Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-13
The Argus Daily Short Story
A Diplomat.-By Samuel E. Brant.
Copyrighted, 1910. by Associated Literary Press

himself out Oh the Atlantic ocean head
Ing for the Gulf of Mexico. He walk
ed the deck alone. having resolved not
to make single acquaintance. lu the
| afternoon he went to his stateroom for
a nap. and before lying down it occur
red to him to examine his suitcase.
Not that he really expected TO find
evidence of any one having been there,
but simply to satisfy himself that 1t
was as he had left it.
What was his establishment to fin0
avery cigar in the box laid in the same
direction. The one he had placed diff
terently had been reversed.
The discovery took his breath away.
After al. his wife was right. If there
were those on his track who had al
ready shown such skill in hunting for
the document. what more would they
do? Instinctively he clapped his hand
to his breast pocket. The dispatch
was there. But he did not feel az
sured that It would be there when he
arrived at Vera Cruz. He vowed that
no one should during the passage come
within arms length of him.
He mapped I'm his berth and read a
novel which he had brought with him
during the afternoon and evening, not
leaving his Stateroom. The next morn
ing he passed Cd deck. He expected
every moment that some man would
attempt 10 make his acquaintance. No
man did. but a very pretty young wo-
man sitting in n steamer chair looked
at him as he passed her and cast down
fSh iyln
he passed in pacing back and forth
she gave him the same glance and the
same downward sweep. He suspected
her at once aud put himself on his
guard
With the exception os the Spanish
woman there was nc evidence of any
person or persons shadowing him. But
on the second day out an Old lady with
very white hair came up III? cumpan-
ionway and looked about for Il seat.
The ship was rolling. and Maitland.
taking hold of her arm. supported her
to a steamer chair. She thanked him.
but he would have nothing TO do with
her. Surely he had reason to suspect
every one. The old lady besides thank
ing him made some commonplace re-
mark. to which it would have been po-
lite for him to respond, but he turned
from her as though she had some in
fictitious disease.
Several times after that he surveyed
her from a distance and noticed that
she looked very peculiar. Indeed, after
scrutiniZing her one afternoon as she
sat doing in her steamer chair it &C.
Cured to him that she was a young
person disguised as an old woman
When the day before the ship was
due at Vera Cruz he saw her and the
young Spanish woman sitting side by
side and talking contdentially he made
up his mind that they had been sent
out from Washington to steal his dis
patch and that one or both of them had
already opened his suit case. Prob
ably one did the work while the other
kept watch.
A few hours before his arrival in port
Maitland went to his stateroom, took
the dispatch from his pocket and look
ed at it. He felt very happy. II he
had got it so far on the journey despite
those who were trying TO get it from
him surely he could do what little re-
manned. Replacing It, he picked up his
CISdTGlle case, WHICH he HdO leII On u
shelf, lighted a cigarette and. lying
down with his novel, began to read.
He soon became drowzy and fell asleep.
When he awoke the ship was in port |
He felt nauseated. Something had |
happened. He clapped his hand to his |
side pocket.
The dispatch was gone.
Beaten after ALL" he moaned.
Starting up, he staggered out and on |
to the. deck. No one had gone ashore. |
A lasthope occurred to him. He would |
have the two women arrested on q
trumped up charge. There they were
near the companionway. he rushed |
forward and, seeing policeman on
the dock, beckoned to him. The man
met him on the companionway. and
Maitland, slipping ten dollar bill into
his hand, told him that there were two
women thieves on board who had rob-
bed him. When the women reached
the dock they were taken into custody.
They made great ado at their arrest,
asserting their innocence.
'T am an American said the old |
lady, "and demand TO be taken before
the United States consul"
81 iii |