Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-03-23

Il
with the army. One day it was going
to Havana, the next to Porto Rico,
Santiago or Cienfuegos, or There-not.
| Cevera was at large on the high seas,
and until he was cOralled the army
couldn't go any place. And this war
board wanted information about all
! these places, and Cheney was told to
get it. With these multitudinous de-
| tails piling on his shoulders his time
was occupied for about 20 hours out
of each "a.
! In his own mind he was convinced
that the army movement would be
either against Havana or Santiago.
Of the latter place the government
had a good deal of information, but
of Havana they were bit shy. In
general way they knew, of course, Of
the MORO and Cabanas forts, but of
the movement of troops, etc., since
the war broke out they were ignorant.
Havana could be attacked by the navy
! from the sea, and an army could come
up in rear of the city from Batabano,
40 miles away. Would the Spanish
army be ready for such movement?
! This was the information Cheney
wanted to get. He had numerous
civilian employees and officers of the
army under his command, but just
the right person did not appear. He
was not hampered for funds and
could pay any price for this informa-
ton. He offered a thousand dollars
or more to several men. Three of
them tried it, but the Spaniards were
very alert around Havana and naught
came of the attempts.
The first man got to Batabano all
right, and then his feet became cold
and he came back The second tried
i to get in from the sea side, but
failed. The third man, bright Irish
man named Murphy, landed at Matan-
zas and approached Havana from the
east. He got in the city, but nothing
more was ever heard of him. Pre-
sumably he was captured, tried as a
spy and shot Spain treated spies
differently than America-she shot
them We kept them prisoners. fed
| them on the fat of the land and after
three months let them go.
One morning, about the 10th of
May, Cheney sat in his Office in the
Tampa Bay hotel, when a card was
| brought to him.
Miss Frances Dodge" he read.
wonder what woman wants with
me? Show her in
"You are Col Cheney?" The colonel
looked up and found himself gazing
into pair of very pretty black eyes.
The face and figure that went with
them, too, were beautiful. The woman
looked like Spaniard.
Eyes, I am Col. Cheney. What can
do for you, Miss Dodge?"
The young lady (she wasn't over
25) quietly handed him letter.
"Sit down, won't you, please?" he
said, as he broke the seal. Miss
Dodge seated herself demurely and
waited for the colonel to finish the
letter He read it through once, and
| then again. The letter was from the
secretary of war, introducing Miss
Frances Dodge, who was DESTROYS Of
entering the secret service, and who
the secretary thought could be Of
great use to Col Cheney. Cheney had
used women in his detective service
company many times, and they had
done good work, but in war he failed
to see where they could be used. And
this one, this pretty little dark-haired
and black-eyed bit of femininity-
what could she do in this conflict Of
men?
80 you want to enter the secret
service, Miss Dodge?" said Cheney,
with an almost patronizing smile.
Eyes, Colonel, I do" The answer
was tense and earnest and the voice
soft and low.
"And what do you want to do,
pray?"
Il want to go to Havana" Her red
lips parted, showing even white teeth,
and she leaned forward slightly.
''You want to go where?", almost
gasped Cheney.
| Havana, senior"
''And what do you want to do
there?" said the colonel, noting the
Spanish used.
| ''Senor Ell Colonel" answered Miss
Dodge, rising and leaning over his
desk, you want information about
Havana; you have sent men and they
have failed; now send a woman, she
won't fail. Wait, please, colonel"
seeing Cheney was about to interrupt
MY mother was full-blooded Span
lard, and I speak the language like
Castilian. From my looks I could be
taken for native; that is in my ia
vor. Now, Col Cheney, give me the
chance. | can't do less than fail, and
that costs you nothing. If I sue
coed, pay me as my services deserve.
You see, colonel, need the money"
''But, my dear Miss Dodge" expos
tulated the colonel. think of the dan
ger attendant upon such an undertake
ing! Men have failed as you say"
"A woman hasn't" interrupted the