davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening world., 1912-09-26
RR-|-H!PHUT!PHUT!
MURDER THE SLEEP
HEPAyS HIGH FOR
Won't Court Please Stop Don
key Engines Turkey Trot
on Mr.. Tiles Nerves.
FORTY WlNKS DELAYED.
Scales of Justice Too Full to
Take Up Charge Against
New York Central.
FORTY WlNKS DELAYED.

n Benjamin p. Tilt President Of the
Shosnix SILK Company. lies down In
his cosy bed. in his handsomely fur
nishsd and expensive apartment at
Madison avenue and Forty-fourth
street. for the purpose Of enjoying n
good nights rest. this 10 what hap
pens:
A big steam driii. used on the con-
Osruction OF the New York Central
Railroads new hotel. between Forty
third and Fourty-fourth streets on
Madison avenue, emits a continuous
'R-r-e-rr-rip-rip!'
An engine that raises and lowers
heavy pieces OF material on a crane
turns loose It's voice into the night
With q steady and uproarious "Phut-
phut-phut-phutv'
Transfers shout to horses.
workmen drop pieces OF iron.
Various machines snort. fret. rattle
ana throb.
Mr.. Tilt feels as though the stoam
drill were boring a hole in his head;
shst the hoisting enssne were dancing a
turkey trot' on his chest and that the
various other noise-producing things ut
the new hotel site were having Mardi
Gras right under his nose.
AAHA >Astn~ ~ ne 0rRlH
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

think somebody's feelings will be in
jured. Somebody Is going to be badly
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

from his clothing a fiat package, and
handed 1t to the colonel, who received
1t with a Quizzical smile.
Never mind any explanations
said the old soldier. Il have been
given a little advance explanations
concerning you. You are the secret
service messengers who we're to
bring me certain orders and instruc.
lions In q cipher that no foreign spy
could translate without the aid of q
chisel. If you got through and
brought me the papers safely, I was
to learn the COMPOUNDED cipher, and
adopt it for future correspondence. II
you didn't get through | was to re.
port the fact with deep regrets. Cor,
rect, isn't it?'
Eyes, colonel"
Have much trouble getting here?"
"a trife, colonel"
The old fellow chuckled. "a triie,
Ell? I'll bet It was more than a trihe.
Good game boys, both of you. This
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08
CHAPTER XVI.

Colonel Lewis, under whose com
mand both the Fourth and Sixth cav
airy We're temporarily guarding the
border, was a soldier Of the old school,
white of mustache and hair, erect
and stately despite his sixty years and
more, and possessed of but one great
grievance In ljfe-that did not
happen often enough to really keep
him busy. AS a boy he had blown a
bugle when the very regiments he
now commanded swept into the fight
at the battles of the Shenandoah Val
ley. The war over, he had been sent
to West Point to put the finishing
polish upon an education acquired in
actual campaigning. Graduating in
1869, he had fought Sioux, C~heyennes,
ComanChes and Apaches; he battled
In twenty states, and received five
wounds in action. In 1898 he served
con%spicuously at San Juan Hill; then,
transferred to the Philippines, he won
honOrs and promotions in LuZOn and
Samar. The old gentleman was now
commanding two whole regiments and
two batteries Of light artillery-the
largest force ever assembled under his
personal direction. Counting in the
stormy days of his bugling boyhood,
Colonel Lewis must have taken part in
200 fights, and yet he was unsatis-
fed.
"Confound it ALL" he growled to his
II nSInc Atfhnrn Il a pnyang
once-I forget his name, but I read
about him at the Point-who took
part in one thousand battles, and per-
sonally killed one thousand barbara
ans. That fellow had some enjoyment
out Of mis- life. In his time, there was
fighting to be done, real fighting, con-
ing to you all the time, and you didn't
have to sit around doing nothing or
watching a yellow old river for fear
somebody might declare himself In on
some graft that the other fellow had
barely overlooked. Those were the
happy days. young men, those were
the happy days!"
The colonel, having just returned from
San Antonio to the cavalry camp be-
low Ell Paso, was In a grumpy mood,
somewhat augmented by memories Of
the times when he had fought three
battles with the Lipan Indians not
fifty miles from his present location.
There's one thing" he grumbled,
chat | deeply regret about those fights
with the Lipans. I killed too many
of 'em, and scared the rest away. II
I had gone a little slow about 1t, and
not played hog, they might have last
ed till the present time, and l might
go right out this morning and chase
them over the river. Well, Conroy,
what do you want?"
The old trooper saluted. "Couple
OF young fellows to see you, colonel.
They've been here two days waiting
for you, sir. Blamed good ball play
ers, too, both Of EN-"
What the blazes do I care about
their ball playing? Tell EN- to come
in, and show their excuse for living!"
Brockett and Solano, two handsome,
athletic youngsters, somewhat fSayed
as to dress, saluted the old warhorse
with becoming, gravity. -Brockett drew
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

