"
"Died!" exclaimed Enoch. "Are you sure of that?"
"So Harden reports. Field knew that his wound was fatal. He was
perfectly cool and conscious to the last, and he spent the greater part
of the period before his death, dictating to Harden a long story about
Hancock Brown's early activities in Mexico. He swore Harden to
absolute secrecy as to details and made him promise to send the story
to some lawyer here in Washington, who seems to have taken a small
portion of the Canyon trip with the expedition and who had prospected
with Field."
"And Curly Field is dead!" repeated Enoch.
"Yes, poor fellow! Now then, here's the point, both Harden and
Forrester, the other Survey man, are morally certain that there is a
well-organized gang whose business is to make oil prospecting on the
border unhealthy. They have several lists of names they want
investigated, and they suggest that Secret Service men be put on the
job, at once. There was a small item in Texas papers about the killing
and a New York paper was after me this morning for the story. That's
why I hurried to you."
"Did you gather that Field's story had anything to do with the present
trouble with Mexico?" asked Enoch.
The Director shook his head.
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