CHAPTER I.

NICK CARTER SEES THE PRESIDENT.

"Mustushimi did not leave the country when he was ordered."

"I did not believe he would do so," replied Nick Carter for the words were directed to him, and the speaker was the President of the United States, who had sent for the detective to come to Washington at once. "He did not strike me as being the sort of man, Mr. President, who could easily be made to abandon a work to which he had devoted so much of his talents as he had to the organization of the spy system."

"He was an oily little rascal, wasn't he, Mr. Carter?"

"Decidedly so, sir."

"I thought at the time that possibly you did not give him full credit for his talents," remarked the President dryly.

"You will pardon me, sir, but it was my impression at that time that I gave him rather more credit for his possibilities than you did."

"How so?"

"I don't think, if our positions had been reversed, that I would have let up on him so easily as you did."

"It was through no consideration for him that I did so, Mr. Carter; you may be sure of that."

"Oh, I was sure enough of that at the time, sir. But all the same it appeared to me that a punishment of some kind would have been about the thing for him, then. Instead of that, you merely dismissed him and warned him to leave the country and to take his followers with him. I thought then that he would slip out of it, and what you tell me now proves that he has not gone."

"No; he didn't go."

"And he has made himself active again?"

"Decidedly so; yes."

"Along the same lines?"

"Practically the same... Of course, there is a difference. I don't think that he wishes me to guess that he has remained here. He possibly believes that I will think it is the activity of another, and that he has gone, as I ordered him to do."

"But you are sure that it is Mustushimi?"

"I haven't a doubt of it, Mr. Carter."

"You have not seem him?" No.

"Nor heard directly from him?"

"No."

"Then in reality you have no reason other than the one that the spy system has been continued, to think that it is Mustushimi?"

"No; but I am satisfied that it is he."

"I am also; so I think we may go ahead on that principle."

"Yes."

"Now, Mr. President, will you tell me exactly what you wish to have me do this time? There is no more mystery concerning the means that are employed for observing, interviews. That one they did use, of reading lip-movement, like deaf and dumb people '. in order to understand conversations that could not be heard, is an old trick, and I only wonder that I did not remember it sooner, when I had that case."

"If Mustushimi is here-and I thoroughly believe he is here-I wish you to capture him and bring him before me once more. I want one more talk with the fellow."

"I don't think he will enjoy it," said Nick, laughing.

"I don't intend that he shall,"

"You will give him something to remember, this time, eh?"

"I certainly will."

"I suppose it was imperative that you should be lenient with him that other time, Sir?"

"I regarded it so-yes. You see, Mr. Carter, it wouldhave been a very easy matter to have affronted his country through him. It would have been the move of Japan to repudiate any association with his aims or connectionwith him. His activities would have been attributed tothe opposing political part in Japan, and the government would have disclaimed any knowledge of Mustushimi's acts, and probably rightly too."

"In which Japan has borrowed another spoke from the wheel of the effete West; eh?"

The President laughed heartily.

"Even so, Mr. Carter. We have always had agitators in this country, whose activities we have repudiated---but with reason."

"You have not told me yet, Mr. President, exactly what it is you desire me to do."

"Mr. Carter, I wish you to serve your country more than me, in this matter. You can serve it best by keeping from it all knowledge of this matter. We managed to keep the other affair a secret, and I am in hopes we can do the same with this one."

"Well, Sir?"

"I wish you-as I have already said-to capture Mustushimi in person, and to bring him here before me, just as you did the other time; but also, I wish you, if possible, to break up entirely the gang of spies he controls, and to so frighten them individually and collectively, that one and all of them will be glad to leave the country for good."

"It strikes me that that is rather a large contract, isn't it?"

"That is precisely why I have given it to you. I have always understood that you enjoy doing rather impossible things."

"I have not been belied there, sir."

"And so I have sent for you again."

"I am to have a sort of a roving commission, I suppose, Sir?"

"Your commission is as elastic as you choose to make it. You may, or you may not, as you choose, communicate with Mr. Wilkie, and ask him to give you assistance. You may do exactly as you deem best for the interests of all concerned, always bearing in mind the one important point that I require secrecy, as far as the public is concerned."

