Release date is 2011-11-25

A flash in the night -- The mint mystery -- The Ypiranga case -- The clue on shelf 45 -- Phyllis Dodge, smuggler extraordinary -- A matter of record -- The secret still -- The taxicab tangle -- A match for the government -- The girl at the switchboard -- "Lost: $100,000!" -- "The double code" -- The trail of the white mice -- Wah Lee and the flower of heaven -- The man with three wives -- After seven years -- The poison-pen puzzle -- Thirty thousand yards of silk -- The clue in the classified column -- In the shadow of the capitol -- A million-dollar quarter -- "The looting of the C.T.C." -- The case of Mrs. Armitage -- Five inches of death.

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"On Secret Service" by William Nelson Taft is a collection of detective mystery stories inspired by real cases solved by government agents, written in the early 20th century. The stories vividly portray the intriguing and often dangerous world of secret investigations, showcasing the actions of protagonists like the Secret Service operative Jimmy Callahan, who explores numerous escapades involving national security threats, criminal conspiracies, and clever schemes. Through a blend of suspense, action, and detailed storytelling, the collection delves into the intricacies of early 20th-century American crime and law enforcement. The opening of the work introduces us to a lively scene at the Willard Hotel lobby in Washington, D.C., where two friends, Bill Quinn and the narrator, observe a diverse crowd of political figures and society. Quinn’s intrigue with a certain man, Jimmy Callahan, leads him to recount a thrilling case set during World War I concerning a plot involving German U-boats and the transport ship "America". Callahan’s determined investigation reveals a communication scheme that threatens American troop movements, culminating in a race against time to warn of an imminent attack. This anecdote sets the tone for the type of suspenseful yet grounded tales that follow, emphasizing not only the characters' bravery and wit but also the stakes of their work in protecting the nation. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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