The Embassy Murders

CHAPTER XIV THE CODE BOOK

ON the evening following the robbery at the embassy, Harry Vincent was seated in Alvarez Menzone’s living room going over statistics which pertained to the South American’s railway projects.

Menzone was also present. He had assigned this duty to Harry. Relieved of detail, Menzone was reading newspaper accounts that concerned the opening of the Pan-American Convention.

“Ah!” Menzone spoke to Harry. “Here is an account of the embassy affair. The one that I attended last night. It was very fine, Vincent. Sorry that I could not take you along.”

There was a dryness in Menzone’s tone that caught Harry’s prompt attention. It seemed as though Menzone were enjoying a little joke of his own. Harry was unconvinced of Menzone’s actions on the preceding night. Menzone had left early to attend the embassy function. He had returned about midnight. Harry, supposedly asleep, had heard him enter the study. Harry had sneaked to the door to watch.

He had seen Menzone studying a stack of papers. He had noted a gleam of satisfaction on the South American’s face. Then Harry had dropped out of sight, to watch Menzone tiptoe from the apartment. It was after one when Menzone finally returned.

What was the purpose of these secretive actions? That was a question which baffled Harry Vincent. He had left a coded report for The Shadow, behind the fire extinguisher in the hallway. But there had been no word from The Shadow in return.

Working on statistics, Harry found his thoughts reverting to Menzone. He was convinced that the South American’s railroad plans were a cover for some other operation. Yet Harry had discovered nothing concerning Menzone’s secret business.

The telephone bell began to ring from the study. Harry arose from his chair. Menzone, also rising, waved his secretary back.

“Keep on with your work, Vincent,” he said, in his peculiarly accented style. “Allow me to answer the telephone.”

Was Menzone expecting the call? Harry decided that such must be the case. He saw Menzone enter the study. He saw the door close — but it did not fully shut. Laying his work aside, Harry tiptoed to the study door.

MENZONE was at the telephone. Harry could see him through the opened crack. The South American had drawn a small booklet from his pocket. He had it in readiness as he spoke.

“Fee,” Menzone was saying. “Alk zay fela.”

For a moment, Harry took the words for Spanish. Then the unfamiliar sound impressed him. Drawing a pencil and an envelope from his pocket, Harry jotted down the odd words that he had heard, spelling them in phonetic fashion.

“Sovo,” Menzone was saying. “Bole bota atex vodo of alta… Alk rofe folo folo bole rojo…”

Menzone was listening. His smile increased as he thumbed the little book on the table before him. Then, in a tone of finality, he declared:

“Alk deek kire… Fee… Sake hoda. Seek alta eeta… Kye kye deek rema. Reen alk kode… Alk deek deek rema.”

Harry was copying these words as the receiver clicked. He looked up hastily, just in time to see Menzone open a desk drawer and thrust the little book away. Menzone locked the drawer. This delay was fortunate. It gave Harry, still copying the final words, time to scurry back to the living room.

When Menzone arrived, Harry was back at work. The envelope was in his pocket. Menzone glanced at his watch. He noted the time as eight o’clock.

“I am going out,” he announced. “I shall be back within an hour. Remain here, Vincent.”

The moment that Menzone had left, Harry sprang to his feet. He approached the window. He saw Menzone arrive on the sidewalk below. The South American was carrying his briefcase of papers. Harry saw him hail a cab.

Apparently, Menzone was on his way to hold a conference with persons interested in his enterprises. Such would have been Harry’s final decision, but for one fact — the oddly worded phone conversation which Menzone had held.

Harry realized that he had listened to an unintelligible language. The words which he had heard would prove useful in deciphering it; but they were comparatively few. The real key lay in the little book that Menzone had dropped in the desk drawer.

Hurrying to the study, Harry extracted a set of keys from his pocket. He found one that fitted the lock. He opened the drawer. He discovered the pamphlet. There was no wording on its paper cover. The title page, however bore this statement:

On the next page, Harry discovered short explanatory paragraphs. They were followed by a vocabulary of words. Seizing pencil and paper, Harry began to jot down notes in shorthand, that he might copy the body of the pamphlet and leave the little booklet for Menzone’s return.

These were specimens of the notations which Harry made: [1]

Harry began to study the vocabulary. Here he found a list of words and began to write them as rapidly as possible. In capital letters, he noted the Agro words; after them, words in parentheses that were evidently the pronunciations as they would sound in English; these pronunciations appeared only where necessary:

HARRY was impressed by the vocabulary, as he jotted down these words among many more. He noted how words were opposites: dovo and vodo — day and night; rik and kir — here and there. He was also impressed by the verbs; how the simple change of a single letter made the tense present, future, or past. While wondering about adjectives, he came across a notation which stated that the repetition of such a word gave it comparative or superlative degree. The example was “voso” for “bad;” “voso voso” for “very bad.”

Then came the table of pronouns and numerals. These formed a simplified group:

Harry noted the alphabetical arrangement of the numerals. The entire pamphlet contained but a few hundred terms and he rapidly completed his copying. Then, with eagerness, Harry brought the jotted envelope from his pocket. He was anxious to learn what Menzone had said over the telephone.

“Fee. Alk zay fela.”

Harry wrote this first in simplified Agro; then beneath it, the English translation, gained from a search through the vocabulary.

Fe. Alk za fela.

“Yes. I am ready.”

Harry continued:

Sovo. Bol bota atex vodo of alta.

“Good. You said that night less one.”

