Spy stories; Washington (D.C.) -- Fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction
"No." Miller stepped back from Mrs. Whitney's side. "Chief Connor of
the Secret Service has a cordon of operatives about the house.
Heinrich Strauss, alias Henry Ross, chauffeur, cannot escape. Listen,
isn't that a shot?"
"I hope to God they've caught him alive!" exclaimed Mitchell, looking
sorrowfully at the dead woman. "He'll swing for this murder, if not for
the death of Sinclair Spencer."
"I doubt if he was guilty of that crime," said Miller quietly.
"What!" Mitchell stared incredulously at him. "What leads you to
think that?"
"Hush!" Miller held up a warning hand as the sound of hurrying footsteps
reached them. A second more and Julie appeared in the sub-cellar, guided
by their light. Her eyes were gleaming with a strange excitement.
Unnoticed by the others, Miller swiftly removed his coat and threw it
over Mrs. Whitney so that it covered her face.
"He is caught, that Henry!" called Julie, catching sight of Foster
standing in the opening of the secret chamber. "He was getting away, oh,
so softly in the dark, and I tripped him. But yes, and he
fired"--touching a red gash in her cheek. "But the others, they pounced
upon him. La--la! And they are bringing him here. But what--?" trying to
peer past Foster.
Miller stepped forward. "Crouch down behind those barrels, Julie," he
ordered, and the Frenchwoman, startled by his sudden appearance, obeyed
mechanically. By sheer force of personality Miller took command. "Go back
and wait in the telegraph room," he whispered hurriedly. "You do the
questioning, Mitchell; I'll keep out of sight here."
Before Mitchell could ask the question burning on his lips, a number of
men made their way down the staircase, Heinrich Strauss in their midst,
handcuffed to the tallest operative. Mitchell saluted as he recognized
the foremost man.
"This room will interest you, Chief," he said, making way for him, and
Connor took a comprehensive look over the chamber.
"We've found the leak," he acknowledged. "Clever work that," inspecting
the arrangement of the wires. He drew back at the sight of the covered
figure stretched across the table. "What's this--murder?"
"Yes," answered Mitchell. "Henry, here," jerking his thumb toward the
erstwhile chauffeur, "killed the woman before we could interfere."
"Did I?" demanded Heinrich. "How are you going to prove it? I wasn't in
this room ..."
"You waste time," said a cool voice behind him, and Miller stepped into
the circle. "The game is up, Heinrich."
"You renegade!" Heinrich was livid with fury.
"This man is Heinrich Strauss," continued Miller quietly. "One of the
most expert electricians and telegraph operators in Germany. He could be
described as an electrical genius."
"His work shows that," acknowledged Chief Connor.
A slight stir in the doorway caused Heinrich to turn, and he smiled
evilly at sight of Kathleen and Miss Kiametia Grey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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