"I understand you, sir."

"The thing is to rid ourselves of Mustushimi and his followers; and, incidentally, to make it appear to all those who wish to introduce the spy system into this country, that it is a difficult and a dangerous thing to do. Why, Mr. Carter, do you not see that if this sort of thing is not nipped in the bud at once, the time is not far off when the United States will be overrun with spies, as the countries of Europe are, now?"

"I do understand that perfectly well, Sir."

"That is the end I am aiming at."

"And you think the best way to accomplish it is by discrediting their chiefs?"

"I regard it as the only way."

"It reminds me of the method that was employed by Mexico to keep anarchists. out of that country," said the detective.

"How was that--"

"It was rather heroic, I suppose you will think; but it was effective."

"Tell me about it."

"It was at the time when General Hinhosa was minister of war, down there."

"Yes."

"I think it was in '94 or '95. At all events it was shortly after the activities of the anarchists in France and Spain---a year or two after Ravachol blew up the cafe in Paris, if you recall that incident."

"Perfectly."

"I was in the city of Mexico that year. One day I happened to call upon Hinhosa at his office in the palace, down at the Zocolo, and during a lapse in our conversation, he asked me rather abruptly:

" 'Mr. Carter, do you have anarchists in your country?'

"'Do we !' I exclaimed. 'I should say so, They are a blot on our peace of mind, there.'

"'Why don't you take a lesson from us, then, as how to serve them' he asked me.

"'Tell me about it,' I suggested. He replied:

"'Not long ago this department received advices from the court of Spain that three noted, anarchists were known to have sailed from there on a certain ship, bound for this country. We were told that the ship--a tramp on which they were passengers should arrive at Vera Cruz at about such a time, and we were advised not to permit them to land, as it was known that they were coming here to organize branches of their society.'

"'Well, sir?' I asked him.

"'When the ship arrived at Vera Cruz,' he continued, 'the anarchists were met by three officers of the Mexican army, who were disguised, of course. The officers toldthe men that they were sympathizers in the cause and that they had received notice of the expected arrival of those in men. The story of it is that the anarchists were induced to go ashore quietly with the army officers; they were taken to the city of Orizaba on a special train that night, and they were conducted straight into the prison-yard of that city, thinking that they were on their way to a meeting of the anarchists of Mexico.'

"'And you imprisoned them there?' I asked. 'They were shot, at daylight, the next morning,' he replied quietly. I have always thought, Mr. President, that that was the very best way to convince their sympathizers that Mexico was an unsafe place for their kind."

"Undoubtedly. But that sort of method would hardly answer here, in the United States."

"No. But the same sort of methods can be used-less the bullets."

"You mean that you think they can be frightened out' I don't mean the anarchists; I refer to the spy systems?"

"I think so."

"Well, Mr. Carter, you are at liberty to employ any means you think so long as the country itself is not held responsible---or, rather so long as it does not appear that the country has to do with it."

"And Mr. President, do you realize what the best method would be for accomplishing the very end you aim at?"

"Perhaps not."

"It will be to convince them that we ourselves have a spy system that is so perfect, that they cannot hope to compete with it."

"I don't know but you are right, Mr. Carter."

"I know that I am right, sir. It is the only course that will convince them, finally."

"Then, by all means, try it."

"I shall do so, sir; and I shall begin at once."

"Then I think I may consider it as accomplished, Mr. Carter," smiled the President.

"I hope that you do not give me credit for too great talents, sir."

CHAPTER II

NICK CARTER INVITES ASSASSINATION.

"Will you need any help from Mr. Wilkie, or from the secret service, Mr. Carter?" asked the President.

"I cannot answer that question now, sir; I do not know."

"Shall I give Mr. Wilkie my instructions about it?"

"No, sir; if you please, no. If I find that I require their assistance, I will not hesitate to ask for it, and it will be accorded me personally without a moment of hesitation."

"I have no doubt of it."

"I am on very pleasant relations with the men there, and I think it is better if you keep your own personality out of the matter, entirely."

"So do I."

"I do not think you care to have me even report to you, do you, sir?"

"No; not unless you deem it necessary."

"That is not likely to be the case. However------"

"Well?"

