It was a brief session with Waldo Edgar doing most of the talking in that close, clipped manner of speech of his which inspired his own agents and instilled fear in the hearts of the men he was pursuing. “The reports you have turned over to me tonight are highly gratifying,” he said, “and I think we can call this case completed. While most of the honor of the final catch goes to Bob Houston, Condon Adams and Tully Ross deserve credit for uncovering that vital clue in the fireplace of Arthur Jacobs’ apartment.” The federal chief shuffled through some papers on his desk. “All of the men involved in the case have been apprehended, including Fritz Jacobs, who appeared to be the ringleader. Their radio station has been destroyed and they were unable to make use of the information which they had for nearly 24 hours. You may be sure that their punishment will be swift and sure. As for Arthur Jacobs, I am inclined to feel sorry for him for his record in the government service up to this time had been excellent and I will do all that I can to help him.” Then Waldo Edgar turned to Tully Ross. “As a result of your work on this case, I am pleased to be able to tell you that you are now a full fledged federal agent.” The chief of the bureau of investigation then faced Bob and he smiled warmly as he spoke. “To you, Bob, I extend my most sincere congratulations. You were under a great strain, yet you used your head every minute of the time and when the showdown came, you were in there fighting. I don’t know when anything has pleased me more than to hand you your commission as a federal agent. You’re young, but I predict that as Agent Nine you are going a long ways in the federal service.” In spite of himself, tears welled into Bob’s eyes for his heart was overflowing with happiness. “I’ll do my best to make good,” he promised. “When do I go on another case?” Waldo Edgar chuckled. “You’d better rest a day or two from this one. There will be plenty for you later.” He was, indeed, a wise prophet, for in less than 24 hours Bob was to get the call that was to send him out on the famous Jewel Mystery, about which you will learn in “Agent Nine and the Jewel Mystery.” THE END Transcriber’s Notes ★ --Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public domain in the country of publication. --Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and dialect unchanged. End of Project Gutenberg's Agent Nine Solves His First Case, by Graham M. Dean