Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-07-04
A DIPLOMATIC YANKEE
TRICK

The japanese minister at Berlin sat
In his cabinet, evidently waiting for
some one. Presently the door open
ed and man of the Yankee type en-
tered The minister closed the door
himself, looked about him as If re-
Numbering that walls have ears, then
said
Have you your trap completedT
Il have, your excellency."
Very well. 1t Is possible that you
may put 1t to good use. / have secret
information that member of the Ger
man diplomatic staff will leave the for
eign office tonight bearing an impor-
tant proposition to the ear. He will
be dressed In plain costume, such as
a humble citizen might wear. He viii
take a common cab and drive to the
station. II is of supreme Importance
that he be delayed. so that he cannot
communicate either with his own or
the Russian government. have sent
for yol to undertake this task because
you have done better work for me than
even my own countrymen, who are
adopts in such matters. Do you think
you can effect what l desire7"
Il can try, your excellency."
Every well. The messenger goes on
the . O'Clock train. He must leave the
foreign Office about 4:3o. 1t Is now TO-"
looking at his watch. Have you time
enouyh?"
Plenty. your excellency."
At 4:33 p. IN. man left the foreign
Office carrying gripsack. A coach
man eyed him sharply as he had been
eyIng every one who had come on,
ard, driyins. forward, touched his hat,
got down from the box and opened his
cab door he gentleman was passing
on when Ee took ont his watch. turned
end got into the cab The coachman
mornted the box. drawing a long sigh,
IS IL of Infinite relief. and drove as
ordered to the station. He had no
sooner started. however. before be be-
gan to press something under his foot,
rs though pumping. The man within
felt sudden faintness. He had only
time to notice spray coming from a
tube beside him when he lost conscious
ness.
When he came to himself he was ~
Ing on coUch In strange room. He
felt III and dizzy. Calling up all his
strength, he arose and went TO the
door, which he found locked The only
window In the room was far above
him. but he pulled table under it and.
mounting, looked out at wall. He
knew that he had been trapped.
In the ceiling he noticed an oval
place and was wondering what 1t was
when II opened and tray was lower
ell through the aperture on which was
n supper including bottle Of wine.
The opening closed Immediately. and
the prisoner was too absorbed In his
misfortune TO remove the tray from the
no9r hut presently coming to differ
ent state of mind he placed It on Il
table and drank glass of the wine.
The spn rose and set, just how many
times he did not know, while he rn-
mained a prisoner. getting his meals
regularly. AT last he lost something
of his chagrin and ate as usual. He
knew that the necessity for his deten-
ton would In time end and he would
be released. but would not the destiny
of two nations be changed by his i'm
prisonment?
The newspapers OF the world were
full of the letters to the emperors of
Russia and Japan from the president
OF the United States calling on them
In the name of humanity to snd a
struggle that had virtually been fought
to a finish. A telegram In cipher was
sent to the German embassy In Russia,
directing a withdrawal Of n certain
proposition that had been recently
sent, and a messenger was dispatche
to find out why that messenger had
not reported. A reply came from st.
Petersburg that no such proposition
had been received and that the messen-
ger had not been heard of. Then there
was CONSERVATION ON the part of the
foreign office at Berlin. No more i'm
portant message had ever left the for
eign office. Indeed. 1t was so impor-
tant that 1t would not have been ac-
cepted unless written and signed by
the emperor. In the hands of another
power 1t would paralyze all the govern
ment schemes. But there was nothing
to fear on this score. 1t was still In
the messengers hands. Delay only was
the object OF those who had detained
him.
One evening the messenger heard
click In the lock Of his door and try
ing 1t found himself free. In half an
hour he appeared at the foreign Office
and told his story. The police seized
the building In which he had been
held, but never traced the person who
had rented IT,
One morning the Yankee appeared at
the Office OF the Japanese minister In
Berlin and was admitted to his cabi-
net. Again the minister looked about
him as II for ears. His expression was
devoid of pleasure, of fear, of triumph,
indeed, of any emotion.
HAS all gone well. your excellency"
my country has been saved"
ssATav know yOllP secret -