"I should like to know that if I do wish to see you in private for a moment, that I can get to you at any time."

"Good. I will arrange it. Let me see. Oh, I have it."

"Well, Mr. President?"

"We will use the word, 'gemis,' for a countersign. It is not a word that is likely to be made use of by another. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"You have only to send one of the attendants, or in any way you choose. I will see you at once, no matter how I am engaged."

"Thank you."

"And when you have made use of it once we will change the word to another."

"Very good, sir. Now, a few questions, if you please."

"Any that you care to ask, Mr. Carter."

"You have reason to believe that Mustushimi is now in Washington?

"Yes."

"Why do you think so?"

"I believe that I have seen him."

"And I suppose you are still spied upon?"

"Undoubtedly; all the time."

"For any specific reason?"

"No. That other one -- the one that existed when you caught Mustushimi, and I permitted him to go, has been abandoned, for the present at least. But there are other irons in their fire, although I have no definite knowledge of what they are."

"Still, from your remarks, I take it that you have made a shrewd guess."

"I have made a guess. I don't know whether it is shrewd or not."

"Will you tell me what it is?"

"I had not intended to do so."

"I am sorry for that, Mr. President."

"You see, Mr. Carter, I may be entirely in the air about it. I may be all wrong. It is a pure and simple guess; but all the same I have thought of it as a possibility."

"I wish you would tell me exactly what you mean, sir."

"Do you remember that in that other case, the spies often picked up information which was of no direct value to them, or to their employers, and that when they did so, the news was given out so that it would be made public?"

"Yes."

"That was done, in that case, for the purpose of mystifying us, and, if possible, to frighten us."

"Yes."

"Well, it has occurred to me that they have thought of another outlet for their superfluous information; one that is possibly remunerative."

"I don't think I understand you, quite."

"Just now the railroad legislation is creating considerable agitation, as you know."

"Yes."

"And the big operators are more or less frightened by what may be done to curb them. You understand all that, do you not?"

"Yes."

"Well, let us suppose a case, then."

"Yes, sir."

"Suppose that Mustushimi is working this affair, as I think he is; suppose he has decided to shield his activities behind some local employment-or the appearance of one."

"Great, Mr. President!"

"What is more natural than that he should apply to one of the big railroad men and should say to him something like this: 'I am in a position to get you all the information you require. I am in a position to tell you, beforehand, all that the government intends to try to do in regard to railroad legislation. I will give you that information for a price, and you need not pay me until the goods are delivered. Do you think that there is one of the railroads that would not jump at the opportunity?"

"No."

"Well, Mr. Carter, that is the guess I have made which I hesitated to confide in you, only because it is nothing more than a guess. But my own opinion is that the activities of Japan, through Baron Mustushimi, are as great now as they were when you took that other case, but that now the crafty fellow is biding himself and his men behind a local employment of some kind, and is prepared to make it appear, in case he is discovered, that the other information he gets-that which is of real use to him is only the side issue, and that he is really employed by the railroads, the coal barons, the packers, the oil interests, or by some local industry which might be interested in spying upon the government."

"Mr. President, you have hit the nail squarely on the head, there."

"I have thought it, likely."

"It is the gist of the whole thing, sir."

"I am glad that you agree with me, although of course I am sorry to think that my own countrymen should deem it necessary to undertake such a thing as spying upon the government."

"Men will do strange things where their pockets are concerned."

"Or their ambitions--yes."

"I don't suppose, Mr. President, that private conversations of yours have been reported, of late, have they?"

"Not in the manner they were before, Mr. Carter ; but some of them have been reported. Of course, now that I am wise as to what was done before, I am careful not to talk where my face can be seen through a window-of course I am careful to refrain from conversations with others when I am where the motion of my lips may be observed; but you must understand that such occasions do arise, in spite of me."

"Yes."

"And so I am convinced, as I have said before, that it is Mustushimi who is behind it."

"And you have seen him?"

"I think so."

"Are there as many Japs hanging around the city as formerly?"

"I don't think so; not nearly."

"Mustushmii confessed to me, that other time, that he had two thousand of them in the country; and that there were two hundred or more in this city alone."

