The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1903-07-10
IN CLOSE QUARTERS.

.tcf ohkt &c UNI
companion of men who follow my
business said the old secret service
man. Eve know not at what hour
We may be called upon to face death
in a violent form. But We get used to
experiences Of this nature, and learn
to keep a cool head on our shoulders
and to think quickly.
Occasionally a secret service man
loses his life while performing his
duty, but that Is not often the case.
/ remember that. a number Of years
ago, a young nan who had had more
or less experience as q detective Sc
cured a position in the service
through political influence more
than through any ability.
Gle was supercilious to a degree
and ma%nifcstly desired to make a
hero Of himself in short order.
Rounding up defrauders or mail
riiers was too commonplace to suit
his fancy. lie wanted something ex-
citing; something extremely haz-
ardous. he declared. So he al sent
down into Tennessee to chase moon
sinners.
"Wc learned that he reached his
destination in safety. but after that
one Of two things happened. lie
either abandoned hi, mission and en-
gagged in Illicit di.iilling on his own
hook. or. what j.. far more likely. he
was given q midnight funeral and a
lonely grave on some mountainside.
At all events. We eve heard from
him again.
1T j.. strange" continued the vet
Gran Of the service. that secrets.
however carefully guarded, will
sometime, leak out, remember on
n occasion | was in .carch Of a man
wanted for robbiug the mail.. | had
been selected for the job because !
wa. an absolute stranger TO the mar
and hi, friends. end could freely
minglc with the latter without being
recognized or suspected
within an hour after receiving
my order. ! took 4 train out Of Chi.
cago for a western city. from where
was to take a ~circuitous route to an,
other place. where ! was expected to
pick up some clcws upon which ia
proceed.
But before | had travelled 30
miles from Chicago | received a tele'
gram from my chief informing me
that the maj | wanted had just ar
rived in a certain small city in Iowa.
A new code. which We had but recent.
~ adopted. was made use Of by the
writer Of the message, and ii seemed
impossible that anyone on the out
side could know anything about my
business.
$50 | Immediately took another
train for the town mentioned. ] had
been furnished with a minute de,
scription and several photographs Of
the mar | was after, and was positiv,
! would recognize him as soon as
saw him.
"As the train was pulling into the
station | took a position on the plat.
form Of the rcar EAR. and before tn,
train stopped scanned the faces oil
all those at the station. as ! thought
it possible my man might be plan.
ming to take the anne train out OF
town and might slip aboard without
my seeing him.
'While ] was thus engaged heard
some one climb upon the platform
behind me and, turning. had tn,
pleasure of looking down the muzzlC
of a big revolver and of recognizing
the man behind the gun MS the mar
/ was seeking.
"'Iou don't want TO get of here,
he said. 'Iou want to 90 on
"'All right said !, IN go on,
And | Gid, He stood guarG over me
until the train had gained consider.
able speed and then he dropped oil.
waving his hand at me as a token Of
farewell.