players, with a yell OF surprise and
rage, dashed across the diamond. It
was less than half a minute before
they reached the point where the las
seed youngster had last been visible,
but all that they found was Brockett
himself, still mixed up with the coils
OF a lariat, his shirt half-torn off, the
waistband OF his trousers ripped, and
his pockets inside out. His assailants,
whoever they might have been, had
vanished into the chaparral, and the
cracking of the underbrush gave evil
denco that they We're rapidly widen
ing the distance between themselves
and the avenging cavalry.
What was it?" VINO roped your"
Are you hurt?" the players chorused,
as they picked up the rumpled but
uninjured centerfelder. Brockett,
freed from the tangling rope. shook
himself, made an effort to readjust his
torn clothing, and then sat down on
the grass, rocking with laughter.
I'm not hurt" he explained, be-
tween spasms OF merriment, but l
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

In the rnlrd inning the troopers be-
gan to land on the moving-picture
man and two hits were followed by a
tumble on the part of a contractors
agent. who was covering second. With
the bases full, the moving-picture mar
put on the steam, struck out the chap
lain of the regiment-usually a cork
ing good batter-and made the bugler
pop to the first baseman. The next
man up was the captain OF Company
c, d pOrtly gentleman who had struck
out on his last previous appearance.
He barely grazed the ball and raised
q tiny fly that lowered over third.
Solano settled with eager hands for
the catch. Just as the ball landed in
his glove, the trooper who was coach
ing at third beloved, like a foghorn:
The spider! Look out for the taran-
tula, boy-look out for the spider!"
With q startled yell Solano sprang
nimbly backward. The ball fell with
a chugging thud and rolled away. Two
runs crossed the platter, and the
whole regiment gave vent to wild and
woody howls of glee. Solano, a bright
crimson suffusing his olive counte-
nance, said never a word, but Brock
EFT. far out. shrieked at the absurdity
of the thing.
After this the tide of battle ebbed
and flowed. The common citizens be-
gan to hit the distinguished marks
man who was pitching, and got back
those two runs in the fifth inning.
They accumulated two more in the
sixth, thanks to a neat drive by
Brockett, and SolanO got some meas
ure of revenge in the seventh when be
caught a liner and stepped on third
before a runner could get back. The
cavalry rallied in the eighth, but could
push in only one man. They turned
into the ninth with the score 4 to )
in favor of the common citizens, and
the audience roofing like wild men.
The moving-picture man fed the
first batsman a high, fast ball, and it
whizzed past first for two bases. A
strikeout disposed of the next man,
while the next drew four balls. The
chaplain came up, tried to catch the
infield mapping with a bunt, and was
thrown out at first, leaving men on
third and second, with two down.
The bugler caught a slow, tantaliz-
ing curve %squarely on the trademark,
and it scared out over center field.
Brockett ran back, back and kept on
travelling. At the very edge of a mos
quite clump far behind his position he
gathered in the ball and heard a tre-
mendous cutburst Of applause from
the assemblage. He arched the ball
back into the infield, started to walk
back to the bench-and then some
thing swished through the air, and a
loop settled round his shoulders. The
lasso was pulled in with rapid hands,
and Brockett vanished behind the
mesquite clump before he could ever
give a warning cry.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08
Under the rich light of the Mexican