"Is it not possible that he has found the employment of men of other nationalities to be advisable, now?" asked the President.

"I was just thinking of that; yes, sir, it is."

"I think that you will find that to be the explanation. Mr. Carter."

"Are there any final instructions that you would like to give me, sir?"

"I can think of nothing more now."

"Does anybody know that you sent for me?"

"No. I wrote the letter myself, and dropped it into a box with my own hand."

"But of course I was seen to come here. If Mustushimi's system is anything like as perfect as it was before, he already knows that I am here."

"That, Mr. Carter, is why I showed some surprise when you came here so openly."

"I did it purposely, Mr. President."

"Why?"

"Because I guessed at once why you wished to see me, although you did not mention it in your letter--and because, now that I see I was right, I want Mustushimi to know that I am on his trail."

"That strikes me as being a new method of pursuing a secret investigation."

"It is, in one sense. But this case is different from any other."

"How so?"

"If Mustushimi has remained here, and we are practically certain that he has done so, he has hedged himself around with safeguards so perfectly that it would be difficult, if not next to impossible, to get a trace of him by ordinary methods. If he did not suspect that I was hereafter him, he would simply remain under cover as he is doing now, taking no extra precautions. But if he believes that I am after him, he will undertake some extra precautions at once, for he holds me in wholesome respect, and it is by those very precautions that I will be able to get first trace of him."

"That is an original way to look at it. Perhaps you are right. Put what do you suppose he will do, in the way of taking extra precautions?"

"I think he will try to put me out of the way," said the detective, smiling.

"Do you mean that he will attempt to assassinate you?"

"Exactly that."

"And that you purposely invite such a thing?"

"Certainly."

"But, Mr. Carter, isn't that rather foolhardy?"

"No; I don't think so. My object is to get him to show his hand. If his system is as perfect as we think it is, he knows already that I am here, and that I am holding an interview with you. He fears me, as he fears nobody else. He has had a taste of what I can do to him, I hope this does not sound like egotism. I don't mean it so."

"Not at all."

"And therefore, since I am here again, he will guess at once that you have suspected his presence and have sent for me, and he will figure it out that the only way to be safe is to get rid of me."

"But will he dare to attempt to assassinate you in the streets, or-"

"No. He will figure out to have me killed, so that my death will appear to be accidental."

"You speak of it as coolly as if you were referring to a third party."

"I am-in a sense; for he will not succeed. Forewarned is forearmed, you see. And it will be through just such an attempt as I have outlined to you, that I will be most likely to get directly upon Mustushimi's track."

"You are a strange fellow, Mr. Carter."

"Not so strange, perhaps, as you suppose. I only try to put myself in the place of the other fellow when I can, and look at what is happening from his point of view."

"All right, Mr. Carter. Conduct the matter as you please. I know that you will be successful; and that is all we desire."

CHAPTER III.

NICK CARTER CONVEYS AN IMPORTANT SIGNAL.

The interview, as recorded, took place in the early evening, for the detective had arrived in Washington at six o'clock, and had repaired at once to the Arlington Hotel, where he registered and took a room under his own name, and where he made no effort at all to conceal his identity.

After that, he had taken dinner, and then, a little before eight, repaired to the White House, where the President was awaiting him.

It was half-past nine when he came out again, and walked slowly across Lafayette Square toward the hotel; and he was not surprised-in fact, he smiled rather broadly-when he noticed at once that he was followed.

As he issued from the White House grounds, he noticed that a man was loitering near the cast end of the square, and another near the western end of it. Still another had been on the White House side of the avenue and had started to walk rapidly in his direction, the instant he appeared; and through the trees in the square, he could see that there was still another, while he had not a doubt that there was one or two more around him somewhere, ready to take up the trail if they should be called upon to do so.

"Mustushimi does me too much honor," he murmured to himself. "He has probably put his best men onto me already. Good!"

He continued on his way across the square, as if he was entirely unobservant of these things, but he was keenly on the alert all the time lest one of the spies should approach too close to him and that he did not desire; for it would be an easy matter, in such a case, for one of them to stick a knife into him, or fire a bullet into his body, or attack him in some manner, before he could have an opportunity to defend himself.

