "Then, in a week or so, the big cruise. There'll be real history, Bromlitz, when we cut this little old country right in half, and it will make me a full colonel! Are you in on that one, Bromlitz?" "I'm not saying anything," Benning Ben-ning answered, with a quizzical smile that suggested full understanding of the Austrian's cryptic words. Benning's eyes had been wandering wander-ing about the room and he thought there was something vaguely familiar famil-iar in the thin man with the shiny bald head wno sat nearby estimated at two hundred miles per hour. Our best time calculations suggest that they could cross the Potomac in approximately two hours, if this is their objective." "Very good, Major, keep me informed," in-formed," Flagwill answered, without with-out change of posture or position. He stretched himself again and casually lighted another cigarette. Then he swung his feet to the floor and pulled himself up to his desk. "I've found a couple of good spy leads, sir," Benning interposed. "Would you care to hear my report?" re-port?" "Not right now," Flagwill said decisively. de-cisively. "I've just had a few minutes' min-utes' relaxation now for the toughest tough-est decision I ever tackled. I've got to have my estimate of this whole tangled situation ready for General Hague by midnight. "Now you get out among your spies or you might take a look-see at what our anti-aircraft does for itself. But report to me here at midnight. I may want you to sit in at the chief's conference." Benning took a taxicab and drove to a point near the Washington Monument Mon-ument where .50 caliber Brownings were setting up to look after attack on smaller ships that might venture within machine-gun range if the assault as-sault on Washington materialized. The gun batteries and searchlights had been thrust across the Potomac into Virginia to catch raiding bombers bomb-ers before they reached the bomb-release bomb-release line from which they would lay their eggs of destruction as they approached Washington. The searchlights search-lights were echeloned, a full complement comple-ment of fifteen lights, five thousand yards beyond, the city. The technical techni-cal sections with their sound locators loca-tors effective up to eleven thousand yards and their intricate systems and instruments for raking the skies were perfecting their plans of such defense as a single regiment, peace strength and short two gun batteries, would be able to give the nation's capital. ITO BE COSTISVED) |