Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-09-22
so1opoSoeoeos
0soSoSOSoSOso o%OSOeosOSoSc
70 o.
o& sc
S SECRET SERVICE 5 !;
0A Nc
8 RoaoAoAoAo&o o&o&oAoAoSo&o
q 0 q 40 OAO 70 o Ga OSOA OAOSOAOA

he declared would give him the requisite
opportunity.
His one desire was to serve his country
by the dicovery of some ingenious plan
to rob France of the copyright in her mil
itary dCfenSeS, and his appointment as
detective was not week old when he
saw his chance.
He discovered a spy. The subject was
in appearance Niquctre's ideal redoubt
spy. or middle height, with bent back
and jcrky, irregular gait, his keen gray
eyes shot flashes of intelligence from the
cover of thick lashes and shaggy brows.
His long, untrimmed white hair rose and
fell with the old mans erratic movements
or played with the breeze when its owner
stood for awhile, suggesting an innocence
that did not for one moment mislead
Niquetre.
Had he not perceived q paper in one
hand and a pencil in the other? And, al
though the old man did not make 81 mark
or jot Il note while he strollcd with ap-
parent aimleSsness about Fort d'Ivry, yet
did not Niquctre see the pencil fly over
the paper before he had left the redoubt
half mile behind?
The old man then went to the railway
station and entered a train. Viquetre
had only time to enter an adjoining car
riage. But there he lost his spy.
\ week later Niquetre was on the
platform of the station, when he espied
his runaway suspect entering first class
carriage. NiQuetre, not to be done a
second time, followed him rs the train
started and quietly sat down by the door.
His victim was already ensconced on the
opposite seat at the farther end of the
carriage, clean sheet of paper spread
open in one hand, n pencil in the other.
lie made no sign of observing Viquetre's
entry.
'IIe is wrapped in his thoughts" men
tally exclaimed the detective. 81 wish
had mirror that would reflect them"
AS if in answer to his desire, his COM
panion spoke.
Yes; Fort d'Ivry will do, after ALL"
Viquetre started. For n moment he
thought the remark was addressed to
him, but a glance at the old man seated
in the corner, buried in reflection, proved
that he was unwttingly giving voice to
his thoughts.
The train paused at Les Batignollcs.
EiQuetre, to give his companion conf
dence, feigncd sleep. The train pursued
it's journey; the old man his reflections.
Eyes; Fort d'Ivry shall be the scene.
The exterior can picture with ease
You recOnnoitered it long enough the
other day." NiIuetre interrupted mental
ly.
But how to gain the necessary detail
of the interior?
eco on" thought ViQuetre. Il pray
You reveal Your scheme for stealing a
plan of the interior of the fort. 1t will be
so cOnSiderate of you and so convenient
to me-"
The train brought up at Courcelles and
steamed away again.
Il must get permission to go inside,
suppose" continued the old man, still
meditating.
"If you can" mentally responded Vi
Quetrc.
''The MARIE could not give it, l suppose
or | know | could persuade him. Why
will the government put such barriers in
the way of knowledge? n novelist Of
repute should be allowed to roam at
will. His profession demands it. All
information is necessary to his work, and
he should have every facility for accumu-
lating it without risk or trouble. If l at
tempted to gain even most superficial
acquaintance with the internal construc-
ton of Fort dIvry, should be arrested
on suspicion of being a spy"
Niquetre opened his eyes and stared
wondcringly at the old man in the cor
ner. Had he, after all, made a huge mis-
take? Was this shabby veteran a novel;
list of rcputc merely anxious to lay the
scene of a comic novel of Fort dIvry?
But almost Immediately Viquetre's
cunning-which he had adopted with his
profcsSion-came to his aid.
''IIe is not ignorant of my presence, as
he assumes to be-" he thought quickly.
He even suspects my buiness and is doing
his utmost to throw me off the scent.
Well. Let him try! He has met a dog
with very keen scent for his profession
al age"
"Ah, WE'LL" muttered the old man re-
Signedy. Il suppose / shall have to
present myself to the minister of war and
persuade them to give me pass to the
fort It's lot of trouble that ought new
or to be imposed upon a busy novelist,
and | shall make it my business to tell
them So"
Viquetre chucklcd silently. The train
stopped at Porte Maillot as the old man
the compartment.
NlNtilt HtSlluttu. liz Coulu iOL
rest his companion then without grave
risk of failing to prove his charge. He
decided to follow him, and as he rose to
do so his eye caught paper on the oppo-
site seat of the carriage where his fellow
traveller had been sitting.
lie made a dash for it and as he
alighted unfolded it and recognized it at
once as La Revue Illustree DIES Bellies
I Thnrn n lifn sim rtrai
on the front page.
mon Dieu!" he exclaimed as he stood
on the platform staring Mt it. 1T is a
likeness of the old man! He is a novel
list, after all. Gle is NJ. Honore st.
Jacqucs"'
And he read the name under the pic
ture that was headed "Our Greatest Liv-
ing Novelist"
What an ass am!' exclaimed vi
quetre, with charming candor.
y month later this report was freely
circulated and credited:
'"rhere now remains no doubt that the
man calling himself IIonore st. Jacques,
who received permission to inspect Fort
d1Vry and other redoubtS, was an i'm
postor and spy, and that the plans he
managed to abstract are now at the
mercy of another country's diplomacy.
The rogue bore such close resemblance
In dress and person to our great novelist
that the war minister may be forgiven
his mistake. but surely our detectives
should have scented something amiss!
Can they EXPLAIN"
Maxine Niquctrc wisely did not make
the Observation-Disclosures
Forcing Her Into 1t,