The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-04-05
playing battledore and shuttlecock
with the army One day it was going

|
with the army. One day it was going
| to Havana, the next to Porto Rico,
I Santiago or Cienfuegos, or where-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
! or the latter place the government
had a good deal of information, but
of Havana they were bit shy. In a
| general way they knew, of course, of
the Moro and Cabanes 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
/ 70 IF
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
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
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 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.
Yes, I am Col, Cheney What can
l do for you, Miss Dodge?"'
The young lady (she wasn't over
25) quietly handed him a 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?
$50 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?"
II 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 a full-blooded Span
lard, and speak the language like a
Castilian. From my looks could be
taken for native that is in my ia
vor. Now, Col. Cheney, give me the
chance. I can't do less than fail, and
that costs you nothing If I sue
coed, pay me as my services deserve
You see. colonel, I 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
lady, "And, besides, colonel, l am
| alone in the world. I'm a newspaper
woman and am used to taking care of
myself"