Harry pondered. The phrase “night less one” puzzled him. Then he caught the meaning. He inscribed, the corrected sentence: “You said that last night.”

Alk rofe folo folo bole rojo became: “I brought the papers you needed.”

Harry took the last phrases more rapidly:

Alk deek kire… Fee… Sake hoda. Seek alta eeta. Kye kye deek rema. Reen alk kode… Alk deek deek rema.

“I shall come there… Yes… Hour eight. Minute one five. They will come later. When I have left… I shall return later.”

Harry saw quickly that “hour eight, minute one five” simply meant fifteen minutes after eight. The system of notation, in Agro, was reduced to nine digits and a cipher, numbers being formed as one would give a telephone number in English.

He also observed that “deek deek,” literally “shall come shall come” signified “shall come back.” The word “the” was not used regularly in Agro, but Harry found a notation that “co” meant “the” whenever necessary. A simple example was given: “co ka,” literally “the him” meant “the man.” “Co ki ki,” literally “the them,” meant “the men.”

Harry deposited the code book back in the drawer. He knew that he had made a remarkable discovery. This unfamiliar language, Agro, was obviously the means of communication between crooks who were working toward a common cause. Alvarez Menzone was a member of that band. He was keeping an appointment at present — where, Harry did not know — with some other malefactor.

These facts must go to The Shadow!

Harry glanced at his watch. It was nearly nine o’clock. Menzone might be back at any time. Harry began to fold the sheets that he had copied. He stopped, fancying that he heard footsteps in the hallway.

It could not be Jose. The lazy Filipino had retired before eight o’clock. Was Menzone making a surreptitious return?

Harry listened intently. He decided that his imagination must be working. He turned his gaze downward toward the papers that he was folding. Again the sound. Harry looked up quickly. The door to the room was open. Standing there, a revolver in his hand, was a stocky, hard-faced man.

“Where is Menzone?” came the rasped question.

A dawning recognition completed itself as Harry heard the words. He knew this intruder. It was Vic Marquette, of the secret service!

THE man at the door sensed Harry’s expression. He advanced into the room. He eyed Harry closely. He lowered his revolver.

“Hello, Vincent,” said Marquette. “What’re you doing here?”

“Working as secretary for Alvarez Menzone,” returned Harry promptly. “I’ve only had the job for about a week. Menzone is out at present.”

Marquette became thoughtful. Harry Vincent was the man of whom he had spoken to Fourrier — the one whom Vic Marquette had good reason to class as an agent of The Shadow. Already Vic had come to a conclusion, namely that Harry’s presence as Menzone’s secretary was final proof that The Shadow was watching affairs in Washington.

Vic knew well that Harry would not — perhaps could not — make any statements that involved The Shadow’s activities. At the same time, Harry Vincent could be sworn in as Vic’s aid — and the secret-service operative was ready to trust this man with whom he had teamed before.

“How soon will Menzone be back?” asked Vic.

“Any minute now.” Harry’s tone was anxious. “If he finds you here—”

“He’s going to find me,” interposed Marquette. “I’m going to nab that fellow, Vincent. What’s more, you’re going to help me.”

Harry nodded. There was no alternative. The Shadow had given no instructions to cover an emergency such as this. On occasions where choice was needed, it was the part of The Shadow’s agents to use their own discretion. Duty prompted Harry to side with Vic Marquette, in preference to Menzone.

“What’s this?” Vic Marquette had spied the code book in the drawer. He brought it out. “Does this belong to Menzone?”

“Yes,” returned Harry, seizing the opportunity. “Menzone is a crook — so far as I can see. He was talking on the telephone tonight, using an odd language. I unlocked the desk drawer after he had gone. I found the code book. I copied it in shorthand.”

“Keep your copy,” chuckled Vic. “I’m keeping the original. Say, Vincent — you’ve uncovered something. I know you’re on the level. This is another time you’ll be working with me on the showdown.”

Harry produced the copy of Menzone’s conversation. Vic Marquette chuckled and clapped his companion on the shoulder. He began to read Harry’s translation. Harry watched him intently.

Neither man was observing the door. Neither saw the figure that appeared there, plainly framed: A tall, spectral form, clad in black cloak and hat. The Shadow, like Vic Marquette, had arrived at the apartment, occupied by Alvarez Menzone.

Watching with burning eyes, listening to the words that passed between his agent and the secret-service operative, The Shadow was divining what had occurred. He heard Vic Marquette muttering the sentences which Harry had translated. As completely as if he had received a report from his agent, The Shadow was gathering the details that had brought about this scene.

“So that’s the game, eh!” Marquette was saying. “No wonder those foxes have been dodging us. Agro — an international language. Say — I’ve run into some cuckoo lingoes, but this has them all stopped.

“There’s a bigger bird in back of this, Vincent. This fellow Menzone is working for him. That’s where Menzone has gone tonight — to see the big shot. We’ll be ready for Menzone — you and I. When we meet him, we’ll be on our way. We won’t stop until we’ve met the big bird that’s in back of him.”

Vic Marquette arose as he spoke. The secret-service man was ready to spread the snare for Menzone’s return. The figure of The Shadow faded into darkness beyond the door. Silently, it issued from the hallway; swiftly it reached the living room and crossed to the outer door.

The final barrier closed behind The Shadow. The black form merged with the darkness of the stairs. Leaving Vic Marquette and Harry Vincent to trap Alvarez Menzone, The Shadow had left for the street below.

A whispered, sibilant laugh came from the darkness where The Shadow had passed, unseen.