The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-30

fcantly.
looked back at the Bavarian before
| demanding
put before mes"
Until I know that you accept" he
demurred.
II do not know that you are accred-
tied reminded him.
| 'lsWhat authority do you require?"
The imperial autograph simply. p"
impossible. -
my employers, I returned decidedly.
! tions - -...
'That is inal7''
cit is final. H..
"Then am afraid I can only ask
you to forget that I have occupied so
much of your time.
allowed Keller to rise and take
his departure without making the least
sign. The moment he was out Of
hearing l sprang to the telephone and
! rang up the agent of the sugar trust.
Herr Kehler's refusal to produce the
! guarantee for which asked convinced
me that he contemplated some action
OF character doubtful, to say the
| least, II not criminal. ,E= -,
1t would have been useless for me
to communicate my. suspicious to the
plomacy of the United States, blunt
and self-reliant, takes little account of
the subterranean intrigue which per-
vades European politics. But the gov
eminent Of Washington was not the
only factor concerned. AS Europe is
beginning to learn, the union is fed
Grafton not so much Of those geograph-
zeal divisions which are painted in diff
ferent colors on the map and called
states, but of those vast organizations
OF capital which control the American
electoral system and fill the senate with
MIA, virginia, illinoisNthesse are mere
ly names for school children; the sill
yer ring, the steel trust, the cotton
trust, the pork trust-such are the true
American powers. -
During the whole Of the Cuban ne
gotlatlon the sugar and tobacco trusts
had been represented by agents whose
object it was to avert an annexation
Of Cuba by the United States, an act
which would, Of course, mean the free
admission of Cuban sug ar and tobacco
into the markets. Adoniiah B. Stear-
inc, the sugar agent, was a shrewd
man, and [ had no doubt I should find
him ready listener to what I had to
say. ...-
Within an hour of Kehler's depar-
ture Mr.. Stearine was seated in my
fnT had ho pick fbe my wGrds
crecy into which I had been beguiled.
- have just seen a secret agent who
wanted me to help him in some trick
to force, on war between the states
and Spain.''
stearine rolled his eyes and whistled
"Who sent him9'
- can't say. He refused to dis
close his principal, and 50 I would have
nothing to do with him. .~S "
The sugar agent pursed up his lips
II guess this is dodge of Bugg s."
| ...What Bugg?" '...
. "You don t say you haven't heard
OF Bugg-Milk W. Bugg, the pork
trust s man over here9 reckon Bugg
IS the smartest man in Chicago, and
Ghleago ad is the the smartest town the
country on earth; so there you are.''
1.-The man who came to me is a Ger
man., [ limited.
"Bugg's smartness,' was the com
ment.
from Berlin.'' f[-E
q, Bugg is real smart - breathed Mr..
Stearine with admiration.
1t was evident that the agent of the
sugar trust was unable to see past
the figure OF his rival, which filled up
his mental horizon. 1 did not consider
it worth while to argue the point.
',Ihe question is Do ytu want this
to be stopped9' I said. :
,Stearine looked at me with something
like surprise.
briefly. aueS'ioneo
81 know the man who is at work.
| can shadow him and find out what
he is doing.'
"Yo9 will have to be almighty quick
ABOUT it, retorted the other. "When
did this man get away?'
HOnly an hour ago.
Mr.. Stearine gazed at me with a dis
concerning. scrutiny. Then he remarked
slowly and emphatically: ..
III this is Bugg's game, and You
have given him an hour Is start, I cal
eulate he, will be opening a store in
Havana this day six months.O ~ *
everything, to gain by a war by which
the sugar trust had everything to lose.
But, in spite of Mr.. Stearine's CON
fident assurances, I continued to have
my own opinion about the power behind
"Do you want me to actg'' I de-
manded briefly. ~
II want you to take hand-ves::''
The sugar agent took out his pocket
book and. counted out bills to the
amount Of $4,000. "You can play up
to that,' he added, "and then YOU can
let me know how the game stands. |
guess I shall buy pork consols.''
With this discouraging observation,
Stearine left. --.-
= It did not take me long to decide on
my plans. AS it was not likely that
| Keller was apprehensive of being