The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1911-09-30
CHAPTER II.
MIR. Campbell and the Cable.

JUST as 1t IS one man 9 business 10
manufacture watches. and another
mans business to peddIe shoe-strings,
so it was Mr.. CampbelIs 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 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 it he did
know.
In person Mr. Campbell was not IN
like retired grocer who had shaken
the butter and eggs from his soul and
settled back to enjoy a life of placid
idleness. He was a little beyond mid
die age. pleasant of face, white of
hair, and blessed with guileless blue
eyes. His genius had no sparkle to
it; it consisted solely of detail and
system and indefatigability. coupled
with memory that was well nigh in
orderly as a cash register; one almost
expected to hear it click.
He sat at his desk intently studying
a 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, a little above the
average height, with regular features
and nstless, purposeless eyes re-
plea of a hundred other young men
who dawdle idly in the windows Of
their clubs and watch the world hurry
by. His manner was, Ianguid: his
dress showed fastididus care
Sentence by sentence hekbewiIder-
| 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 list1ess; eyes narrowed little, that
was all. 1t was a special despatch
| from Lisbon dated that morning, and
signed simply "Gault'' Completely
translated it 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
| trail 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 I learned of
it by underground. Shall I inform our
minister? Cable Instructions
| so much!" commented Mr.. Camp
bell.
He. clasped his hands behind his
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 a
third.
If" he observed slowly, eff any 9TH
er man than 'Gault had sent that 1
should have said he was crazy
The peace OF the world is in peril,
Mr.. Grimm" said Campbell impress
sively. at last 1T had to come, of
course, the United States and Eng
land against large part of Europe
| and all of Central and South America.
| It had to come and yet
He broke on abruptly, and picked
up the receiver of his desk telephone.
THE White House, please he re-
ouested CURLY, and then, after a mo-
ment: Hello! Please ask the presi-
dent If he will receive Mr.. Campbell
| Immediately. Yes, Mr.. Campbell OF
the Secret Service" There was q
| pause. Mr. Grimm removed his i'm
maculate person from the desk, and
| took a chair. Hello! In half an hour?
So muchi"
The pages of the Almanac de Gotha
| huttered through his fingers, and final
IL he leaned forward and studied q
paragraph Of it closely. When he
raised his eyes again there was that
IN them which Mr. Grimm had never
seen before-a settled, darkening
shadow.
1.-THE world.war has long been q
chimera, Mr. Grimm" he remarked az
last, but noW-nowI Think Of it! OF
course, the Central and South Ameri-
can countries, taken separately, are
inconseGuential, and that is true, too,
OF the Latin countries of Europe. ex-
cept France, but taken in combination,
under one directing mind, the allied
nayies would be-would be formid-
able, at least Backed by the moral
support of Germany, and perhaps ia
PAN Don't you see? Don't you
seer"
He Iapsed into silence. Mr. Grimm
opened bis lips to ask question
Mr. Campbell anticipated It unerr-
ingiy:
.aThe purpose OF such an allisnce7