Under the rich light Of the Mexican
moon, two young horsemen rode the
trail that leads to R?ucho Nogal. Both
boys could ride fairly we'll, though
neither could lay claim to the skill OF
a cowboy, and the thoughtful old col
onel had provided them with mounts.
"If you can stick on your horses"
said he, ut will shorten the distance
to the Rancho, and may also carry you
out of danger If anybody stops you on
the way" Well-provided with direc,
lions, and with heavy cavalry revol.
vers buckled at their hips, the mes.
sengers set out on the last stage OF
their journey In royal spirits. Six
troopers saw them safe across the Rio
Grande, and dismissed them with wav,
ing Of hats and urgent requests to be
back In time for the deciding ball
game. The group of friendly horse
men faded into spectres and then
blended with the night; dark stretch.
es Of shadowy %chaparral advanced ita
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

package contains orders that may NEAR
a lot to our general foreign policy, and
at least two governments that l could
mention would give q good deal to get
the key. Tell me about your trip, and
what they tried to do to you"
The boys, thus encouraged, told the
veteran the full details of their jour
neys, while the old man alternately
laughed and stormed. When the re
cital was finished, Colonel Lewis SHOOK
hands with them heartily, and the
youngsters knew that the grim old
hero was their friend for life.
"Tll have to devote my attention to
this cipher code Of yours for the next
two hours" said the colonel. You
boys will mess with me today, l hope?'
we must be on our way as quickly
as possible" Brockett negatived
There Is still some margin In oul
timelimit, but we would like tc round
up everything as rapidly as possible
After delivering these papers to you
our orders take us TO Rancho Nogal
on the other side of the Rio Grande.'
Rancho Nogal, eh?" And the col
onels eyebrows were raised In sur
prise and Interrogation. Message to
Gomez Esterai, l supDose?"
Eyes, colonel"
"You know who Gomez Esteral may
be, of course?"
mo, sir. We didn't find cut any
thing about him. All we know is that
we are to deliver him a message, and
that was all we cared to know"
The colonel beamed with apprecia-
ton.
you boys will make good soldiers
yet. The first essential of a good SOL
der is to obey orders without asking
questions, and that, l see, you have
already learned to do. Under the cir
cumstances ! think I will give you n
little information concerning Gomez
Esteral-it may help you to realize
the importance of your final mission"
The boys sat down and hitched
their chairs neal to the colonel, who
spoke in a low, impressive tone, while
his young hearers fairly gasped at
the revelations that were now unfold
ed to their attentive ears.
Gomez E%steral," said Colonel Lew
is. "s probably the brainiest and most
ambitious man between the Rio
Grande and Cape Horn. His plans
are boundless, his talents those Of a
Napoleon. When Diaz was over.
thrown, only n few months ago, Gomez
Esteral hoped to gain a high place in
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

changing mucn persifage, and map
ping out the p~reliminaries for the
third game Of the series. Brockett
and Solano, assigned to a comfortable
tent, started a debate as to the iden-
tity of their latest adversary.
"The fact that he was a small man.
leaving a small track" said Solano,
"seems to indicate that our Japanese
friend swan out of the North river.
Doesn't 1t look that way?'
at surely does" assented Brockett.
still, the German baron may have a
few small men as his confederates.
That would be possible, wouldn't it?"
THE baron is still locked up at
Little Rock" objected Solano. He
would have considerable difficulty In
directing any operations from the cell
where we last saw him. l can't see
anyone In this but the gentle Jap.
Can you?"
ut appears to be some of his play
full doings," said Brockett. He has
kept himself we'll under cover though.
The of1icers-who keep their eyes and
ears open-all tell me that no jap
anese gentlemen have been seen in
this vicinity"
Solano smiled, significantly. That
may te-but did it ever occur to you
that the average ChiDaman looks very
much like the average japanese? And
there are quite a few Cinnamon along
the river, so I'm told"
The boys looked out of the tent and
gazed upon the dreary panorama OF
brush, rock, sand and turbid river.
Then, smitten with the pangs of ex-
cellent appetites and remembering an
invitation to the e~ating-place Of the
war correspondents, they stepped over
the threshold. A MeXican-poorly
clad, miserable of appearance, inter
cepted them.
81 beg pardon, senores."
Tell 1t In Spanish, If you can't In
English" said Solano, amiably. The
Mexican at once started a brief, but
energetic Grafton In the Castilian
tongue, and wound it up by pressing
a soiled piece of cardboard into So
lano's hand.
He says" interpreted Solano,
that he was a poor peon, very much
In debt; that he had saved a little
money, and took a gambling chance to-
day by stalking it on the ball game.
Says he got five to one for his money.
He says that the catch you made
saved him; that he car now not only
pay off his debt, but that he will be
quite a rich man, for Mexico. Just to
express his gratitude he also says that
his brother, Juan Torrejon. is a very
noted bad man or the Mexican side Of
the river, and that if we should ever
encounter Mr.. Torrejon the card he
has just handed me will recommend
US quite highly to his good graces.
Very civilized of the gentleman, isn't
it?"
"You can never tell. That card may
be more than useful yet. Let's hurry
along to supper"
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

