Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-18
DAILY. STORY.
a DIPLOMATIC YANKEE TRICK.
lOriginal1

| by Admiral Togo in theisea OF japan.
| 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 completed"
| Il have, your exCeliency."
| every we'll 1t is, possible that you
may put it to good use. l have secret
| information that a member of the Ger
| man diplomatic staff will leave the for
eign office tonight bearing an impOr-
| tant proposition to the car. He Will
| be dressed in plain. costume, such as
a humble citizen might wear. He will
| take common cab and drive to the
station 1t is, of supreme Importance
| that he be delayed, so that he cannot
| communicate either with his own or
| the Russian government. l have sent
| for YOU to undertake this task because
| YOU have done tbetter work for me than
even my OWN countrymen. who are
adopts in SUCH matters. Do you think
| youSan effect what | desiref'
II can try, your excelency."
every wen. The messenger goes on
the o'clock train. He must leave the
foreign office about 4 80. 1t is now TO-"
looking mt his watch. 'Have you time
enough?"
PLENTY. your eXcellency.'
AT 4:35,p. m. aSman left the foreign
office carrying al gripsack. A coach
man eyed him sharply as he had been
ewing every one who had come on,
and driving forward. touched his hat.
got down from, the box and opened his
cab door The gentleman was passing
on when he took out his watch. turned
and gotN into the fcab. The coachman
mountedSthe box, Bdrawing long sigh.
as if of infinite relief, and drove as
ordered to the station. He had no
sooner started, however before he be-
gan to press something under his foot.
as though pumping. The man within
felt q sudden faintnesS. He had only
time no notice spray coming from a
tube beside htm.when he lost conscious
ness.
Whenthe came tothimself he was ly-
ing on alcouch in atStrange room. He
felt ill and dizzy. Calling up all his
strength. he arose and went to the
door, which hen found locked. The only
window i'll tlsa room was far above
him. but he pulled table under it and,
mounting, looked out at a wall. He
knew that he had been strapped.
In the ceiling he noticed an oval
place and was wondering what it was
when it opened' andI tray was lower
ed through the aperture on which was
a supper. Including, bottle OF wine.
The opening closed Immediately. and
the prisoner was NtOO absorbed in his
misfortune to remove the tray from the
floor. but presently, coming to Il differ
ent state of mind he placed 1t on n
table and drank glass of the wine |
The sun rose and set, just how many |
times he did not know, while he re-
manned 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 lend q /
struggle that had virtually been! fought |
TO a finish. \ telegram in cipher was
sent to the German embassy intRusSia,
directing Il withdrawal of AZ certain
proposition that had been recently |
sent, and a messenger was dfspa tched
to find out why that messenger had
not reported. A reply came from St
Petersburg that no such proposition |
had been received and thattthe 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 it would not have been ac- II
cepted unless written and signed by Il
the emperor. In the hands of another
power it would paralYZe an the govern
ment schemes. But there was nothing II
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 q
click In the lock of his door and try
ing it 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 IL 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"
MAY 1 know your secret?'
You have earned a knowledge OF 1t.
When I sent for you 1 had been in
n6 No |