The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-04-17

:Ill attend to everything here. Don't
let there be any delay on your part!"
The secretary hurried away to
make preparations for his departure,
leaving the perturbed ambassador to
prepare his reports. He called a cab
and drove to his apartment, intent on
first telephoning to Miss Roberts. His
man met him at the door and handed
him a letter addressed in a familiar
hand, which he hastily tore open and
read as he stood in the open doorway:
Dear Guy: 1 have been called
away very suddenly, and am going to
my father. He needs me now more
than ever. I cannot alter anything
which 1 told you last night, nor can l
add anything, save to say that some
time, somehow, God willing, we shall
be together again, under circum.
stances where I can tell you all the
truth. 1t will do no good to write to
the old address,; for l shall not be
there. There will be no cal of our
communicating, I fear, for an in
definite time. It is always within tho
realms of possibility, when war is on
a land, that friends may meet
again. If such should be our case, /
pray that you will remember this
even up to the last-I loved you.
Good-by. NORMA"
Stunned by this unexpected missive,
he hurried to the telephone, and in a
fever of haste and anxiety called up
her home, only to be told that she had
departed in the earlier hours of the
morning after receiving a message
presumably from her father. He
could learn nothing further of her. He
was stopped as if by an insurmount.
able wall. He cursed the fate which
separated them and the order which
sent him away without giving time to
see her, and almost in open rebellion
thought for a moment Of refusing to
act as kings courier, resolving rather
to resign from his position and aban-
don his post; but he was bound by
the training of years and the demands
of duty, and at the last moment.
boarded the train which was to take
him from the country and the woman
he loved. l.
And eve as he went the object of
his solicitude was speeding away into
the south on a special train.
The train consisted Of only two
Pullmans and a dining car. Before II.
In its southern flight the way seemed
always open, and hour after hour 1t
rushed onward, drawn by the most
powerful locomotives that could be OBJ
tanned. Norma was the only woman
passenger aboard; all the others were
grim-faced. s%un-tanned men Of the
sea, who had been summoned to Wash.
ington from various navy yards and
ships within the month. OF all on
board she was the only civilian, and
yet the one whom the government
seemed most anxious to transport.
The officers themselves gathered into
little groups, discussing the war
which had opened so abruptly, and
Specializing as to why in such an I'm
portant crisis they had been ordered
from their posts Of duty to report for
further advices and sealed instruc-
tons at 80 unimportant and isolated
seaport as the small one d the
coast Of Florida to which they were
heading.
Another singular feature Of this
journey was that all aboard, from the
distinguished admiral to the junior
lieutenant commander, were, by or
der. in the plainest Of civilian dress,
That It had been the intention Of the
war department to maintain their
identity secret was proved by the com.
ments Of a railway oMcialS who stood
near one Of the coaches while waiting
for q change OF locomotives.
You understand, don't YOU" no
said to a man apparently q train dis.
patcher, standing beside him, "that
this train has the right, Of way ever
Continued next week.)