government were simply rghting out
thor troubles to a finish, there would
be no special activity. either on the
part Of the United States or of any
foreign powers. You probably thought
1t a little singular, didn't you, that
there should be such marked interest
shown in your messages and cipher
code? OF curse you did. If II had
been merely a case of guarding n from
tween the Mexican factions, neither
Germany nor Japan would have cared
q boot in Halifax about o or the
documents with which you had been
entrusted"
1T does look that way, colonel" as
scented the wondering Solano.
1T so happens, however" resumed
the colonel, that the situation Is ono
Of far greater Importance than a mere
frontier campaign OF idleness and
scheming. Gomez Esteral has much
greater ambitions than even the presi-
dency of Mexico. He has for years
been planning, plotting, working a net
VI ihc NliCo a tlt way llOll DOlOId
to Chile, and his plans are nearly ripe.
Some plans, too. believe me, lads"
What are the gentleman's ambi-
tions?" questioned the eager-faced
Brockett. Does he wish to be an
emperor"
Perhaps" smiled the colonel, but
that would be merely an incidental.
Gomez Esteral plans a confederation
Of all the Latin-American nations,
with a united front and a central gov
ernment-himself, of course. to be the
head-and that united confederation is
to offer its tremendous strength to the
highest bidder, whether that bidder be
Japan or Germany, for an alliance
against the United States and the CON
quest of the nation!"
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

think somebody's feelings will be in
jured. Somebody Is going to be badly
stung."
Your belt is gone!" cried Solano.
Yes. That's the best part Of It,"
gurgled Brockett. Half an hour be-
fore the game, not wishing to be too
heavily weighted, l took my money.
my packets of letters-everything OF
any value or any weight-and placed
them in the safe at headquarters. The
captain of Company F fixed it all up
for me. That took two or three
pounds and a lot of bulk off my waist,
and gave me a chance to work moro
freely. Whoever lassoed me wanted
that belt. They jerked me in among
these bushes, flung me on my face,
and went through me in less than five
seconds time. And they got tie belt,
they got the belt, and ran away with
it," Brockett again collapsed with
laughter.
Didn't you see them at all, my
boy?" questioned the chaplain.
mo, sir" Brockett replied. They
jerked me In here SO fast / had no
chance to turn, and then laid me face
downward, so that I couldn't see them.
They didn't even speak, but robbed
me and were gone before / could even
roll over and look after them. 1t vas
finely done-just the way the wild
west melodramas used to have the
Mexican villain lasso the heroic cow
boy"
Didn't they get anything besides
the belt?" asked Solano.
Eyes, they did" And again Brock
EFT was c%onvulsed. They got a nice
set of nonsensical messages and
faxed ciphers that l put in four hours
constructing on the train. I hope they
get rich with their plumber"
An old trooper, a veteran of the
plains, had pushed a short distance
into the chaparral while this CONVEX
satiOn was going on.
There was three of 'em, SIR" he
reported to the captain of Company G.
1.-TWO was Mexicans, one a cheap fell
low that didn't amount to much, and
the other a vaquerO, with new, high
heeled shoes, and a new black vel
veteen jacket. His arm caught on
some thorns, sir, and here's a bit of
.le goods. The third one was a lit
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

CHAPTER X-The place Of refuge
found to be a trap; find themselves pris-
oners Of Yazimoto. Kelly to rescue,
mulches Jap out of &c. O.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

