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

upon
Colonel Follingsby to testify. Rising shakily, the colonel spoke in a dull
tone.


"I WAS taken to the war department in a taxicab," said Follingsby. "It
was
driven by a secret service man. We went through an obscure doorway into a
courtyard. I was conducted up a private stairway and found myself in the
anteroom outside of General Darson's office.
"He told me about the National Emergency Code and said that I would
receive it within an hour. The cab took me to my apartment. One hour later -
at
seven o'clock in the evening - a secret service man delivered the code at my
apartment. He came there disguised as a postman and left the packet in my mail
box.
"I worked on the code until nine o'clock. At that hour, I received a
telephone call saying that my wife had been in an automobile accident and had
been taken to a hospital at Alexandria, Virginia. I placed the code in a desk
drawer and hurried to Alexandria by taxi. When I arrived there, I learned that
the telephone call was false. When I returned to my apartment" - Follingsby
wavered, choking as he spoke - "the National Emergency Code was gone. The
drawer was locked, as I had left it; but when I opened the drawer, it was
empty."
The Judge Advocate reminded:
"You had visitors, Colonel Follingsby."
"Yes," replied the colonel. "Senator Ross Releston and Major Frederick
Bryland called at half past six. I talked privately with Senator Releston, in
my study, for about ten minutes. I should specify that the visitors arrived
half an hour after I had returned from the war department. They were gone
twenty minutes before I received the National Emergency Code."
"You did not mention the NEC to Senator Releston?"
"Positively not. As for Major Bryland, I did not talk with him at all. He
brought Senator Releston to see me; but Bryland remained alone in the living
room, while I talked with the senator."
The Judge Advocate turned to a square-jawed man with deep-set eyes. The
man was attired in civilian clothes.
"Frederick Bryland," droned the judge, "formerly a major in the United
States army. Your testimony, please, Mr. Bryland."
The term "Mr. Bryland" was significant. Bryland was a man of some wealth
who had chosen an army career. An inventive genius, Bryland had produced some
valuable military devices; but his career had ended when he criticized the
government's plans for coast defenses. Bryland had resigned "for the good of
the service"; but it was generally known that he had been almost forced to
give
up his commission. He had offended persons high in the war department.
To Follingsby and other line officers, Bryland's criticisms had been fair
ones. Living in retirement at an old mansion near Fairfax, Virginia, Bryland
continued his military work.
Bryland's testimony was simple and emphatic. He had invented a new radio