were steady—these were elements of physiognomy that made the arrival's visage bear a masklike, unemotional expression.
On the sixth floor, the stranger entered the lounge of Senator Releston's apartment. Lanson was in charge there; the secretary was wan?faced and suspicious?eyed. The visitor gave him a card; Lanson nodded and smiled.
“Go right in, Mr. Cranston,” said the secretary. “Senator Releston told me not to keep you waiting.”
PASSING through to the office, the tall visitor found Senator Releston at his desk; opposite the gray?haired solon was a tall, middle?aged man who had the physique of an athlete. Sharp?eyed and alert, this individual turned a frank, square?jawed face toward the new arrival.
“Ah Cranston!” Senator Releston spoke in hearty welcome as he came to his feet and extended his hand. “It is good to see you. Meet Foster Crozan, who arrived to?day. Crozan, this is Lamont Cranston.”
Crozan delivered a strong handshake that brought the semblance of a wince from Cranston. On his feet, Crozan was tall and well?built; a powerful man who seemed much younger than his gray?streaked hair would indicate. Crozan watched Cranston seat himself leisurely in a convenient chair; then sat down himself.
“I did not mean to summon you to Washington, Cranston,” apologized Releston. “My wire merely requested you to communicate with me by long distance. I was surprised when you wired back that you were coming here.”
“Purely a coincidence, senator,” remarked Cranston, his voice a level tone that held a slight drawl. “I had intended to leave for Florida to?morrow. My luggage was all ready for shipment; so I came ahead to?day.”
“You will leave to?morrow then?”
“Yes. A few weeks in Miami; then on to Havana. After that, Brazil and the Amazon country. A six?months sojourn on this expedition.”
Releston nodded.
“Cranston is a globe?trotter,” he explained to Crozan. “He has been everywhere. I was fortunate to locate him at his club in New York.”
Crozan looked puzzled as he watched the visitor. He saw Cranston extracting a cigarette from a gold?and ?platinum case. He watched the visitor lazily insert the cigarette into a holder; then produce a lighter in lackadaisical fashion. Crozan could not withhold comment.
“You go in for big?game hunting, Mr. Cranston?” he asked.
“Certainly,” drawled the visitor, pausing to puff at his cigarette. “A pursuit of yours, also, Mr. Crozan?”
“No. I was simply wondering—”
“At my lack of energy? I thought that puzzled you, Mr. Crozan. Well, I am often quite as deliberate in aiming at an elephant as I am at lighting a cigarette. Leisurely action, Mr. Crozan, is quite different from hesitancy. I make it a policy to never become excited—”
“Exactly what I told you, Crozan,” put in the senator, with a nod. “That is why I felt that Cranston's opinion would be a useful one to us in this critical situation that we are facing.”
CROZAN nodded his agreement. He was beginning to be impressed by Cranston's lack of energy. A pleased smile showed upon his open features.
“Cranston,” declared Releston, “today, thieves rifled my filing cabinet. They stole important papers that pertained to committee investigations. Those papers were only duplicates; nevertheless, their loss may be serious.”
“Because of the information which they contain?”
“Exactly. Some of them were old data, such as the lumber statistics which Crozan gathered some months ago.
But others concerned unfinished subjects: mining, manufactures, utilities which we are investigating. Except, fortunately, some recent material which Crozan was to send me; but brought with him instead. That data had not as yet been filed.”
“And just how serious is their loss?”
“Very serious. Because they will tell the new owners exactly how far we have progressed with our investigations.”
Releston paused emphatically. He leaned upon the desk and added this explanation:
“You see, Cranston, the great value of these committee investigations lies in keeping certain interests in a state of quandary. If they knew that they were going to be regulated; if they knew that they were to be given a clean bill of health—in either case they would act accordingly and—”
“And defeat the investigations,” put in Crozan. “They could sell or buy, according to the future that they knew was coming; and in that manner show huge profits that they could not otherwise gain.”
“So serious is it, Cranston,” affirmed Releston, “that if Congress were still in session, I would move the dismissal of the committees as a better course than keeping them. Nevertheless, we still have one strong hope.”
CRANSTON'S face looked inquiring. Releston raised a solemn finger and drove home his point.
“Washington is filled with rumors,” declared the senator. “So many, in fact, that no credence will be given to any statement unless it comes from an authoritative source. Unless I, for instance, made some statement that would bolster the facts that these thieves have learned, the investing public would not rally to support the rogues”
“Then your course, senator,” came the quiet response, “is to avoid all statements that might serve as indicators.”
“A policy which I intend to maintain,” assured Releston. “Unfortunately, I am not the only authority concerned. Every iota of information that I possess is owned in duplicate by Congressman Layton Coyd.”
“Our new Daniel Webster,” added Crozan. “A golden?throated orator who likes to be heard. A windbag on most occasions; but one whose warbles would gain listeners now that certain information is at large.”
“It is no jesting matter, Crozan,” rebuked Releston. Then, in a solemn tone: “You see, Cranston, Coyd is an individualist. He takes orders from no one. He has the right to speak if he chooses; just as I have the right to preserve silence.
“Moreover, he is eccentric. His efforts during the past session threw him into a high pitch of nervousness. He is really ill, under a physician's care. Yet he persists in further effort. If I could only see him, I might handle him tactfully; but he will not keep his appointment.
“That is why I wished to speak to you. I need some man to serve as intermediary. A special secretary, appointed by myself to deal directly with Coyd. To wait on him, to suit his convenience. A man who can bring back information. One who can be trusted. You can supply that man.”
“I presume that you mean Vincent.”
“I do. Harry Vincent, whom you once recommended to me in the past and who served me with intelligence and loyalty. I knew of no way to reach Vincent except through you. My hope, Cranston, is that he may be available.”
“He is. I shall wire him in Michigan to?night, senator. You may expect him within forty?eight hours.”
Leisurely, Lamont Cranston arose. Senator Releston was smiling with relief. He raised his hand, however, to restrain his guest. Taking pad and pencil, the senator scrawled a note and folded it. He passed the message to his visitor.
“Send that telegram, Cranston,” he suggested. “In my name, so that Vincent can come here direct. Unless you prefer to wire him yourself. It is optional. Well, Crozan”—Releston was turning as he spoke—“this may enable us to bolster our own forces. Our one worry from now on will be to single out our foe.”
“We have done that already,” asserted Crozan. “Dunwood Rydel is the rogue with whom we have to deal. He wants to recoup his losses from those lumber contracts. What is more, he may have interests in half a dozen of the enterprises which were named in your stolen papers.”
“I am not so sure that Rydel is the culprit, Crozan,” stated Releston. “He is on the defensive, not likely to deliver such an open thrust as thievery. I am inclined to suspect Tyson Weed.”
“'Weed is a mere lobbyist. Capable of sneaky measures and tactics. Not nearly so dangerous as Rydel,