gloom In contest with the bright rays
Of the moon-and the boys, bearing
missives whose vast Importance they
had never known till that same day.
rode onward through the dusk, mile
after mile. They expected to make
Rancho Nogal about daybreak, If all
went sm~oothly-but the progress OF
these youngsters, somehow or other,
never seemed to have much smooth.
ness anywhere along it's line.
Perhaps ten miles from the river,
they encountered a slight rise in the
road, and walked their horses slowly
up the grade. Suddenly, as the moon.
rays fell upon the summit of the in
cline, a solitary horseman doomed up,
huge and menacing in the shadows.
Silent, grim and somber, he sat his
horse five hundred feet beyond, and
seemed to patiently await their COM
ing.
81 don't like the looks OF Tat fel.
low" whispered Brockett as they
neared the silent figure.
He doesn't look specially good to
me, either" replied Solano. "StilI.
there are two Of us, and there's cnly
me of him-no, I'm mistaken. He IL
distinctly plural"
Three other mounted figures ranged
ID beside the first one, all equally
grim aud menacing In the moonlight.
3rockett half turned his horses head.
Too late for a retreat-tive more OF
he silent horsemen were slowly walk
ng their mounts from the direction of
he river. For one moment the mes
'engers halted, irresolute, and then
moved forward towards the watchers
1T the summit Of the hill. Perhaps 200
.eet further on, they came upon q
c~ross-road-a mere thread of a trail
breaking forth from dense under.
growth and midnight jungle. Instant.
ly Brockett wheeled and plunged into
the new-found trail, while Solano fol-
lowed. They drove their horses to q
gallop, and as they started IN the
dash for safety the silent horsemen,
both before and behind the fugitives,
came charging after. They gave no
cry, they voiced no shout or threat,
but the clatter of the hoofs and the
Changing OF accouterments made wild
discord on the evening air. Down the
thread-like trail, straining every nerve
to increase their horses speed, fed
the messengers and, fast closing up
the distance. the nine pursuing riders
sped along behind.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

CHAPTER XI-Kelly turns the ntoney
over to Brockett.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER I-secret Service Chief W.T.
Inns, puzzled over the theft Of the Gov
fee pinkwell They think they have
boy, Brockett, tells them its THE Dia-
mon Cipher" and starts for the ball park.
CHAPTER II-Brockett. Chula Lon
together with some twenty other young
sters practice baseball playing until dark.
one OF wilkins stenographers is seen to
pass a paper to mysterious stranger.
CHAPTER uI-As outcome of Brock
ett's cipher, the ball player and Solano
are engaged by government for mystert-
Gus mission. Yazimoto. mysterious Jap.
calls Oh Brockett.
CHAPTER IV-Brockett falls into YAH
1moto's trap, a fight follows, Brockett
coming out on top: Messenger McKane
coming to rescue.
CHAPTER v-McKane was bearer Of
the mysterious cipher; is also a ball play
er.
CHAPTER vT-Yazimoto returns to
headquarters and reports his failure to
obtain the cipher to Baron Zollern; Miss
Lawson, the stenographer, also reports to
h Baron.
have encounter with the Baron In which
the latter comes out second best.
CHAPTER VIIT-Brockett and solano
arrive In Jersey City; make appointment
to meet McGinnity. the Iron Man. base
ball manager.
CHAPTER IX-Brockett and Solano ar
rive IN New York and run into G. Chi
nese Tong war;; rescued by a white man.
CHAPTER X-The place Of refuge
found to be a trap; find themselves pris-
oners Of Yazimoto. Kelly to rescue,
mulches Jap out of $1,000
CHAPTER XI-Kelly turns the nsoney
over to Brockett
CHAPTER XII-Brockett and Solano
have encounter with tough gang, but arc
protected by Kelly's men.
CHAPTER X1II-On sleeper Cleveland
bound; the Baron detected in act of riff
ling Solano's berth, jumps from train.
CHAPTER XIV-At Detroit the mes
engers go to ball game, receive hero
glyphs in mysterious manner and depart
for Chicago.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

tie man-at least, his feet were very
small-and he o regular city
shoes. That's all the trail tells, sir.
/ suppose they had horses the other
side of this brush, ar are a long
ways from here by now"
Six troopers rode out, beating the
chaparral, but with little hope of over.
taking the lasso-throwers. The tri.
umphant common citizens and the de-
feated cavalry returned to camp, ex.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08
CHAPTER XIV.

1t doesn't take long for a crowd OF
husky athletes to traverse the dis
lance between the home plate and GEN.
terield. AS Brockett disappeared be-
hind the mesquite. half q dozen ball
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-08

the new government of Mexico-a po-
sition that would serve as a stepping.
stone in his ambitions. Disappointed
in this, he has been raising men for q
new revolution, and the fighting which
has already taken place between his
men and the government forces has
furnished the excuse for the cavalry's
being stationed on the river, exactly
as was the case when the insurrec-
ton against Porfrio Diaz broke out.
III Gomez Esteral and the Mext