"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 123 - Washington Crime" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

CHAPTER VI

MARQUETTE'S TRAIL

AT dusk, that same day, Vic Marquette stopped to see Senator Ross
Releston. The secret service man had nothing to report. Vic's hope was that
Releston had heard something from either Cranston or The Shadow. Finding that
matters stood unchanged, Marquette brought up an old theme.
"Somebody must have known that Follingsby had that code," insisted Vic.
"It could have been Bryland. I'd like to satisfy myself about that fellow."
"Bryland could have known nothing," returned Releston. "Remember,
Marquette, that I was with him when we visited Follingsby. Whatever Follingsby
said, I heard. In fact, I heard more than Bryland. For a short while,
Follingsby and I were chatting alone while Bryland was merely looking at
curios
that Follingsby had brought from Panama."
"And Follingsby said nothing about the war department -"
"Not a word. That is, nothing to indicate that he had been there. You are
unjust, Marquette, to hold suspicions regarding Bryland."
"I'd like to get Bryland off my mind."
"That would be a simple matter. Go and see him. He is dining to-night at
the Apollo Club, with a young lady named Martha Leeth."
"Congressman Leeth's daughter?"
"Yes. Bryland is a bachelor; and quite a ladies' man. He dropped in this
afternoon and called Miss Leeth while he was here. That is how I happen to
know
where he will be to-night."


THE Apollo Club was Washington's newest night club, a bright spot that
attracted patrons throughout the evening hours. The place was usually about
half filled during the dinner period; the big crowds came later, about the
time
of the nine o'clock floor show. Hence Marquette did not expect much difficulty
in locating Frederick Bryland.
There was one feature of the Apollo Club that Vic did not remember until
he arrived there. Though the place had a huge dining room, it was also
provided
with smaller ones that adjoined the main one. In addition there was a bar, in
a
room by itself; also a cocktail lounge. Patrons preferred the smaller rooms
during the dinner hour.
When Marquette inquired for Bryland, he was referred from one head waiter
to another. When he reached the doorway of a smaller dining room, a page boy
passed him and went to a corner table, where a man and a girl were seated. The
man arose; Vic noted that he was straight-shouldered, square of jaw and with
sharp, deep-set eyes. The man was Bryland; but Vic did not know him by sight.
As Bryland walked past, Marquette encountered the head waiter. When Vic
inquired for Bryland, the fellow looked toward the corner table.
"Mr. Bryland was there a few moments ago, sir," he said. "Miss Leeth is