But the paths across Lafayette Square are wide, and well lighted, and he could see in all directions almost as plainly as if he had been on the avenue itself; and the men who were keeping him in view remained at a respectful distance-and so, presently, he passed into the entrance of the hotel and seated himself in the office of it, having lighted a cigar.

And then, across the floor from toward the desk, there approached a certain senator from the West^[1] who had been active in that other case to which reference was made in his talk with the President-the senator whose identity Nick had assumed for a time in order the better to work out his case at that time.

"Hello, Carter," he said, dropping into a chair near the detective, after shaking hands. "I happened to see your name on the register, and asked if it was indeed you. Finding that I was not mistaken, I have waited to see you."

"That is kind of you, senator," replied the detective.

"Fact is, I really wished to see you, Carter."

"Yes? That is kinder still."

"I wonder if I would be trespassing on private grounds if I asked why you are here, Mr. Carter? I don't want to be impertinent, but if it happens to be anything about that other affair in which we were actually interested-"

"I am assured, senator, that I may rely upon your discretion, so I will admit that it is."

"I guessed it, Carter."

"Did you? Why?"

"Because I happen to know that Mustushimi is still in the city of Washington."

"Are you sure of that?"

"Yes."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I have seen him."

"When?"

"Not an hour ago; in fact, only a few minutes before I discovered your name on the register of this hotel."

"That was rather an odd coincidence, senator," said the detective dryly.

"Yes; if it was a coincidence-which I am inclined to doubt."

"Why?"

"Because it struck me that my seeing him and hearing of your presence at the same time would argue that he was around this neighborhood because he had been told of your arrival."

"I think there is no doubt of that. Where did you see him?"

"I almost ran into him directly in front of the Lafayette Square opera house."

"At what time, if you can tell me exactly?"

"An hour and a quarter ago."

The detective nodded. He knew that it was at the time when he was with the President.

"The fact is, Carter," continued the senator, "the sight of him brought you to my mind, and I came over here at once, purposely to ascertain if you were in town, if I could do so. I saw your name on the register, and then I remained here until your return to warn you."

"To warn me of what, senator?"

"I think that fellow would put you out of business if he had half a chance, and you may be sure that he will seek the chance."

"I haven't any doubt of that."

"I hope you'll be on your guard, Carter."

"I shall try to be so."

"And, of course, if there is anything that I can do to assist you, you can command me at any time. You know that."

"Yes. Senator?"

"Well?"

"Don't you think that you stand in some danger from Mustushimi, yourself?"

"I have never thought much about it, to tell the truth."

"If you saw and recognized him in front of the operahouse, it is safe to say that he also saw and recognized you."

"Without doubt."

"And realized that you had recognized him."

"Possibly."

"And therefore set one of his men upon you to follow you and ascertain where you went. Consequently, he knew that you came here, looked at the register, found my name, and then composed yourself to await my arrival, in order that you might tell me what you knew."

"Well?"

"Also, that at this very moment, somewhere around here, he or one of his men is watching us, and one of his lip-reading experts is probably at this moment studying everything that I say."

"And what I say, as well, eh?" laughed the senator.

"Doubtless."

"Pardon me, Carter, but you are seated facing that window, exactly as if you wished the spies of that man to know what you are talking about."

"I do."

"Eh?"

"I am taking this method of warning Mustushimi that I am here after him, and that I am going to get him, too. I am taking this opportunity to send word to him, through his spy who is now reading from the motion of my lips all that I am saying, that I have no doubt that he will attempt to assassinate me in some manner so that it will appear to be an accident, but he must remember that I was not brought into the world to be put to death by such as he."

"Upon my word, Carter, you are strange tonight!"

"No. I am sending a message to Mustushimi. Out yonder, at the opposite side of Connecticut Avenue, there stands a man who looks like a Frenchman, who is one of Mustushimi's spies. He reads what I am saying now and he is getting nervous. He is only a common scoundrel, and coward at that-"

Nick broke off into a hearty laugh, and the senator stared.

"What are you laughing at?" he demanded.

"I was laughing at the fellow over there-the one I referred to."

"What did he do?"

