University of San Francisco - USF Don Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

Page 21 text:

DOUBLE CROSSED 10 So far we have no clues. The plates must be recovered before the drive starts in April.’ The chief emphasized the last sentence by bringing his hst down upon the desk with a resounding thud. “ -You have had twenty years of experience he continued, ‘and I am sure you know the game. T am going to allow you to work where you choose, and in your own way. W ire me every day, and if you run across a clue tip me off.’ I le turned his attention to some papers on his desk, and concluding from this that he had no more to say, I left. Outside, I sat down and reflected on what 1 had just learned. Think what it meant! With a set of the plates anyone could skip out of the l S.. run off bonds to his heart’s content, and flood the country with them. If it got into the papers that the plates were missing, the whole Victory Loan would he crabbed. This was certainly one of the biggest things that had been attempted in years, so big in fact, that I doubted if our men would be able to break it up. “During the next few days I learned from wires from headquarters that the entire country was being combed by the ’Service.’ Every port was being watched with hawk-like vigilance to prevent the plates being smuggled away on a foreign-bound vessel. From Maine to California, and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf, agents of the department were searching everywhere tor the prize. So far there was but one suspect, a young man who had been employed for but a few months in the engraving department at Washington. Circumstantial evidence seemed to weave a web around him. but his record was so satisfactory, and his family so highly esteemed in official circles, that nothing had been done beyond questioning him. After considering the case carefully. T decided that the plates were somewhere on the Atlantic roast. I knew that anyone who had enough brains to get away with them in the first place, would never be foolish enough to travel all over the country with them. And therefore, arguing from what my actions would be in a

Page 20 text:

Soublp (UroHSpb ES, I agree with you.” remarked Michael O’Toole, for twenty years a member of the l nited States Secret Service, as he settled back into one of the luxurious morris chairs of the Fortieth Ave. Club, “men have put over some pretty big jobs lately, but when it comes to real clever work, work that requires brains as well as daring, you have to hand it to the female of the species.” “been tricked by some feminine opium smuggler?” queried Harry Rogers of the “Times.” always anxious to hear a good story. “Not exactly,” replied O’Toole, “but 1 have had occasion to admire the ability of a certain little woman, who, only a few weeks ago, made the entire ‘Service’ look foolish.” “bet’s have it.” chipped in Rogers. “Nothing would suit me better than to hear the story of your friend, the ‘female Sherlock. ” O'Toole extricated a fragrant Havana from his vest pocket, lit it, puffed silently for a few moments, and then began. “One morning, about two months ago, I dropped into headquarters to see if the chief had a case for me to work on. I had scarcely closed the outer door, when he grabbed me by the arm. and half dragged me into his private office. Having worked under him for five years. 1 immediately knew that there was something doing, for on only two or three occasions before had he shown such excitement. As soon as 1 was seated he began. “‘Sometime between twelve o’clock yesterday and eight to-day a set of plates for printing the Victory Liberty Loan Bonds was stolen.’ “‘What.’ 1 fairly shouted, ‘the bonds plates stolen? “ ‘Yes he replied, ‘and it means some job for us.

Page 22 text:

20 THE IGXATI.IX similar situation. I concluded that the fellow who had the plates was lying low around one of the numerous Atlantic ports, waiting for a chance to skip the country. “For about a week I covered the coast between Xew York and Boston. I discovered absolutely nothing that could be of any assistance in locating the thieves or their loot, and as far as I could learn, my fate had been shared by the other men of the ’Service.’ March was over half gone, the date set for the opening of the Victory Loan drive drawing near, and no clue to the recovery of the missing plates. “I spent the next week around Norfolk and Newport News, but without any satisfactory results. I was sitting in the lobby of the Monticello Hotel in the former city one evening, debating with myself what territory I should cover next, when I heard a bell-boy paging me. As he approached where I was seated. I called him over, and inquired what he wanted. “ ‘Lady wishes to see you. sir,' he said. ’The lady sitting on the other side of the lobby with roses on her hat.’ I glanced in the direction in which he pointed, and easily located the one with the rose-adorned hat. but after scrutinizing her closely for several seconds. I was unable to recall having met her before. Needless to say. I was not a little surprised at being visited, as I had thought my whereabouts were unknown. As I approached mv visitor. 1 could see that she was very young, not more than twenty-three or four, and that she was exceptionally good looking. After presenting myself, I drew a chair up beside her. and inquired what I could do for her. She glanced up at me with a rather queer expression upon her face and said: “‘Do you want to know where the Victory Bond plates are?’ For several seconds I stared at her half dazed, and then, partially recovering from the shock of such a greeting, and realizing that I had been indiscreet in displaying my surprise, T endeavored to compose myself.