The Paonia progressive and the Paonia newspaper., 1911-06-08
CHAPTER u.
Mr.. Campbell and the Cable.

Mr.. Campbell and the Cable.
Just as 1t is pne mans business to
manufacture watches. and another
mans business to peddle shoe-strings.
20 1t was Mr.. Campbell's business to
know things. He was a human card
index. a governmental ready reference
posted to the minute and backed by
all the tremendous resources Of a ma
ton. From the little. office in the Sc
cret Service Bureau. where he sat day
after day, radiating threads connected
with the huge outer world. and en-
abled him to keep a firm hand on the
diplomatic and departmental pulse OF
Washington. Perhaps he came near
er knowing everything that happened
there than any other man living; and
no man realized more perfectly than
he Just how little of all of 1t he did
know
In person Mr. Campbell was not un-
like a retired grocer who had shaken
the butter and eggs from his soul and
settled back to enjoy a life Of placid
idleness. He was little beyond mid
die age. pleasant Of face. white OF
hair. and blessed with guileless blue
eyes. His genius had no sparkle to
It: II consisted solely Of detail and
system and indefatigability. coupled
with a memory that was well nigh In
fallible. His brain was as serene and
orderly as a cash register: one almost
expected to hear IT click.
He sat at his desk intently studying
q cable despatch which lay before him.
1t was In the Secret Service code.
Leaning over his shoulder was Mr..
Grimm-the Mr.. Grimm of the bureau.
Mr.. Grimm was an utterly different
type from his chief. He was younger.
perhaps thirty-one or two. physically
well proportioned, little above the
average height, with regular features
and listless. purposeless eyes a re-
pIica of a hundred other young men
who dawdle idly in the windows Of
their clubs and watch the world hurry
by. His manner was languid; his
dress showed fastidious care.
Sentence by sentence the bewilder-
ing intricacies of the code gave way
before the placid understanding of
Chief Campbell. and word by word.
from the chaos of it, a translation
took ineligible form upon a sheet
Of paper under his right hand. Mr..
Grimm. looking on. exhibited only a
most perfunctory interest in the ex-
traordinary message he was reading;
the listless eyes narrowed little. that
was all. 1t was a special despatch
from Lisbon dated that morning. and
signed simply "Gault" Completely
translated II ran thus:
Secret offensive and defensive al
lance of the Latin against the Eng
disappearing nations of the world is
planned. Italy. France. Spain and
two South American republics will
soon sign compact in Washington.
Proposition Just made to Portugal.
and may be accepted. Special en-
voys now working In Mexico and Cen
tral and South America. Germany in
vited to Join. but refuses as yet, CIV
ing. however. tacit support; attitude
OF Russia and Japan unknown to me.
Prince Benedetto d'Abruzzi. believed
to be in Washington at present, has
absolute power to sign for Italy,
France and Spain. Profound secrecy
enjoined and preserved. learned of
It by underground. Shall inform our
minister? Cable Instructions
so much!" commented Mr.. Camp
bell
He clasped his hands behind his
head, lay back in his chair and sat
for a long time. staring with steadfast,
thoughtful eyes into the impassive
face of his subordinate. Mr.. Grimm
perched himself on the edge of the
desk and with his legs dangling read
the despatch a second time. and
third
IT." he observed slowly. ''if any 9TH
or man than Gault had sent that /
should have said he was crazy"
The peace Of the world is in peril.
Mr.. Grimm" said Campbell impress
siyely. at last 1T had to come, OF
course, the United States and Eng
land against a large part of Europe
and all of Central and South America.
1t had to come. and yeti"
He broke of abruptly. and picked
up the receiver of his desk telephone.
"The White House. please" he re-
quested curtly. and then, after a mo-
ment: Hello Please ask the presi-
dent II he will receive Mr.. Campbell