The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1911-08-26
Secret Service
Specter
BY WILLS BEACH
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

AlGC Nh1Lor WAGa Wv 0ImY
was a soldier by the name of Higgins
He had become stagestruck when auts
young and had Joined the supers In .
theater. He had never risen as an Ar.
tor, but bad been put In charge Of tia
properties. From the theater he had
gone forth as an assistant to a prest.
digitator and become sufficiently er.
pert to take his principals place ii
case Of necessity. The pres~tidigItatr
died, and Higgins was stranded. Thea
he enlisted in the army.
When the allied forces were working
their way up to the walls of Picking an
American general wished for a secre.
service man to go forward and recon.
hotter. 1t was desirable to know what
distractions were In the way, WHERE
were the entrances. etc. No one could
be found to undertake the work till 4,
was mentioned to Higgins, who said
that II he could get certain articles
from the ordnance department and cer.
tain materials from other sources b
would undertake to bring the informs.
ton. He succeeded in gaining wha.
he wanted and. dressing himself In q
fantastic costume, started forth on foo.
for the city.
Walking along a road with no other
weapon than a light cane. be met
party of Chinese Boxers. Since Hlg.
gins was coming from the direction Of
their enemies the Cinnamon were dis
posed to chop him up at once, but
they couldn't understand his queer
costume. There is not a more super.
stitious race In the world than the
Chinese unless il is certain low grade
Mohammedans. As the Boxers ap
preached Higgins. seeing him come
right along without fear. their courage
began to ooze out at their finger ends
They stopped and waited for him to
come up. Higgins tossed a little
sphere as big as u marble among them.
which exploded. and, though II did no
harm, II scattered them. They turn
ed and saw the stranger marching on
silently Ike a specter. He raised bis
hat. and every hair on his head stcod
straight up. That took what courage
there was In them, and he saw them
no more.
The next lot Of Boxers he met were
holder. They blocked the road and
cried out something in Chinese which
Higgins didn't understand. Higgins
stopped One Of the Cinnamon advanc.
cd, while the others skunk back. When
he got within a few yards OF the
strange apparition It drew an imsgE
nary circle Of fire about It with the
end OF It's cane.
The advancing man retreated on bis
supports.
One Of the Boxers now brought a gun
10 his shoulder and fred at Higgins
II was a close call for the soldier. for
the bullet whistled within an inch Of
his ear. Had not the Boxer who fired
been affected by superstition he would
probably have killed his Higgins
didn't lose his presence Of mind, but
turned the incident TO his advantage
He stood with his lips parted and
drawn so that his enemies could see
the ball they had fred held between
his teeth. Then. taking It in bis hand
he threw It among them. Had DO
thrown a hand grenade he couldn't
have scattered them effectually.
Higgins was now getting near the
walls OF the city and began to use bis
eyes. He also made notes and draw
ings. He had a-pocket glass with hin
and found IT valuable. While be was
gazing a party OF Chinese horsemen
swept down on him. Though puzzled
at his appearance. they kept on. Hig'
gins faced them and. opening Dis
mouth, began to pull linked sausages
from his mouth by the yard. Tbs
stopped them. but when the apparition
drew back a few yards and the China
mems hunger had conquered then
fears so far as to enable them to 90
forward to devour the precious meal
the sausages exploded In their faces
Turning toward Higgins. they saw
him Economically splitting fire at them
This was too much for their equanin-
ity, and they ran.
Higgins now advanced as near as DO
dared to the walls OF the city. made
some valuable observations and thea
turned his face toward camp. On DIS
way back the road was lined here ana
there at a distance by Cinnamon who
had witnessed the horrible magic ana
though curious, did not dare come ven
near. BY the time he was nearing the
end OF his journey quite a crowd was
following him. When they came TOO
e a he would draw a circle Of dame
with his cane or spit fire at them.
Then the specter. or whatever =
was, appeared to grow-at least is
legs did-until at every step It gained
a couple Of yards. It continued 70
breathe out fire. and as the darkness
came on Its hat seemed to be contin'
ually burning without being consumer
And so marched the Illuminated giant
the pounfrv round ahnut filed VIII