"When he found that I was talking to him instead of to you-for that is what I was doing-he got madder and madder, and when I told him he was a coward, he shook his fist at me."

"At least, Carter, you will know him the next time you see him."

"Oh, I am not so sure of that. He is a chameleon who can change his appearance as well as his colors. A scoundrel like that, who will serve under any flag, isn't fit to live. But as you say, I think I will know him again -in fact, senator, now that I think of it, I believe that I will have an opportunity to see him close by, and to talk with him, too, presently."

"You do? How?"

"I will tell you that a little later, senator."

"Is he there yet?"

"Yes."

"I should think he would go away now that he knows he has been discovered."

"Oh, no; he knows that he would have ample time to escape, if I should leave my chair to go over there after him. He is bound to stay there as long as he can read, from the movement of my lips, what I am saying."

"But how are you going to catch him so that you can talk with him, as you suggested?"

"As I said before, I will tell you that later on. Now, let us return to yourself. We were discussing yourself a moment ago, weren't we?"

"Yes."

"I was referring to the fact that you stand in some danger, senator. I think I am correct about it too. It would be well for you to be constantly on your guard, sir."

"Oh. I am always more or less on my guard. I am not afraid."

"I know that. I merely wished to warn you."

"I was brought up in the West when it was a wild place, Carter. I have been used to danger all my life. I have faced death a great many times, and I am not going torun away from a parcel of little brown men, now."

"No; I don't think you are one of that kind."

"Besides, it is a long- a lifetime habit of mine to go around prepared."

"That is a good idea, especially under the present circumstances."

All that time Nick was looking out of the window, watching closely everything that was occurring on the opposite side of the street where he had discovered the spy standing, and watching him.

For the reader knows that Nick Carter went everywhere, prepared for all things that might happen.

The letter he had received from the President, while it had explained nothing, had nevertheless informed the detective at once what he was called to Washington for; and he had gone there prepared to take up the case in his own way.

And just at that moment, when he seemed to become somewhat abstracted, and did not pay the strict attention to the senator that he had been doing, it was because he saw one of his assistants come around the corner near the drug store and slowly approach the spot where the spy was standing.

It was Patsy, and Patsy was ready to obey any signal that his chief might choose to convey to him- for Patsy was one of three who had accompanied Nick Carter to Washington that day, coming, however, secretly, so that no one save themselves might understand that Nick had brought any one with him.

And now when Patsy appeared around the corner and approached the spot where the spy was standing, the detective leaned back in his chair and raised his arms three times over his head.

It was his signal to Patsy.

CHAPTER IV.

NICK CARTER'S PERFECT PLANS.

"One would suppose that you were signaling, to the spy," said the senator, watching him.

"I was signaling, but not to the spy," replied the detective.

"To whom, then?"

"To one of my assistants, senator." Nick was now shading his lips with one hand so that what he was saying could not be read.

"Do you mean that one of your assistants is over there, near the spy?" asked the senator.

"Yes."

"I begin to understand you now."

"Surely-"

"You brought him here secretly, I suppose."

"Yes; he and two others. They are all busy, right now, doing part of the work that is required of them."

"It was a happy thought when you did that, Carter. One of your assistants is a Jap, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"Is that one here, too, to assist you?"

"No. However faithful to me Ten-Ichi is, I would not ask him to work against his own people. I left him in New York."

"But you said you had three assistants with you."

"So I have. But one of them-Danny-has not been promoted to that position just yet, so far as the title is concerned. He is really my chauffeur; but he is a good lad for all that and quite capable of doing good work. I brought Chick, Patsy, and Danny: and right now, senator, Patsy is approaching that fellow over there, Please don't turn your head to look."

"I won't. You may tell me about it."

"Patsy has ordered a carriage to drive around and up against the curb, directly in front of where the spy is standing. The carriage is approaching now."

"Yes."

"Now it pulls up at the curb; and now-" The detective turned his chair so that he no longer faced the window, and he added: "In about half an hour, senator, we will take a walk together, and interview that spy; that is, if you care to accompany me."

"I should say I do care, Carter. What a fellow you are. But tell me what happened over there. You know I was seated so that I could not see, and you would not permit me to turn."