This time we have a short spy series from H. Bedford-Jones (1887-1949) that appeared in Argosy in 1935. This one has been reprinted by Steeger Books in their “H. Bedford-Jones Library” as The Sphinx Strikes.
I don’t know the source of the cover, as none of the stories were cover featured. You can see those covers on the back.
All stories feature John Barnes, an American “freelance,” or unofficial, spy for America, who takes on the nom de guerre of “The Sphinx.” All these stories are set in Europe in 1935, which we know was moving toward war.
Barnes is part of a loose group of similar spies working in Europe. All are unofficial, such that if they are captured, the U.S. will do nothing about them. Europe is moving toward war it seems, and John and the rest work to help the U.S.
We meet Barnes in the first story, “Spy Against Europe” (Argosy, Feb. 23, 1935) and learn it is his first mission. It’s a “simple” one. Travel to Paris, check into a specific hotel, and await the arrive of his contact to bring important documents back to the U.S. ambassador in London. We are told there have been recent assassinations, include of King Boris, that have shaken Europe.
Barnes gets to his hotel and is ordering lunch when his contact arrives and gives him the information, telling him to head back. He is also warned about a girl in a nearby room, a Marie Nicolas, who does work for Italy. While Barnes packes, his contact is killed by a Russian agent, and the police are trying to get into his room. Barnes flees, runs into Nicolas, and he is able to kill the Russian agent. The two leave to head to London, Barnes telling Nicolas to head to the airport and charter a flight, he will follow.
Instead, Barnes decides to take the boat-train to London to throw off pursuit. He finds that Nicolas has taken the decoy materials. But the trip is perilous. Nicolas shows up also on the boat-train. And there are other agents trying to stop them. Rothstern, a German who may work for anyone, and two former British agents now working for Rothstern: Truxon and Stanley. Through several trials, Barnes makes it to the ambassador, along with Nicolas, whom he learns is another American agent. She then calls Barnes “a sphinx,” and he gets an idea.
Two months later, the events of “Free-lance Spy” (Argosy, March 30, 1935) occur. Nicolas is spying on Rothstern, who is meeting with Truxon and Stanley. She is shocked to learn that Rothstern has figured out the network of American freelance spies across Europe, and is conspiring with local governments to have them all arrested. There is also a mysterious agent calling themselves “The Sphinx,” who signs messages with a rubber-stamped red sphinx and adding “U.S.A.” Nicolas thinks she knows who that is. The main mission of the agents is to take a signed draft treaty between the U.S. and Abyssinia (Ethiopia), which is about to be invaded by Italy! But it seems Rothstern knows of this and is making his moves.
But The Sphinx is making his. Nicholas gets trapped by Rothstern on the train to Paris, but is able to elude him in Lyons. There is much danger until we get a confrontation between The Sphinx, revealed to us, and Rothstern and his men. Due to what Rothstern has done, which included the deaths of two of the agent, he puts an end to him. While the treaty gets to the U.S. ambassador, he isn’t happy with The Sphinx’ independent actions. Most of the freelances have been captured, and The Sphinx has built up his own wildcat operation using a network of Armenians.
“The Sphinx Strikes” (Argosy, May 18, 1935) is set about a month later. The Sphinx continues with his own operation, utilizing Maria Nicholas and his network of Armenians, to the dismay of the U.S. ambassador. They are providing to the U.S. various intelligence information, but their big target is there seems to be an American traitor. That is their main target.
As the bad guys from the last two stories are no more, we get a whole new set of baddies for this one. We even get a Japanese baron in the mix. There is an American woman, Anne Warden. Where does she fit in? I did enjoy the codes being used in this one as well.
This is the first time I read a real spy thriller from Bedford-Jones. The John Solomon series had an element of spy fiction, but was more action-adventure. I believe he did other spy stories as well, but they weren’t a major part of his output. Again, I wonder why the series only lasted three stories. What was going on in Europe before WWII might have provided good fodder for stories, but maybe not. But this was another enjoyable series, and I wish it had lasted longer.
