New-York tribune., 1909-10-03
De MOISELLE
BY ROY NORTON
Drawing by Armand Both

L N resumed our walk after a sun-tanned young
officer had halted at the corner OF the Rue BeauN
Arts and Rue Bonaparte and inquired the way to
the Boulevard Saint Michel. " a man who can md
his wav through a camp the blackest night or un-
errngly head toward the oasis in the desert becomes
lost when he IS thrown INTO unacctStolned SuIFou1-
ings The most efficient General have ever known,
a man whose judgment in battle was unerr1nG and
swift made jam Pas at his first presidential rece
ton that nearly caused him disgrace. He blundered
as badly as did Leopard Nillalon. and | when we
we're detached for special duty in America. His
eyes twnI1ed with recollection and he laughed
softly and strOked his white gOatee.
1t was after the Algerian campaign, where We
became known as The Captains Three yes, some
time after Come TO think OF it, had had a some
what trying experience in Washington, had paltlc1-
l4tel in that Spanish Moroccan affair and aSaln
turned TO Paris before were given this singular
duty. mt for detectives and secret service men
than for us, but who may question the ways oi the
French war department, Certainly not !, who know
that it seldom blunders
.ViIalon had become an enthusiast ordnance
and explosives and giving instructions 10 the ca
diets at st. Cyr, | was dancing attendance AT the
Presidents palace and Leopard was chahng under
garrison duty. when we three were summoned to the
war office. We met IN the antechamber and Won
dered what was to answer. In the old days We had
been called on many occasions TO eNpiate reckless
acts of our youth. for | suppose we We're what they
Gale us a trio Of daredeyIs, always slipping along
the elge Of discipline and escaping rating only be
cause We performed eats that would have cost less
fortunate men their lives but we had grown circum-
spect hence vaguely questioned one another as to
the cause OF our summons.
IKE three cuIprits we were ushered into the pres
IL ence of Monsieur Dupr6, no less than the Minis
ter of War. and at sight of him spirits and
we We're convinced that had 10 account for some
exploit our superior officer would have been there
with him.
He smiled and studied us curiouslv as saluteI.
50. he said, you the Captains hree, the men
who by a frightened army of Arabs at SD el
Hama have been rated for dueling and yet time and
again have ventured where other men dared not and
miracu.ously returned. So You are the men
"Nllaon and stood like statues; but Leopard, in
soucant and handsome, had the temerity to laugh
aloud.
''' His Excellency the Minister OF War IS pleased
latter and reprove in the same breath, he SAID,
and laughed again.
Monsieur DuprG ioine1 in motioned us to seats
and we breathed easier His first question terse
and to the point
.. What would the Captains Three think OF an as
signment requiring wit. strategy and earlesSnesS,
IN which others OF national secret service
have taIledl Would they attempt to learn some
thing of which France menacel by the Germans.
stands in need,
There was a clatter of belts a rustling Of uni
forms and before him stood three men who Simulta-
neousy answered, At your service. SIT,
" He smiled at enthusiasm in answering that
call which none may disregard, the summons OF
patriotism
" America he SAID after We had again resumed
our seats has in her possession an explosive more
powerful than any known to another nation in the
world That inventive genius Hudson Maxim has
discovered and developed something that France
must have. So carefully guarded is her secret that
none has been able to gam knowledge of it
FroWnIng mOmentarily at Il bundle of reports he
held IN his hand. he threw them his desk with
gesture of contempt saying So far the Germans
have been no more successful than ourselves We
have learned that this explosive Is manu acttlred in
plant standing IN a Government reservation and
guarded by the employees. assisted bv Il squad of
soldiers. Although accessible no outsider has been
able to enter 1t. We want plans or photographs of
the machinery employed, knowledge of the process