II
Shortly after the departure of Artemus Duff, a dark, striking-looking young woman was ushered into Slack’s private office. She closed the door cautiously behind her.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Yvonne,” greeted Slack. “I thought you were on business west of here.”
“I was, J.J.,” she replied as familiarly. “But I hurried back yesterday. I have just come over from the limits to deliver this special message to you.”
She tossed a sealed official envelope on the desk.
Slack tore open the envelope, and, as he studied the contents, a worried frown gathered on his brow. “Won’t you be seated a moment, Miss Kovenay?” he requested absently.
Slack worked with a pencil on a pad of paper deciphering the letter, which, as was usual with orders from the same source, was in the North Star’s private code. It contained bald instructions, skeletonised of every spare word:—
Instruct North Star newspapers, east and west, drop conjectures re disappearance Gildersleeve. Print nil unless actually found dead or alive; then only barest details on inside pages, without display headings.
Put on double or triple shift, if necessary, on wireless ready any moment for emergency calls from limits station. File for wireless every day weather probabilities for east and west and full predictions Coster’s Weather Bureau soon as same come in.
IMPORTANT. Make no promises re Tugmen’s Union demand for increases and shorter hours, unless advised. Have papers print articles calculated to foment general seamen’s strike on our own and other great lakes vessels. Hire more socialist agitators to help stir up discontent. Strike MUST materialise before day that dredging contracts are completed.
Sending A. C. Smith to Montreal, special business. If time, his instructions are to call on you before leaving to confer on matters above mentioned.
(Sgd.) J. C. X.
It literally took the breath out of Slack.
That second last paragraph regarding the tugmen’s strike smote him like a club. The carrying out of these instructions, he felt, meant personal calamity for him—his political doom.