Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/207

Rh his knee, in a way we would never have noticed if we were not watching for it, to work the scheme by which they have been cheating for ten years! But the rest of this affair," he glanced at the quickly collecting crowd, "can best be settled in the office."

He led the way, the customs men taking their prisoners at pistol point. As they entered the office, Rowan first, a girl's cry and the answering oath of her father told Trant that the dock superintendent's daughter had arrived. But she had been almost overtaken by another powerful car; for before Trant could speak with her the outer door of the office opened violently and President Welter, in an automobile coat and cap, entered.

"Ah! Mr. Welter, you got here quickly," said Trant, meeting calmly his outraged astonishment at the scene. "But a little too late."

"What is the matter here?" Welter governed his voice commandingly. "And what has brought you here, from your phrenology?" he demanded, contemptuously, of Trant.

"The hope of catching red-handed, as we have just caught them, your company checker and your dock superintendent defrauding the Government," Trant returned, "before you could get here to stop them and remove evidences."

"What raving idiocy is this?" Welter replied, still with excellent moderation. "I came here to sign some necessary papers for ships clearing, and you—"

"I say we have caught your men red-handed," Trant repeated, "at the methods used, with your certain knowledge and under your direction, Mr. Welter, to