rself to his appointment, and take him without a
brass band. But have what men you want tail you and watch out for
spies.... Then, when he is through, bring him back and deliver him
safely to his room. Compray?"

"Right--give me Wilkins and Smeed. I rather think I can get this bird
there and back without being seen, but perhaps they may catch Allah
keeping tabs on us at that." He laughed amusedly as he took the paper
with the name and address.

* * * * *

A waiter with pencil and order-pad might have been seen some hours
later going as if from the kitchen to the ninth floor of a Washington
hotel. And the same waiter, a few minutes later, was escorting a guest
from a rear service-door to an inconspicuous car parked nearby. The
waiter slipped behind the wheel.

A taxi, whose driver was half asleep, was parked a hundred feet behind
them at the curb. As they drove away and no other sign of life was
seen in the quiet street the driver of the taxi yawned ostentatiously
and decided to seek a new stand. He neglected possible fares until a
man he called Smeed hailed him a block farther on. They followed
slowly after the first car ... and they trailed it again on its return
after some hours.

"Safe as a church," they reported to the driver of the first car.
"We'll swear that nobody was checking up on that trip."

And: "O. K." Delamater reported to his chief the next morning. "Put
one over on this self-appointed Allah that time."

But the Chief did not reply: he was looking at a slip of paper like
those he had shown his operative the day before. He tossed it to
Delamater and took up the phone.

"To the Secretary of State," Delamater read. "You had your warning.
Next time you disobey it shall be you who dies."

The signature was only the image of an eye.

* * * * *

The Chief was calling a number; Delamater recognized it as that of the
hotel he had visited. "Manager, please, at once," the big man was
saying.

He identified himself to the distant man. Then: "Please check up on
the man in nine four seven. If he doesn't answer, enter the room and
report at once--I will hold the phone...."

The man at the desk tapped steadily with a pencil; Robert Delamater
sat quietly, tensely waiting. But some sixth sense told him what the
answer would be. He was not surprised when the Chief repeated what the
phone had whispered.

"Dead?... Yes!... Leave everything absol