Middletown transcript., 1910-03-26

looking the interior of one OF his
big casting plants, closed it, and
then approached his visitors.
They handed out three cards.
Billy locked at one.
Jiosuke Abo
On special service.
That was all it said. Billy
wilkinson grinned and turned to
Annabel and Codington.
They re spies, he said, exhibit
ing the cards-Japanese spies.
He turned back to the visitors.
What are you after, gentlemen ?
he asked.
Jiosuke Abo nodded gently.
The barrels Of the guns, he init.
mated in a half whisper. We de-
sire to make q test-to arrange to
satisfy.
Why, you nervy chaps ! ex'
claimed Billy. You want to see
| my gun barrels
Our gun barrels, insisted the
emissaries on special service.
We are engineers. Jiosuke Abe
drew from his pocket document
and passed it over to Wilkinson.
wilkinson looked at it and
gasped.
Great Scott he exclaimed, his
face paling as he spoke. You
don't mean to say that my gun
barrels-these gun barrels-are
for you?
They bowed.
Wonderful! The Wilkinson gun
barrel-for Japan
Wilkinson stepped to the phone
and called up Broderson. He
get him just as he was leaving.
You come over here, yelled Billy
through the phone.
Broderson came. He was
somewhat disconnected when he
saw Annabel. He didn't mind
old Codington. Heshad come to
talk business of a certain kind,
but he didn't like to talk it before
Annabel.
Broderson, exclaimed Billy,
are these your people2
They are, replied Broderson.
What of it.
You told me, returned Wilkin.
son, that these gun barrels were
for Uncle Ssm-do you renem-
Der that for Uncle Sam.
Annabel glanced swiftly at
Broderson, and Broderson glanc-
ed at Annabel, for, to him, she
was still a possibility. He paled.
He was going to deny it, but he
didn't.
Wilkinson, he said, producing
q paper, all that you and / need
worry about is that you and ]
made a contrsct-in writing. I'm.
derstand-by which you were to
make this stuff for me. Read
that. Thatdoesn't say anything
about Uncle Sam, does it?
And Stacy-Smith? gasped VIII
kinson.
Does the cantract say anything
about Stacy.Smith?
And it doesn't say anything
about Japan, either, persisted
Wilkinson, and if I had known
He turned to the japanese. You
get out of here, he said in sudden
rage.
But Broderson shook his head
Stay where You are, gentlemen
he said. They stayed.
| And these rife barrels are fol
Japan, went on Billy wilkinson
He stepped suddenly toward Bro
| derson.
Broderson, he said, you .and
are national guardsmen-both o.
us. Nine years ago you and
went up San Juan Hill together
and the Spaniards put a bullet il
my leg. And yet-have you for
| gotten that row of rife barrels
that pointed down toward US like
forefngers of living death? Havt
you? And now, You want me t.
send two hundred and fifty
thousand of my own make, M
make-the Wilkinson gun barre
l-over to the other side so tina
they, too, can NOW down m!
people, my comrades-yoursH B.
George! he suddenly exclaimed
It's treason. Not on your life.
Broderson flushed. Billy, b,
said, there is a plain, simple bust
ness proposition, which will b
upheld in any court in the land
| I ordered so much stuff from you
| J on agreed to furnish it. Will
you furnish it or won't you?
! shall not, said Billy Wllkin
son.
Yes, you will. The voice wa
Tho voico nj Peter ". CodinCtOn