"
"Dr. Bird," he cried eagerly turning from the telephone, "Bolton has
located the Washington headquarters of the Young Labor party."
Dr. Bird sprang to the instrument.
"Bird speaking, Bolton," he cried. "You've located their headquarters?
Who's running it? Stanesky, eh? You're on the right track; he used to
be Saranoff's right hand man. Where is the place located? I don't seem
to recollect the spot. You have it well surrounded? Where are you
speaking from? All right, we'll join you as quickly as we can. Keep
your patrols out and don't let anyone get away."
He hung up the receiver and turned to Carnes.
"Did you have the car wait?" he asked. "Good enough; we'll jump for
the Bureau and pick up all the vitrilene laying around loose and then
join Bolton. He thinks that he has the whole outfit bottled up."
* * * * *
Bolton was waiting as the car rolled up and Dr. Bird leaped out.
"Where are they?" demanded the doctor eagerly.
"In an abandoned factory building about three hundred yards from
here," replied the Chief of the Secret Service. "I traced them through
New York. We have been watching the place ever since yesterday noon,
and I know that Stanesky is in there with half a dozen others. No one
has tried to leave since we set our watch. One funny thing has
happened. About an hour ago a peculiar red glow suffused the whole
building. It has died down a good deal since, but we can still see it
through the windows. Could you tell us what it means?"
"No. I couldn't, Bolton, but we'll find out. How many men have you?"
"I have sixteen stationed around."
"That's more than we'll need. I have only vitrilene shields and
helmets enough to equip six men. Pick out your three best men to go
with us and we'll make a try at entering."
Bolton strode off into the darkness and returned in a few moments with
three men at his heels. Dr. Bird spoke briefly to the operatives, all
of them men who had been his companions on other adventures. He
explained the need for the vitrilene helmets and shields, and without
comment the six donned their armor and followed Bolton as he strode
toward the building. As they approached, a dull red glow could be
plainly seen through the windows, and Dr. Bird paused and studied the
phenomenon for a moment.
"I don't know what that means, Bolton," he said softly, "but I don't
like the looks of it. Stanesky is up to some devilment or other. I
wouldn't be a bit
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